He was the most relaxed man in show business. That was the brand, anyway. But on October 14, 1977, at the La Moraleja Golf Course just outside Madrid, Bing Crosby wasn't performing. He was just a 74-year-old man with a 13 handicap trying to beat two local pros.
The sun was dipping low over the Spanish countryside. Honestly, it was a beautiful day for a walk, which is exactly how Crosby viewed golf. By the time he reached the 18th green, he’d already secured a narrow victory—he and his partner, Manuel Piñero, won by a single stroke.
Then came the flash. Or, more accurately, several flashes.
The Unsuspecting Final Frames
There isn’t just one single "last picture" of Bing Crosby, but rather a final sequence captured by photographers who were following the legendary crooner during his round. These images don't show a man in decline. They show Bing in a bright red sweater-vest, clutching a putter, and looking every bit the seasoned sportsman.
In one of the most famous shots taken that afternoon, he’s leaning on his club, a slight smile on his face. It’s haunting because of what happened literally twenty minutes later. You’ve probably seen the grainy photos of him sitting at lunch earlier that day, too. He looks tired, sure, but he was also halfway through a grueling European tour.
Earlier in the round, at the ninth hole, some construction workers nearby recognized the "White Christmas" singer. They shouted over, asking for a song. Crosby didn't brush them off. He leaned back and sang a few bars of "Strangers in the Night"—which, ironically, was a Frank Sinatra hit.
💡 You might also like: Danny DeVito Wife Height: What Most People Get Wrong
He was in high spirits. He was winning.
Tragedy on the Red-Brick Path
Most people think Crosby died on the green. That’s a common misconception. He actually finished the 18th hole, put his clubs away, and started the walk back to the clubhouse.
His last words are the stuff of Hollywood legend, except they’re actually true. He turned to his playing partners—Valentín Barrios and César de Zulueta—and said, "That was a great game of golf, fellas. Let’s go have a Coca-Cola."
He didn't make it to the Coke.
About 20 yards from the clubhouse entrance, on a path made of red brick and gravel, Crosby’s heart simply stopped. He collapsed face-first. There was no reaching out to break the fall, no dramatic gasp. He was gone before he hit the ground.
📖 Related: Mara Wilson and Ben Shapiro: The Family Feud Most People Get Wrong
Why the Photos Still Fascinate Us
Looking at the last picture of Bing Crosby, you see the end of an era. This was the man who essentially invented the modern concept of a multimedia superstar. He sold more records, had more radio hits, and moved more movie tickets than almost anyone in the 20th century.
And yet, there he is in Spain, alone (his wife Kathryn was back in the States), just being a guy who liked golf.
What the Cameras Caught
- The Red Sweater: The bright red color he wore that day stands out in every final photo.
- The Ben Hogan Clubs: He was playing with a brand-new set of Hogan clubs but insisted on using an old Hogan putter he’d had for years.
- The Fatigue: While fans say he looks "peaceful," medical experts looking back at the footage from his final London concert (filmed just days prior) noted he looked remarkably pale.
There was a lot of debate afterward about whether he should have been playing at all. He’d had a serious fall from a stage in March of that same year, resulting in a ruptured disc and a long hospital stay. His doctors told him to take it easy. Bing, being Bing, decided that "taking it easy" meant playing 18 holes in the Spanish sun.
The Aftermath and the "Lost" Interview
Just days before he flew to Spain, Bing sat down for an interview with the BBC’s Alan Dell. It was his final recorded conversation. In it, he sounded nostalgic but sharp. He talked about London being his favorite city and how much he loved the "civility" of the British people.
When the news of his death hit the wires, the world went into a bit of a tailspin. He was 74, which isn't exactly young, but he was such a permanent fixture in global culture that his absence felt impossible.
👉 See also: How Tall is Tim Curry? What Fans Often Get Wrong About the Legend's Height
His wife, Kathryn Crosby, later remarked that she couldn't think of a better way for him to go. He’d just finished a round of golf, he’d played well, and he didn't have to endure a long, lingering illness. He just... stopped.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you’re looking to find the most authentic versions of these final moments, skip the grainy social media re-posts. Instead, look for archives from the La Moraleja Golf Club or the Spanish news agency Cifra, which handled the original reporting in 1977.
To truly understand the man in those final photos, watch the Bing Crosby: The Final Concert special or his last Christmas special with David Bowie. They provide the context of a man who was exhausted but refused to stop performing until the very last hole.
The last picture of Bing Crosby isn't just a morbid curiosity. It’s a snapshot of a man who lived his life exactly the way he wanted to, right up until the final twenty yards.
Check out the official Bing Crosby estate archives for high-quality restorations of his final 1977 tour photos to see the man behind the myth in his closing days.