A frequent escort in 1952 was CBS star Robert Q. Lewis. In later years, he would joke that his greatest regret was that he introduced Rosie to José Ferrer.
Appeared on The Edsel Show (1957) (TV) with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong. The show was aired on October 13, 1957 and introduced Ford's ill-fated Edsel automobile to a nationwide audience.
Buried at St. Patrick's Cemetery near her mother and grandmother in Maysville, Ky.
Former mother-in-law of actress Leilani Sarelle.
Frequently performed; in both music and film; with members of her extended family. She started her career as a double act with sister Betty Clooney. She also recorded duets with husband José Ferrer, including a guest appearance on her television show in which they sang "Love and Marriage." During her concert tours in the 1970s, her son Miguel Ferrer played drums. In the 1980s, she gave performances with daughter-in-law Debby Boone, wife of her middle son Gabriel Ferrer. She and Miguel also both made guest appearances on "ER" (1994), though never opposite each other or George Clooney. In her final screen appearance, she and Miguel played a mother-and-son when she made a guest appearance on "LateLine" (1998).
Had five children with José Ferrer. Their first son, Miguel José, was born in 1955. He was followed by Maria Providencia in 1956, Gabriel Vicente in 1957, Monsita Teresa in 1958 and Rafael Francisco in 1960.
Her brother, veteran television newscaster Nick Clooney, gave a eulogy at the end of the hour-long traditional Catholic funeral mass. Actor George Clooney, Nick's son, sat with more than three dozen family members and was one of 10 pallbearers. Also in the crowd were singer Debby Boone, Clooney's daughter-in-law; actors Al Pacino and Beverly D'Angelo; and Maysville native and former Miss America Heather Renee French, the wife of Kentucky Lt. Gov. Steve Henry.
Her husband, José Ferrer, was best known for playing Cyrano de Bergerac (1950). In her guest appearance on "ER" (1994), one of the other guest actors was Rick Rossovich, who appeared in the modern-day Cyrano, Roxanne (1987).
Is portrayed by Sondra Locke in Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story (1982) (TV)
Measurements: 37C-24-34 (in 1953), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Mother of actor Miguel Ferrer, actor Rafael Ferrer, artist Gabriel Ferrer, Monsita Ferrer, and Maria Providencia Ferrer.
Mother-in-law of singer Debby Boone.
Older sister of actor and AMC host Nick Clooney and Betty Clooney.
On October 1st, 2005, her Augusta, Kentucky home was partially transformed into the Rosemary Clooney Museum. Current owner/part-time resident Heather Renee French Henry (Miss America 2000) spearheaded the creation of the museum which amasses a large amount of memorabilia from Clooney's film, television and recording career. A re-creation of her red and white gown from White Christmas (1954) was painstakingly assembled by Henry and her mother by watching the film frame by frame (the original dress is M.I.A.). Some of her other original costumes are on display at the museum. The opening ceremony was attended by Nick Clooney, Rick Dees and Dante DiPaolo, among others, while her recording of "Bless This House" was played.
One-time boyfriends included TV's "Today" (1952) Show host Dave Garroway.
Performed annually at "Rosemary Clooney Music Festival" in her hometown of Maysville, Kentucky.
Performing once on the same bill with singer/pianist Michael Feinstein at the Hollywood Bowl, they both appeared highly nervous before setting foot on stage. Expecting Rosie to give him words of strength and encouragement, she instead told him, "Don't think this ever gets any easier."
Rosemary hated the derivative Armenian folk song "Come On-a My House" and originally resisted recording the song she considered "dumb" with lyrics that "sounded more like a drunken chant than an historic folk art form." Within weeks of her finally relenting, she found herself with one of the biggest-selling hits in the country, selling more than a million copies. It still did not endear her to the song, however, and she usually tried to squirm out of singing it at her concerts and nightclub appearances when requested.
Rosemary started out with her sister, Betty Clooney (1931-1976), as a singing duo on radio and in bands before going solo. When Betty died of a brain aneurysm at age 45, Rosie spearheaded a living memorial to her sister with the Betty Clooney Center in Long Beach, California, for brain-injured young adults. She performs annually to raise funds for this foundation.
She is George Clooney's aunt.