▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁Stan ford ▁University . ▁He ▁entered ▁the ▁entertain ment ▁business ▁and ▁performed ▁in ▁a ▁harm ony ▁singing ▁group , ▁The ▁C ros by ▁Boys , ▁with ▁his ▁three ▁brothers , ▁Philip , ▁L inds ay , ▁and ▁Dennis , ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁he ▁du ett ed ▁with ▁his ▁father ▁on ▁two ▁songs , ▁" Sam ' s ▁Song " ▁and ▁" Play ▁a ▁Simple ▁Mel ody ", ▁which ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁double - s ided ▁gold ▁record ▁in ▁history . ▁He ▁also ▁recorded ▁du ets ▁with ▁Louis ▁Arm strong ▁and ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁ 4 5 - single ▁with ▁Sam my ▁Davis ▁Jr .. ▁He ▁also ▁performed ▁on ▁several ▁variety ▁programs , ▁including ▁ ▁ABC ' s ▁The ▁Pat ▁Bo one ▁Che vy ▁Show room ▁and ▁N BC ' s ▁The ▁Ford ▁Show , ▁St arring ▁Tennessee ▁Er nie ▁Ford . ▁ ▁Radio ▁star ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 5 0 s , ▁he ▁had ▁his ▁own ▁radio ▁program , ▁the ▁Gary ▁C ros by ▁Show ▁on ▁CBS . ▁The ▁musical ▁variety ▁program ▁deb uted ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁as ▁a ▁summer ▁replacement ▁for ▁B ing ▁C ros by ' s ▁show . ▁ ▁A ctor ▁As ▁an ▁actor , ▁C ros by ▁appeared ▁in ▁many ▁television ▁programs . ▁ ▁On