Bing and Dixie had 4 sons: Gary (1933-95), twins Phillip (1934-2004) and Dennis (1934-91), and Lindsay (1938-89). Ironically, after sobering up her husband, Dixie soon fell prey to her own alcohol abuse, no doubt in part because of the public pressure on her family and the frequent absences of her husband. Bing learned that Dixie was dying of ovarian cancer while he was in France filming "Little Boy Lost." She died Nov. 1, 1952, a week after his return home and three days before her 41st birthday.

Dennis and Lindsay died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Gary died of lung cancer a decade after writing a bitter "daddy-dearest" biography of his life with Bing, "Going My Own Way," in which he accused his father of physical and emotional abuse.

Bing remarried in 1957. His new wife, Kathryn Grant, was an aspiring actress whom he'd met at Paramount while filming interior scenes for the movie "Little Boy Lost" in February 1953. Kathryn was 30 years younger than Bing, and the result was an opportunity for Bing to start a second family. Bing first proposed to Kathryn in November 1954. He told her that with his age and health he could give her only about 10 years. She accepted anyway, after which she did not hear from Bing again for nearly two months. In December Kathryn phoned Bing and Bing suggested they get married February 7, 1955. Bing postponed the wedding after an attack of kidney stones required surgery. The wedding was rescheduled for May 13. Bing didn't show on the blessed day, but phoned on the 14th to cite film work and business dealings for the need to postpone the wedding until Sept. 10. On Sept. 7 Bing announced that a "complication" in his life necessitated postponing the marriage again. This "complication" turned out to be some unfinished business from his recent affair with Grace Kelly. Bing and Kathy next set their wedding date for March 17, 1956. Bing again postponed the blessed event to have eye surgery. "It's as if Bing were waiting for the right moment to tell his wife about me," Kathryn lamented in her biography. The wedding was rescheduled for September, but Bing got cold feet after reporters discovered their plans. During the next few months Kathryn matched Bing's cold feet with her cold shoulders. Meanwhile, Bing had an affair with Inger Stevens. In July 1957 Kathryn left for Spain to film The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad. They agreed not to speak until she returned in September. When she returned Kathryn wrote to Bing that she still loved him but no longer wished to marry him. Bing wrote her in October that he was miserable without her and begged to see her. Kathryn demurred. On Oct. 22 Kathryn received one more letter from Bing, begging her to marry him and including his phone number for her response. Through her aunt, Kathryn arranged to marry Bing in Los Vegas. At last Kathryn's ordeal was over. Bing and Kathy said the magic words on Oct. 24, 1957.

Kathryn and Bing had 3 kids: Harry (1958), Mary Frances (1959) and Nathaniel (1961). Bing was more attentive to the needs of his second family than he had been to his first and Kathryn seemed much more able to deal with Bing's fame than Dixie had been. The marriage lasted until Bing's death, after which Kathryn wrote a loving biography, My Life with Bing.