Bingle Bells : AMC OFFERS A CROSBY FILM MARATHON; DISNEY RECALLS HIS FAMILY SPECIALS

Bing Crosby’s films have nearly reached the status of Santa Claus’ sleigh and reindeer as symbols for the holidays.

Consider how Der Bingle starred in three of the most popular Christmas films ever made: “Holiday Inn,” “Going My Way” and “White Christmas.” He also recorded “White Christmas,” the best-selling yuletide tune of all time. And until his death in 1977, Crosby and his family appeared in 13 Christmas TV specials.

Both the Disney Channel and American Movie Classics are celebrating Christmas with the help of Crosby.

Airing Sunday at 9 p.m. and early Monday at 4 a.m. on Disney is the entertaining A Bing Crosby Christmas: Like the Ones We Used to Know. Widow Kathryn Crosby and good friend Gene Kelly host this hourlong special from 1979; it features a compilation of clips from the 13 original Crosby Christmas specials that aired from 1962 until 1977. Among the guests bringing in the yuletide cheer with Crosby are Fred Astaire, David Bowie, Carol Burnett, Jackie Gleason, Michael Landon, Mary Martin and the Young Americans singing group.

American Movie Classics is devoting all of Christmas Day to the films of Bing Crosby. So put some chestnuts on the open fire, pour a big glass of eggnog and find some cookies. Nosh, sit back and enjoy.

Kicking off the Crosby marathon at 3 a.m. is the 1953 melodrama Little Boy Lost. Directed by George Seaton, this tear-jerker finds Crosby as a newspaper reporter in post-World War II France scouring the orphanages to locate his missing son.

Next up at 4:45 a.m. is the 1944 classic Going My Way. Leo McCarey directed this delightful comedy-drama about young Father O’Malley (Crosby), who wins the hearts of his crusty old superior (Barry Fitzgerald) and the young neighborhood gang. The film, McCarey, Crosby and Fitzgerald all won Oscars, as did the song “Swinging On a Star.” But get a hankie out for the ending. (The following year, Crosby and McCarey joined forces for the sequel, “The Bells of St. Mary’s.”)

It’s a veritable road trip from 7 am. until 1 p.m. when AMC presents four of the comic “Road” pictures Crosby made with Bob Hope. First up is 1940’s The Road to Singapore, the first in the long-running film series. Crosby and Hope decide to give up women and hide out in Singapore. But then Dorothy Lamour enters the picture.

At 8:30 a.m. is the so-so 1941 Road to Zanzibar. At 10 a.m. is the best of the bunch--the terrific 1942 Road to Morocco. Here, Crosby sells Hope to a slave trader in Morocco; Lamour is on hand as a beautiful princess. In this film, Crosby sings “Moonlight Becomes You.”

At 11:30 a.m is 1945’s funny The Road to Utopia. This time around the boys and Lamour are looking for gold in the Klondike. At 1 p.m. is 1942’s Holiday Inn, a cheery musical comedy that also stars Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds. This is the film in which Crosby introduced the Oscar-winning Irving Berlin standard “White Christmas.”

Crosby and Astaire teamed up again for 1946’s Blue Skies, which airs at 3 p.m. Berlin also supplied the music for this lightweight but bouncy musical-comedy about one-time show business pals and partners who become rivals.

The singing actor definitely has a High Time in the 1960 comedy airing at 5 p.m. Blake Edwards directed this acceptable farce that finds Crosby as a widower who returns to college. Tuesday Weld co-stars.

Crosby scored a great success playing Father O’Malley. But the third time donning a priest’s collar was not a charm for Crosby. Say One for Me, at 7 p.m, is one of his worst films. Sentimental and maudlin, this 1959 drama with music features Crosby as a Broadway priest who gets involved with helping a chorus girl (Debbie Reynolds). Robert Wagner co-stars as the heel Reynolds is stuck on.

In 1952’s Just for You, at 9 p.m., Crosby plays a busy widowed producer who can’t find the time to spend with his growing children until beautiful Jane Wyman enters the picture. Ethel Barrymore, Natalie Wood and Bob Arthur also star in this pleasant musical diversion.

Following at 10:45 p.m. is 1948’s The Emperor Waltz. Billy Wilder directed this rather disappointing musical-comedy set in Austria about a man (Crosby) who sells record players to royalty. Joan Fontaine also stars.

Far more entertaining is 1949’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, which screens at 12:30 a.m. In this colorful adaptation of the Mark Twain tale, Crosby is hit on the noggin and is transported back to the time of King Arthur. Rhonda Fleming, William Bendix and Cedric Hardwicke also star.

Concluding the Crosby fest at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday is 1950’s Mr. Music, a routine but watchable musical-comedy about a Broadway songwriter. Peggy Lee co-stars.