The career of crooner Bing Crosby was so large — encompassing early jazz, pop, movies and TV — it’s seems hard for it to be contained even in a two hour episode of “American Masters” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings). But filmmaker Robert Tractenberg does an admirable job considering, aided mightily by the hand of biographer Gary Giddins, who appears as an expert on screen as well as Michael Feinstein and Tony Bennett, who have some decent commentary on what made Crosby such a compelling singer — his everyman persona, his conversational tone, his reluctance to push his vocals.
The film doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of his life, or his children’s allegations of bad fathering. Indeed there is evidence of his toughness to kin not only on paper but in audio, from the Dictabelt recordings to be made into letters. The bio film comes at a time when “Holiday Inn” and its sequel “White Christmas” return for their holiday rotation. But, he also complains in another dictated letter, he was disappointed with what a bad movie “White Christmas” turned out to be, considering the hit it was based on.
Crosby also stars tonight, as it happens, in the 1949 “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” (TCM, 12:15 a.m.), as part of an all-night salute to co-star Rhonda Fleming that also includes “Out of the Past” (TCM, 8 p.m.), “Home Before Dark” (TCM, 9:45 p.m.), “Instant Love” (TCM, 2:15 a.m.) and “The Crowded Sky” (4 a.m.).
Bravo moves into the realm of scripted television with the new series “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce” (Bravo, 10 p.m.) with Lisa Edelsten of “House” taking the role in Vicki Iovine’s series of books, as a self-help guru with her own relationship problems. The series from Marni Noxon also stars Beau Garrett, Janeane Garofalo and Paul Adelstein.
Quality is just about guaranteed in a new holiday special from the Pixar people starring the “Toy Story” gang and featuring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in their roles as Woody and Buzz in “Toy Story That Time Forgot” (ABC, 8 p.m.). It leads into what’s the first but not the last showing of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.).
“CMT Artists of the Year 2014” (CMT, 8 p.m.) features Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Luke Bryan, live from Nashville. But if it is Larry the Cable Guy honoring them as host, how much of an honor is it really?
“The Flash” (The CW, 8 p.m.) finally gets to have another crossover episode with Arrow.
Leave it to “Nick News with Linda Ellerbee” (Nickelodeon, 8 p.m.) to talk to kids who have been crossing the border. It ought to be good.
Nat Faxon plays a cousin who has to choose among weddings to attend on “Marry Me” (NBC, 9 p.m.).
Schmidt is caught in the middle of a fight between Jess and Cece on “New Girl” (Fox, 9 p.m.). “The Mindy Project” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.) has more Danny problems.
They’re letting the six remaining kids on “MasterChef Junior” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
Some people go home on “The Voice” (NBC, 8 p.m.).
A new season starts for “The Little Couple” (TLC, 9 p.m.), who travel to from Florida to D.C.
Debbie Harrie, Chris Stein and Clem Burke talk about “Rapture” on “Song by Song: Blondie” (Ovation, 10 p.m.).
College hoops tonight features Niagara at St. John’s (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), Stephen F. Austin at Memphis (ESPNews, 7 p.m.), Minnesota at Wake Forest (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Pittsburgh at Indiana (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Syracuse at Michigan (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.), Illinois at Miami (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), BYU at Utah State (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.), Northern Illinois at DePaul (Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m.), North Carolina at Purdue (ESPNU, 9 p.m.) and Ohio State at Louisville (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.).
Hockey tonight includes Tampa Bay at Buffalo (NBC Sports Network, 7:30 p.m.) and Philadelphia at San Jose (NBC Sports, 10 p.m.). In pro basketball, Toronto at Sacramento (NBA, 10 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Seth MacFarlane, Gabrielle Union, Carley Roney. The View: Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Menendez. The Talk: Kelly Osbourne, Brooke Anderson, Fabio Viviani, Nate Berkus. Ellen DeGeneres: Jessica Chastain, Simon Baker, Bleachers. Wendy Williams: Mary J. Blige. Meredith Vieira: Susan Lucci, Walt Willey, Louise Goffin. Queen Latifah: Mike Rowe, Janelle Monae, Brotherly Love.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Jennifer Lawrence, Boris Johnson (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Reese Witherspoon, David Sedaris, Rae Sremmurd. Jimmy Kimmel: Ethan Hawke, Timothy Spall, Walk the Moon. Seth Meyers: Elijah Wood, Cecily Strong, Ella Henderson (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Henry Winkler, Ariel Tweto. Carson Daly: Tone Bell, Coves (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Hilary Swank. Jon Stewart: Sophie Delaunay. Stephen Colbert: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga. Conan O’Brien: Kellan Lutz, Marc Maron, Gavin DeGraw.