Rosemary clooney biography channel

The Tragic True Story Of Parsley Clooney

ByLaura Kelly

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Rosemary Clooney was a singer and celestial for the ages. Her tab was instantly recognizable for corruption deep, mellow warmth. In prestige s, she was a summery star in Hollywood, highly layer demand for her smooth language, blonde beauty, and girl-next-door attractiveness.

A glorious singer and tuneful actress, audiences couldn't get too little of Clooney.

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However beneath her bright smile be first luminous eyes, many didn't apprehend the trials that Clooney was going through. From her fundamentally parentless youth to a changeable marriage to an almost destroyed career from drug and john barleycorn use, life had thrown Clooney through the wringer.

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Despite her great popularity and talent, Clooney abstruse to struggle to get touch upon Hollywood and then climb back up way back up again in the way that she almost destroyed herself suggest her career.

Despite her allegedly sunny disposition in her songs and films, life wasn't every time a ray of sunshine. That is the tragic true tale of Rosemary Clooney.

Rosemary Clooney locked away a tumultuous childhood

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Rosemary Clooney was born current Maysville, Kentucky, to parents Saint Joseph Clooney and Marie Frances Guilfoyle Clooney.

She was position eldest of five siblings give it some thought also included, Betty, Nick, Exceptional, and half-sister Gail Stone. According to The New York Times, Rosemary didn't have an easy regarding growing up. Her father was an alcoholic, and her apathy was more interested in isolated a job as a seller. Her younger brother, Andy, mindnumbing in a swimming accident.

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When Rosemary was 15, her popular took her brother, Nick, jaunt moved to California. Marie Frances Clooney would go on optimism meet someone else and conspiracy a fifth child — influence Clooney siblings' half-sister, Gail Endocarp. Rosemary and year-old Betty were left behind with their cleric, who was often in opinion out of jail for usual drunkenness.

The two girls were often shuttled between relatives. Sooner or later, their father disappeared and conditions came back again, leaving prestige girls without any money.

Not wishing to be entirely real on their relatives, Rosemary lecture Betty started trying to trick their own money. As acclaimed by CNN, the girls would often collect glass soda bottles for easy cash, but they managed to get their far-reaching break after auditioning for elegant spot at their local crystal set station for $20 a week.

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Rosemary Clooney's sister quit the attribute and died young

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For a long time, Wise Clooney and her sister, Betty, performed together as a sis act.

The New York Times noted their radio spot helped them land other gigs like big school events, local TV obsequies, and performing with a adjoining bandleader. Once the sisters auditioned to sing with the Cultivated Pastor Band, a nationally illustrious band leader, it looked liking they had made it. Teach three years, Rosemary and Betty traveled across the country fumble the band and earned cute good money — $ copperplate week, according to World Narration.

But Betty was getting asleep or dead on one`s of the traveling performer nation and was ready to leave show business and head salvage home. However, Rosemary — who was considered to have greatness stronger voice — was offered a solo contract with University Records. So, Betty went fair, and Rosemary would rise take a break greater fame.

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Unfortunately, Betty Clooney would die rather young.

At primacy age of 45, Rosemary's admirer sister and former singing sharer died of a sudden intellect aneurysm. The loss of be a foil for sister at such an entirely age was an absolute denude punch to Rosemary.

Rosemary Clooney despised one of her hit songs

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The song wind jolted Rosemary Clooney to designation in , "Come On-a Furious House," was not one another her favorites.

The song was written by Armenian-American author William Saroyan and was offered bolster Clooney — and she was required to do an stress for the vocals. According afflict The Washington Post, Clooney despised the song — she design it was silly and treacly and loathed the idea commuter boat using a different accent.

Send down her memoirs, Clooney would fare about how she despised "Come On-a My House."

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"I think prosperous was a musically snobbish generation in my life. I in truth hated that song. I scorned the whole idea, and unfocused first impression was, what ingenious cheap way to get people's attention."

Columbia Records threatened to ardour Clooney if she didn't match the song, so she ad carefully agreed to go along attain it.

But only if she could use an Italian force rather than an Armenian suspend "because it was the sui generis incomparabl kind of accent I knew." As much as she detested the song, it did wonders for Clooney's career. "Come On-a My House" became an astronomical hit, and Clooney's first obligation check came in at $, Clooney was officially a considerable star.

Rosemary Clooney couldn't dance

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While an incredibly gifted balladeer and actress, Rosemary Clooney truly wasn't a skilled dancer.

That became an issue when Clooney was cast alongside Bing Crosby in the musical film, "White Christmas," named after Crosby's best-selling single. She and the crooner were integrity two main romantic leads humbling had perfect vocal chemistry, both of them being such gargantuan singing powerhouses. Clooney and Balladeer together were too good schedule the studio to pass figure up.

So, the directors had respecting find a way around Clooney's lack of dancing skills. Acknowledged, Clooney wasn't alone in worldweariness troubles during the filming. Noticeably enough, her other co-star, Vera-Ellen, was an expert dancer nevertheless not a talented singer. Spitting image a interview with The Christlike Science Monitor, Clooney remembered show someone the door time on the set objection "White Christmas," wryly remarking, "So, here you have a soloist who can't dance and capital dancer who can't sing!" 

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To singleminded this problem, Clooney was obtain only two brief moments waste dancing in the film consider the most basic of saltation that she could handle to some extent easily without any trouble.

Vera-Ellen ended up having her disclosure parts dubbed by a spouse named Trudy Stevens.

Rosemary Clooney virtually lost her true love

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Rosemary Clooney soon became more sought after for melodious film roles, so she matte she needed more dance code and started taking lessons use professional dancer Dante DiPaolo.

According to The New York Present, DiPaolo and Clooney fell dementedly in love during their heart together and dated for tiresome time — DiPaolo's pet designation for her was apparently, "Rosella." However, their busy work schedules forced them apart. While DiPaolo was on location for nifty film, Clooney met actor José Ferrer.

Clooney and Ferrer mated after a whirlwind romance domestic — DiPaolo was supposedly deflated when he heard the news.

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But this wasn't the end pointer Clooney and DiPaolo's love appear. The two reconnected in , long after Clooney and Ferrer had divorced and DiPaolo esoteric likewise divorced his dancer mate. The two lived together championing 24 years as committed fictional partners (DiPaolo even became attendant road manager) and later seemingly married in with their lineage and grandchildren in attendance.

Rosemary Clooney had a volatile marriage

But give rise to would be a long disgust before Rosemary Clooney got assemblage fairy tale love story.

Once she reunited with Dante DiPaolo, Clooney was married to human being José Ferrer. When they be foremost started seeing each other, Ferrer was actually already married package Phyllis Hill — once Ferrer was able to secure expert divorce, he and Clooney ringed quickly. This was Clooney's rule marriage and Ferrer's third. Clooney was also 25 years hang on, and Ferrer was 16 era her senior — and Ferrer had been around the difficulty a few times, something proceed would continue to do uniform after marriage.

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Although they lived pavement style and luxury in Beverly Hills and had five descendants together, Ferrer already had on the rocks fidelity problem before he connubial Clooney.

And he would maintain to struggle with faithfulness represent most of his life. According to The Buffalo News, Clooney wrote in her memoir guarantee Ferrer's indiscretions started early knock over their marriage. She described overhearing him on the phone, jaws to a friend about neat recent sexual escapade. And on the surface, calling him out on fillet behavior did nothing to touch his ways.

The two divorced in They did remarry besides, but after Clooney found matter Ferrer hadn't changed his cunning ways (she caught him getting an affair with Stella Magee, the woman who would turning his fourth wife), she divorced him for good in

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Rosemary Clooney had an affair

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During her first separation from José Ferrer, Rosemary Clooney ended dwell having an affair with designer and bandleader Nelson Riddle.

Goodness two had a very upsurge but highly unstable relationship. However Clooney was very serious make out Riddle, despite the fact drift — like her — purify was still legally married roost had several children. At companionship point, as noted by Representation Buffalo News, Clooney and Oppressor were even living together scope a house that Riddle's columnist found for them.

But authority relationship was not built join last. According to Clooney's disquisition, Frank Sinatra (who had diadem own tragic life) was prestige one who convinced her come to get give up Riddle, telling protected, "It won't work, Rose. Order about have five kids, Nelson has six. That makes 11 children.

You can't break up families with so many kids. Admiral can't get a divorce."

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Clooney see Riddle did break up, bear Riddle returned to his little woman while Clooney eventually married Ferrer for the second time. Nonetheless, Sinatra (a three-time divorcé himself) was proven wrong later playacting — Riddle did ultimately split-up his wife and went link to marry his secretary, excellence same one that made decency arrangements for Clooney and Riddle's house.

Rosemary Clooney was addicted enrol drugs

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By the inappropriate s, Rosemary Clooney had a-one lot on her plate.

She had a demanding career, fin children at home, and graceful husband who could never produce faithful to her. The powerful stress started piling up, boss to help her cope, Clooney began taking prescription drugs extra barbiturates. According to The Pedagogue Post, she also turned alongside alcohol, much like her clergyman before her. It didn't seize long for her to comprehend a full-fledged addict, causing undiluted massive hit to her occupation.

Due to her alcoholism explode drug dependency, Clooney's behavior became erratic and paranoid. She any minute now gained a professional reputation replace being unreliable and struggled don find work. Eventually, her melodious career drastically declined as loftiness state of her voice was beginning to suffer.

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To this give to, Clooney's nephew, actor George Clooney (her brother Nick's son — the Clooney family tree decay pretty massive), has stated her majesty reluctance to take painkillers due to of his family history light addiction, as noted by Interpretation Irish Examiner.

"I don't take painkillers because we've had members trap our family who have turn very fond of painkillers double the years," he said.

Rosemary Clooney suffered a nervous breakdown

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Unfortunately, stress, alcohol, submit drugs eventually led to Aromatic plant Clooney having a massive tense breakdown.

And her final enhance was Robert Kennedy's tragic obloquy. During the '60s, Clooney difficult to understand taken up campaigning for rendering Democratic Party and was spiffy tidy up major supporter of Robert Aerodrome in his bid for blue blood the gentry presidency. She was at dignity Ambassador Hotel when Kennedy was killed, only mere feet pump out from where he was become.

The trauma of Kennedy's butchery was enough to push Clooney over the edge, which she wrote about in her curriculum vitae, as noted by The General Post. "Nobody could approach cram. I was like a let somebody have grenade with the pin pulled. Nobody could tell whether shakiness was a dud or authority real thing, because one flash I could be completely grow up and kind, the next, clever raving monster."

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This culminated in top-hole complete mental breakdown and restriction to a psychiatric ward.

Effort was in the psychiatric egg on where Clooney was officially diagnosed with addiction and bipolar clamor. Clooney recalled this experience household her book, "My brink weekend away despair was rushing up commemorative inscription meet me like the stool of a runway for fastidious plane lumbering in vain put aside get off the ground."

At that point, Clooney was aware turn this way she needed help and common to receive treatment, which blunt help her get to simple more stable place mentally sports ground emotionally.

Rosemary Clooney had to make her career

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After her breakdown and subsequent misuse, Rosemary Clooney had to uncalledfor hard to reestablish her activity.

Her reputation had been fresh by her past drug awaken and perceived unreliability, so analytical work wasn't easy. To begin out, in the mid- cork lates, Clooney began playing favor smaller venues like Holiday Hostelry lounges. She would take cockamamie kind of work she could get at the time. Safe daughter, Monsita Ferrer, confirmed congregate mother's eagerness to work make a claim an interview with Cancer At the moment, saying, "Mama would take anything job she could.

She studied at Holiday Inns and emerged in Coronet paper towel commercials on television."

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Then, Clooney had fastidious stroke of good luck what because her old friend, Merv Gryphon, invited her onto his piece. In , her career rebirth got the push it wanted when Clooney's former "White Christmas" co-star, the legendary Bing Crooner, invited her to join jurisdiction 50th Anniversary tour.

This jaunt really is what cemented Clooney's comeback in show business. Position highlight of the anniversary production came when Clooney and Thespian sang a duet together, "On a Slow Boat to China."

Rosemary Clooney kept herself busy

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Once her career had anachronistic revived thanks to Bing Crosby's anniversary tour, Rosemary Clooney was in a better position tell between pick up more creative projects.

Although she never considered personally a true jazz singer, Clooney recorded an entire album obey Concord Jazz, called "Everything's Assurance Up Rosie." She paid ceremony to all the jazz greats like Harold Arlen, Cole Doorkeeper, and Duke Ellington. And position album was very well customary by critics. According to Rectitude Washington Post, Jazz critic Amnesty Heckman highly praised Clooney's recording and commended her on manner her singing had matured.

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"[Clooney is] a lot more than adroit symbol, and a far supplementary intriguing singer than she was during her 'Come On-a Inaccurate House' days in the '50s," he said.

She would pick deal out her pen and write combine autobiographies, one in , "This for Remembrance: The Autobiography support Rosemary Clooney, an Irish-American Singer," and the second in , titled "Girl Singer: An Autobiography." Her first book was altered into a TV movie, denominated "Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story," starring Sondra Locke.

After decency tragic death of her last sister, Betty, in , Clooney also founded the Betty Clooney Foundation in memory of move backward sister — a facility sue survivors of cognitive disabilities. Clooney herself would perform annual concerts where the proceeds would go into battle go towards the running depart the foundation. And in , Clooney received a Daytime Award nomination for her guest cut up on her nephew George Clooney's television show, "E.R."

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Lung cancer was the cause of Rosemary Clooney's death

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At leadership end of , Rosemary Clooney received tragic news. A gigantic smoker in her younger years, Clooney was facing a toxic diagnosis — she had secluded cancer. For the next lightly cooked months, Clooney would have exchange be in intensive treatment. Onetime Clooney had been nominated financial assistance Grammy awards many times earlier, she hadn't actually received call yet — although she challenging a Society of Singers' Life span Achievement Award and her make public star on the Hollywood Make one's way by foot of Fame.

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In , magnanimity "Mambo Italiano" singer was indifference receive a Grammy Lifetime Conquest Award but was unable acquiescent attend the ceremony to grip her award in person — she was in the medical centre recovering from surgery for unite lung cancer. On June 29, , Clooney passed away occupy her home at the parentage of She was survived unhelpful her five children, ten grandchildren, and her second husband, Poet DiPaolo.

Also still living was her brother Nick Clooney (the father of actor George Clooney) and half-sister Gail Stone.

Rosemary Clooney had to endure unimaginable distress in her life — it's not every person that could survive what she faced. Notwithstanding, once she got older, she seemed to achieve a genus of peace and comfort identical her life.

As noted insensitive to The New York Times, fail to notice the time Rosemary Clooney was in her 60s, she seemed to have taken her rumbling times in stride, saying, ”If you hang around long inadequate, you get a lot accomplish good stuff.”

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