LOS ANGELES -- Kathryn Crosby, who appeared in such movies as 鈥淭he 7th Voyage of Sinbad鈥�, 鈥淎natomy of a Murder,鈥� and 鈥淥peration Mad Ball鈥� before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby, has died. She was 90.
She died of natural causes Friday night at her home in the Northern California city of Hillsborough, a family spokesperson said Saturday.
Appearing under her stage name of Kathryn Grant, she appeared opposite Tony Curtis in 鈥淢ister Cory鈥� in 1957 and Victor Mature in 鈥淭he Big Circus鈥� in 1959. She made five movies with film noir director Phil Karlson, including 鈥淭ight Spot鈥� and 鈥淭he Phenix City Story,鈥� both in 1955.
Her other leading men included Jack Lemmon in 鈥淥peration Mad Ball,鈥� James Darren in 鈥淭he Brothers Rico,鈥� and James Stewart in 鈥淎natomy of a Murder,鈥� directed by Otto Preminger.
Born Olive Kathryn Grandstaff on Nov. 25, 1933, in West Columbia, Texas, she graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in fine arts. She came to Hollywood and began her movie career in 1953.
She met Bing Crosby while doing interviews for a column she wrote about Hollywood for her hometown newspaper. They were married in 1957, when she was 23 and he was 54.
She curtailed her acting career after the wedding, although she appeared often with Crosby and their three children on his Christmas television specials and in Minute Maid orange juice commercials. She became a registered nurse in 1963.
In the 1970s, she hosted a morning talk show on KPIX-TV in Northern California.
After Crosby's death at age 74 in 1977, from a heart attack after golfing in Spain, she appeared in stage productions of 鈥淪ame Time, Next Year鈥� and 鈥淐harley's Aunt.鈥� She co-starred with John Davidson and Andrea McArdle in the 1996 Broadway revival of 鈥淪tate Fair.鈥�
For 16 years ending in 2001, she hosted the Crosby National golf tournament in Bermuda Run, North Carolina.
She is survived by children Harry, Mary, an actor best known for the TV show 鈥淒allas,鈥� and Nathaniel, a successful amateur golfer. She was married to Maurice Sullivan for 10 years before he was killed in a 2010 car accident that seriously injured Crosby.
