Rosemary Clooney

Her brother, Nick Clooney, was an ABC news anchor in Cincinnati, and her nephew George Clooney has developed into one of the biggest movie stars of the 21st century.

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, Rosmary spearheaded a living memorial to her sister with the Betty Clooney Center in Long Beach, California, for brain-injured young adults. She performed annually to raise funds for this foundation.

Rosemary Clooney was born in Maysville, Kentucky, to Marie Frances (Guilfoyle) and Andrew Joseph Clooney. She was one of five children. Her father was of Irish and German descent, and her mother was of Irish and English ancestry. She grew up in Maysville, where she and her sister Betty Clooney used to sing in her grandfather's mayoral election campaigns, which he won three times. She made her singing debut on Cincinnati radio station WLW in 1941 at 13. On WLW she worked with band leader Barney Rapp, who had also worked with Doris Day and Andy Williams at the same station. She attended high school at Our Lady of Mercy in Cincinnati.

In 1946 she appeared with her sister in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at the Steel Pier with Tony Pastor's band.

In 1949 she went solo and later appeared in White Christmas (1954), co-starring opposite Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.

She married José Ferrer in the 1950s and they had five children between 1955 and 1960.

Her son Gabriel is married to singer Debby Boone, daughter of 1950s pop singer Pat Boone.

Her first big hit was "Come On A My House" in 1951.

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.

Had five children with José Ferrer. Their first child, Miguel José Ferrer (aka Miguel Ferrer) was born on February 7, 1955. He was followed by Maria Providencia Ferrer on August 9, 1956, Gabriel Vicente Ferrer (aka Gabriel Ferrer) on August 1, 1957, Monsita Teresa Ferrer (aka Monsita Ferrer) on October 13, 1958, and Rafael Francisco Ferrer (aka Rafael Ferrer) on March 23, 1960.

Her marriage to Ferrer was a tempestuous one and she had a nervous breakdown in 1968, but went on to resume her career in 1976.

In 1968 she was standing in the Ambassdor Hotel in Los Angeles with Roosevelt Grier when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in the hotel kitchen after she had participated in his campaign rally.

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).

Her life was dramatized in a 1982 made-for-television form, which starred Clint Eastwood's then-girlfriend Sondra Locke.

When Rosemary married Dante DiPaolo in 1997, her nephew George Clooney, according to rumor, did not attend, as he "did not wish to steal away the spotlight" on his aunt's special day.

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.

Inducted into the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame in 2015 (inaugural class).