David Bowie made a guest appearance on Bing Crosby's Christmas special in 1977. This excerpt from American Masters: Bing Crosby Rediscovered shares the behind-the-scenes story of the song "The Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth," which was pivotal to Bowie's participation.
The first meeting between Bowie and Crosby wasn't quite love at first sight Crosby's children, Nathaniel and Mary, recounted the sequence of events for Billboard in 2014: Mary Crosby remembered Bowie arriving on set. "The doors opened and David walked in with his wife. They were both wearing full-length mink coats, they have matching full makeup and their hair was bright red," she told the summer TV critics' tour Wednesday. "We were thinking, 'Oh my god.'" Nathaniel Crosby added, "It almost didn't happen. I think the producers told him to take the lipstick off and take the earring out. It was just incredible to see the contrast." Watching in the wings, the Crosby kids noticed a transformation. "They sat at the piano and David was a little nervous," Mary Crosby recalled. "Dad realized David was this amazing musician, and David realized Dad was an amazing musician. You could see them both collectively relax and then magic was made."
This was so neat to read, and listen to @Joe Riley ! Thank you for posting it. I'd never seen Bing in his late years, on TV. The kids mention contrast, that's an understatement, but it also goes to show what spending a little time with someone so different than yourself, can make us see how much we have in common
That was so good to see and listen to @Joe Riley I really miss the Variety shows we had back then, like The Andy Williams Show, wonderful, and thank you much