Your article about the anniversary of Bing Crosby’s death prompted a thought of my own.
With Elvis Presley, I always supposed what was operating was a machine set in motion by Colonel Parker, designed to go on producing money well into the next millennium.
Standing in a post office line some months ago, I confronted a near-lifesize cutout of James Dean and had time to wonder: Why so much Dean and so little Steve McQueen?
McQueen left a larger body of work and a similar “rebel” image, but he’s nowhere near as widely saluted as Dean.
I suspect the estates/heirs of Dean and others have acquired an agent, or were sought out by one, while the survivors of McQueen and Gary Cooper are among those who haven’t.
Does that sound cynical? Probably. In fact, I think it is cynical.
But if not the money motive, what do you think explains the lack of a Steve McQueen revival?
Anyway, thanks for an interesting piece about Crosby.
