Bing Crosby Theater Bing Crosby Theater Bing Crosby Theater is a performing arts theater located in Spokane, Washington which was designed by theater architect Edwin W. Houghton. The theater was originally built in 1914 as an 800-seat movie theater called Clemmer Theater. Between May and October 1925, local singer Bing Crosby was a regular performer at the theater. Over the years the theater fell into disrepair until it was purchased by a local company in 1988 and refurbished. The theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 1988. It was re-opened as the Metropolitan Performing Arts Center and was
Bing Crosby Entertains at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Musical support came from Lennie Hayton’s orchestra and Ken Niles was the announcer. The guest was eighteen-year-old songstress, Mary Lou Raymond. Bing was paid $1,750 per broadcast for a minimum of 13 weeks plus a figure to be agreed for a further six broadcasts. The shows opened with Ken Niles saying: “Bing Crosby entertains” followed by a word of welcome from Crosby and an opening song. “After that Niles would deliver a message from Woodbury whose slogan: “For the skin you love to touch,” represented considerable aesthetic improvement for Crosby over coughless cigarettes and saliva-free