Rosemary Clooney, 74, the actress and singer who became one of Hollywood´s biggest celebrities of the 1950s, died on Saturday at her home in Beverly Hills due to lung cancer.
Born in Maysville, Kentucky in 1928, Rosemary was brought up in humble surroundings, and, after her parents' separation, she started singing duets with her younger sister for $20 a week.
The singer became a household name after her 1951 hit Come On-A-My House sold more than a million copies in the US. The song featured lyrics by the renowned American writer William Saroyan.
Hollywood beckoned and two years later, she landed a role in the comedy Here Come The Girls. The following year she would star opposite legendary crooner Bing Crosby in the classic White Christmas.
Rosemary married actor and director Jose Ferrer in 1953, who is best known for his Oscar-winning performance in the 1950 film Cyrano de Bergerac. The couple had five children and their marriage lasted for seven years. She remarried in 1966 to Hollywood dancer Dante DiPaolo.
Following the 1968 assassination of her friend and presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy, which she witnessed at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Rosemary’s life and career took a series of downward spirals caused by drug abuse. It would be eight years later before she returned to the stage for a concert with long-time friend Crosby.
Though her career spans more than 50 years, younger generations best know the actress and singer thanks to her nephew, actor George Clooney. Rosemary made two cameo appearances in the hit show ER, earning herself an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of an Alzheimer´s patient. She also received a lifetime Grammy award this year for her contribution to music.
A heavy smoker, she never fully recovered from cancer surgery in January to remove part of her left lung. Rosemary Clooney is survived by her five children, her husband Dante Di Paolo, and her grandchildren.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
