Hold the Roses (43 page)

I did a series called Hardball. That too lasted six weeks. They had a
great idea, but they never did anything with it and didn't use me at all.
One week, I got a full week's salary for saying, "You tell 'em, gorgeous."
The day I went into the studio to quit, we were cancelled.

I did a Hallmark commercial. I did a voice-over for a cartoon series
called Freakazoid, a children's show. You'd be surprised if you knew the
different stars who do the Saturday morning cartoon shows. We all make
the same salary, and we're through in an hour-really easy and a pleasure
to do.

In 2001, I was invited to an AIDS benefit in Sacramento. A group of
young doctors started a foundation for AIDS a few years ago. The head of
the organization is Mike Lemon. Every year Mike and these doctors run
an Academy Awards-type benefit for AIDS. They invite a number of stars
to attend. Shirley Jones, Esther Williams, Anita Page, Randal Malone, Virginia Mayo, Margaret O'Brien, and I were the honorees one year. We had
a great time for this most worthy cause.

These doctors are wonderful and are considered among the best of
the new doctors, especially Scott Christenson, a cancer specialist, who is
adored by everyone. Not only are they young, they are up to date on all the
new medicinal treatments. There are about five doctors who run this organization, in addition to running their individual medical practices. They
do a wonderful job and I respect and admire all of them tremendously.

There is a script for Margaret O'Brien and me for a new television
series in the works. At this point, it's taking wonderful shape and we're all
hoping one of the networks will buy it. It would make a terrific sitcom.

I guess you could say it's been one helluva life and career. I've lasted a
long time. I'm grateful for my life. It's been ups and downs, but I ain't out
yet.

So I go on. So many things have changed since I started to write this
book. I lost so many good friends. The saddest of all was my dear and
beloved mother, who passed on November 6, 2000. She had been in a
convalescent hospital for the past six years. I would go and visit her every
day, as the hospital was only eight minutes away from my home. The morning of November 6, they called to tell me that she wasn't getting enough air
in her blood. I left for the hospital immediately. The doctor was there. She
was doing okay. The doctor said, "She's fine, now she'll be all right." I
kissed her and told her that I loved her and that I would see her later that
afternoon. She said, "I love you too, darling" and kissed me and I left. At
6:00 that evening, they called and said she had passed on. Thank God I
was there that day to see her and tell her I loved her, but I was in shock.

Noopy arranged everything for the funeral. I just couldn't do it. I
couldn't believe that my mother was gone. Noop had a mass said at St.
Charles Church in North Hollywood, where Noop was christened and
where 30 years later, my dear mother had the pleasure of attending the
wedding of her eldest grandchild, Noopy. I miss my mother very much.
Her laughter was so full of fun. She loved life. I miss her just being here to
talk to about anything and everything and telling me that everything will
be all right, no matter what. I know she was proud of me. I guess God
needed someone to have fun with and have a few good laughs, so he called
my mother. She passed on at the age of 94 and she certainly had a full life.
But I will always miss her. I do feel so alone at times.

Bernice Ince, who I used to call my Jewish mother, also passed on.
She was a wonderful friend, and I miss our talks.

Carol Saenz divorced her husband Ralph in Chicago and came out here. She stayed with me for a couple of weeks and married producer/
director and station manager Willie Olmstead. They have become my dearest friends. We spend a lot of time together. We collect video tapes and I go
over to their house for dinner and a movie very often. We throw little
get-togethers. When the Northridge earthquake came, I had a lot of damage. I guess I was in shock, because the next thing I knew, Dodi was at the
house. Carol and Willie called to see if I was all right and came over to the
house and cleaned up all the broken dishes and glasses. I just sat there in
shock. Dodi made me a cup of tea. I was in a daze, but I do remember
them coming out to help me.

Mother and me

I am very fortunate. I have many dear friends. Joy Tierney is one of
my dearest friends. We met when I did The Doris Day Show. She was part
of the wardrobe department. We traveled together when I did stage shows
and we are very close. If I need her for anything, she's with me in a flash.
We talk on the phone all the time, and I treasure her friendship.

I see Kay Starr quite a bit and Margaret when she comes to California. We are still close. Clooney finally married her Dante in her hometown in Kentucky. It was a beautiful wedding and I was so happy for them. But
in June 2002, Clooney passed away from lung cancer. I will miss her, and
certainly the music world will miss her. She was something very special
and will live on. As long as good music is heard, you'll hear a Rosemary
Clooney record.

Three generations: Noopy, Stella, and Rose Marie

Allen is now a record producer and personal manager. He managed
Clooney and now manages Michael Feinstein among others. He's doing a
helluva job.

I lost my friend and piano player Buddy Freed, then Frankie Ortega,
but I still keep in touch with his wife, Maxine, and their daughter, Sarah.

Helen passed on before Frankie, and we were all at the church to say
good-bye. She had gotten married to Frank DeVol and was very happy for
about two years I think. She was working when she got sick with cancer of
the liver, and it was fast. She didn't suffer too much, thank God.

My dear Morey Amsterdam passed away from a heart attack. I miss
him so. I keep in touch with his wife, Kay. Morey is always in my thoughts.

I have met some wonderful new friends, one of whom is Randal
Malone, an actor of many motion pictures. He is so kind and thoughtful and does everything in the world for me. He makes my life a little fuller
and happier. He and his friend Mike Schwibs take me out a lot. Between
them, they look after me. Randal is really responsible for helping to get
this book published, and I will forever be grateful to him for that.

I met the great child star Margaret O'Brien at a party, and we became
friends immediately. She looks terrific and is so kind and sweet. We go out
a lot-parties and different charities. Can you imagine? Two former child
stars going to dinners and parties. People look at us and can't believe their
eyes! She is a special friend and I adore her. She and her husband, Roy
Thorson, although they've been separated for many years, remain good
friends. Roy is responsible for all the pictures that are a part of this book.
He took some very old pictures and reproduced them so they could be
used. It's amazing what he can do with a camera and computer. I'm very
grateful to him for all he's done. I'm glad we're all good friends.

Last, but by no means least: Dodi, my secretary. We've been together
about 26 years. She's been a big help in so many ways. She comes over
twice a week, and we work on fan mail and important mail that comes in.
She really does everything for me, including decorating my house for Christmas. We have become very close friends. She knows me like a book. She
knows what I like and don't like and takes care of so many things for me. I
would be lost without her. She has been a tremendous help with the writing of this book, and for that I will always be grateful to her. But most of all
I value our friendship.

So now, I thank God for all he has given me. Most of all, the gift of
entertaining people and making them laugh and maybe forgetting their
troubles for a little while. I'm grateful to my mother for the way she brought
me up. I'm proud of the way I've lived and conducted myself. I'm so very
proud of my daughter. She has a wonderful sense of humor and has led a
very productive life. She and Steve are happy, so that suits me fine.

I go on-for how long I don't know. I guess until the Good Lord
says, "You've had it girl-bring down the curtain." But until then, I wake
up every morning and say, "Thank you, dear God, for holding me over."

Rigs 17oii of to Tee (4ou

I forgot to tell you about Sophie Tucker being the real reason I eloped! I
always wanted to get married with all the fanfare-wedding gown, bridesmaids, and all that. I even picked out my wedding gown from a picture in
a magazine when I was fifteen. But I eloped and got married in a suit.

What finally made up my mind-I was at the Copa, Bobby picked
me up and we went to Madison Square Garden for the big Milk Fund
benefit. When we arrived, three guys met us and told us when I would go
on, so we sat down and waited. Sophie Tucker came in wearing a floorlength chinchilla fur coat with about two dozen orchids pinned to the
coat. They were hanging from chin to floor. She had a diamond necklace
and three or four diamond bracelets, three or four rings, all with big diamonds. Wow! What an entrance. About ten guys huddled around her,
getting her a cup of coffee, taking her coat, putting the coat around her
shoulders, and so on.

I turned to Bobby and said, "Boy! That's a star."

He looked at me and said, "Is that the way you want to wind up?
Diamonds, furs, orchids-and all alone? She has nobody with her, she's all
alone. Is that what you want? To wind up being alone?"

I looked at him and said, "No, I want a husband and a family who
will always come first," and it always has.

I forgot to tell you about my manager, Bill Loeb, almost getting killed
by "the boys," all because of me! I was supposed to play the Flamingo in
Vegas again, but I had okayed Top Banana and had left for New York. Bill
had to go to Vegas and tell them I wasn't going to appear, because I had gone to New York to do the show with Phil Silvers. You should hear Bill
tell the story. He went to see Moe Sedgeway and told him I wouldn't open.