Dixie Lee
A vivacious stage and screen star of the early talkies whose radiant career was overshadowed by her marriage to Bing Crosby and cut short by illness.
1911–1952 (age 41)·American actress, dancer, and singer·Birthday: November 4·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Long before she was known as Mrs. Bing Crosby, Dixie Lee was a headliner in her own right. Born Wilma Wyatt, she won a Charleston contest as a teenager, which launched her onto the vaudeville circuit and eventually to Broadway. Her bright, bubbly persona and dancing talent caught Hollywood's eye, and she signed with Fox, becoming a popular star in early musical comedies. She lit up the screen in films like 'Happy Days' and 'Love in Bloom,' often playing plucky, charming roles. Her 1930 marriage to rising crooner Bing Crosby created one of America's first major entertainment power couples, but the intense public scrutiny and Crosby's controlling nature took a toll. Lee gradually retreated from performing, focusing on raising their four sons. Her later years were marked by poor health and seclusion, a quiet end for a woman who once commanded the spotlight with effortless sparkle.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Dixie was born in 1911, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dixie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1911
Dixie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1911Born
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1916Started school
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Became a teenager
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Could drive
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1929Could vote
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Turned 21
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1941Turned 30
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 40
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1952Died at 41
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
Key Achievements
- Starred in over a dozen Hollywood feature films for Fox Film Corporation in the early 1930s.
- Won a major Charleston dance competition in Chicago, which launched her professional career.
- Her marriage to Bing Crosby was a massive media event and helped define Hollywood's golden age couple.
Did You Know?
She was the first actress to record the song 'Happy Days Are Here Again.'
Lee turned down the lead role in the film '42nd Street,' which later made Ruby Keeler a star.
She and Bing Crosby had four sons: Gary, twins Dennis and Phillip, and Lindsay.
After her death, Bing Crosby established the Dixie Lee Crosby Memorial Tuberculosis Fund.
“A fast number and a slow burn, that's the whole business.”
