Spokane's two daily papers sent reviewers to the Gonzaga Dramatic Club's play, "It Pays to Advertise" on Nov. 8, 1923.

These reviews were of the "good time had by all" variety and would be of little note today except for the fact that Harry Crosby, age 20, played the role of Ambrose Peale. Here's what the reviewers said about young Crosby:
Spokane Chronicle: "Michael Pecarovich and Harry Crosby took the leading roles in the play and both were tremendously successful. ... They added extemporaneous comedy bits to their lines and their situations ... resulting in one uproar of laughter after another."

The Spokesman-Review: "(Pecarovich) and his partner in crime and advertising, Harry Crosby, carry off all of the play's hilarious moments. Mr. Crosby bursts over with spontaneity in getting his amusing lines across the footlights."
Harry Crosby was, of course, Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby, who later became famous for his "extemporaneous comedy bits" in the "Road" movies with Bob Hope.

He also went on to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1945.

First, I would like to thank you for starting this blog... I grew up in Spokane and I am still fascinated by its rich history. The web has made it easier for former Spokanites to keep up with Spokane and research its past, but the available online resources only touch the surface. The Eastern Washington Historical Society, for example, used to have some historic photographs available on-line. With the advent of MAC the on-line access went by the wayside. I'm glad to see your blog adding to what's available... keep up the good work.

With respect to "Der Bingle", I read that later in life he denied having attended Gonzaga and didn't like to acknowledge his Spokane roots... any information on that aspect of one of our finest crooners?

He remained proud of both Gonzaga and Spokane. Let me just quote a couple of items from his own autobiography.

On Spokane: "Those who live there don't care who you are, what you've been, or what your reputation was before they met you. It's how you handle yourself after you arrive there that counts. Dad thought it would be a fine place for a man to raise his family. He couldn't have been righter."

On Gonzaga: "We had some wonderful priests at Gonzaga -- men like Father Kennelly, the prefect of discipline. ... While under such men I learned virility and devoutness, mixed with the habit of facing whatever fate set in my path, squarely, with a cold blue eye."

He later went on to donate money to Gonzaga in the millions. So I don't think anyone could say he denied attending. He did deny graduating -- he took off for Hollywood before he graduated and sometimes had to set the record straight when people called him a grad. However, he was proud of the honorary degree Gonzaga eventually bestowed on him.

As for the Spokane area, he visited often and kept a home in Hayden Lake, just across the border in Idaho.

Again, here's what he says in his autobiography: "Being a boy from the Pacific Northwest, I'm very fond of that particular part of the country and I return there whenever I can."