You remember Kathryn Crosby, right? Actress in movies like "Rear Window," "Anatomy of a Murder," "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad." Wife of recording legend Bing Crosby.

But do you remember her as Kathryn Grandstaff of West Columbia? Miss Splash Day Princess. Queen of the 1950 Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition. Runner-up to Miss Texas 1952.

Now 82 and still living in California, Crosby keeps busy these days with ballet (hip replacement surgery won't keep her down) and staying active with her grandchildren and charitable endeavors like the Crosby Scholars program.

Recently, the Houston Chronicle caught up with Crosby to talk about her days growing up Grandstaff in West Columbia and her return visits to Houston in the 1950s. Here's an edited excerpt from that interview. More of Crosby's life in Texas can be heard in the audio link below.

Q: Without your aunt and uncle in your life, do you think you would have pursued a career in the entertainment industry like you did?

A: I would have done it the best way I could, but I was very fortunate. Aunt Frances got me to my first beauty contest. I was a Splash Day princess when I was 3 years old. And we walked on a platform that was about 12 feet off the ground and I was having the best time. And Aunt Frances was running along the side saying, "Don't fall off! Don't fall off!" .... I remember it, even being 3 years old.

Q: I've come across a lot of photos in our archive of beauty queens, women who took part in beauty pageants and contests in the 1950s and early 1960s. Can you tell me a little more about that?

A: It was something to do. You could go swimming at the river -- on the Brazos River -- or you could be in a beauty contest. And everybody did that. Everybody took part in these festivities. We had barbecue and great times together. And anybody from all the little communities around took part in all the festivities that were going on all the time. Both in Robstown and in West Columbia.

Audio extra

Q: Let's talk a little bit about a particular moment in November 1957. You had just married Bing about a month earlier when you all landed in Houston and West Columbia to visit family. Can you describe the scene when you two landed here?

A: It was one of the biggest celebrations of my life. It was about as big as being Miss Buccaneer Navy or Queen of the Houston Buffaloes. I mean there was a big crowd out. And they all said "Hello" and they were thrilled to see Bing. And what I remember most is that Bing had a hole in his sweater. He was wearing a very pretty alpaca sweater but it had a moth hole in it. And it didn't matter because it was in good form. It was clean and it was in good form and so that was OK. He didn't care if it had a hole in it or not.

(Reporters and photographers would later gather outside the home of Crosby's parents in West Columbia. Problem is, they really weren't supposed to be there.)

They wanted to come into the house. Bing wanted to have a private reception. It was our homecoming. The family was welcome. Everybody was welcome, but he didn't have his toupee! And you can't be photographed without your toupee if you're a big star. So they couldn't come in the house.

Q: The story that was given at the time was that Columbia didn't want the media to think that you were using the Crosby name to further your career.

A: My mother always felt that Bing married me for publicity. (Laughter)

Q: When you looked at all you accomplished, do those days in Texas just seem like a long time ago or another world?

A: Like yesterday. The most vivid experiences you'll ever have happen when you're a kid.