Kathryn Crosby, the actress, singer and widow of Bing Crosby, died Friday evening of natural causes at her home in Hillsborough, Calif. She was 90.

A representative for the Crosby family announced the news.

Crosby starred in over 20 films over the course of her career including “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,” “Anatomy of a Murder,” “Operation Mad Ball” and “The Wild Party.” She typically performed under the stage names Kathryn Grant and Kathryn Grandstaff.

Crosby appeared frequently on Bing Crosby’s “Merrie Olde Christmas” specials and hosted “The Kathryn Crosby Show,” a 30-minute talk show based in San Francisco. Following the death of her husband in 1977, she performed in several stage productions such as the 1996 Broadway revival of “State Fair.”

Crosby also hosted the charitable Crosby National Golf Tournament in Bermuda Run, North Carolina for many years.

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, Crosby won a beauty contest, which earned her a screen test with William Holden. She began her film career in 1953 while writing a column about Hollywood for her hometown newspaper. She met Bing Crosby while conducting interviews for her column on the set of the film “White Christmas.” The two married in 1957. She became a registered nurse and teacher in 1963.

Crosby is survived by her three children, Harry, Mary and Nathaniel, as well as several grandchildren. No funeral plans have yet been announced at the time of publication.

Kathryn Crosby’s Film Career

Some of her other credits include “Queen of the Lot,” “This is Life,” “The Initiation of Sarah,” “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Ben Casey”, “Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre,” “The House Next Door,” “1001 Arabian Nights,” “The Big Circus,” “Gunman’s Walk,” “The George Sanders Mystery Theater,” “Love Has No Alibi,” “The Brothers Rico,” “The Night the World Exploded,” “The Guns of Fort Petticoat,” “Mister Cory,” “The Ford Television Theatre,” “The Connoisseur,” “A Kiss for Santa,” “The Policy of Joe Aladdin,” “Hanrahan,” “Reprisal!” and “Touch of Spring.”

Kathryn Crosby’s Life

Crosby was born Olive Kathryn Grandstaff on November 25, 1933 in West Columbia, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she majored in fine arts. She met Bing Crosby in 1953 on the set of White Christmas, a film he was starring in. She was a reporter at the time and had interviewed Crosby for a column she wrote for a Texas newspaper. They married in 1957. She had her first child, Harry, with Crosby in 1958. She gave birth to a daughter named Mary in 1959 and another son, Nathaniel, in 1961. Crosby continued to appear in films while she was married, but she also took on the role of mother and homemaker. She was well-known for her performances in “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,” “Anatomy of a Murder,” and “Operation Mad Ball.”

After Crosby's death in 1977, Kathryn remained active in the entertainment industry. She performed in stage productions, such as the Broadway revival of State Fair in 1996. She also hosted the Crosby National Golf Tournament in Bermuda Run, North Carolina, from 1985 to 2001.

In 2000, she married Maurice William Sullivan, an educator whom she and Bing had hired to tutor their kids. He later became trustee of the Crosby estate. The couple was together for ten years until a car accident in 2010 killed Sullivan at age 85 and left Kathryn seriously injured.

Kathryn Crosby was a talented actress and a devoted mother. She will be remembered for her contributions to the entertainment industry and for her loving legacy. Her life was a testament to the power of love and resilience. She left an imprint on the world through her captivating performances, heartwarming presence and enduring spirit.