Hold the Roses (45 page)

After dinner we played "dirty Password," which was hilarious. Then
George went to the piano and started playing. Allen asked me to sing.

I said, "No, I don't sing too much anymore."

Allen said, "I love the way you sing. Sing a song and don't clown
around, sing it pretty."

So George played "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." I sat beside
George and started to sing in a slow tempo and Fred Astaire walked over to
the piano-just like in a movie! For the second chorus, we picked up the
tempo and I saw Fred Astaire moving his foot back and forth in tempo. He
put out his hand to me. I got up and we started dancing. He twirled me
around, dips and all that.

We finished the dance and Fred said to me, "I'm sure you know the
Shim Sham."

I said, "Yes."

So we started to do the Shim Sham. Betty called into the other room
and said to Richard Deacon, Fred's daughter and her husband, "Come in
here, you're never gonna see anything like this again." Somehow I followed
him so easily and when we were finished, they applauded and Fred Astaire
kissed me on the cheek and said, "You're okay, honey. Thanks for the dance!"
No, Fred: Thank you for one of the nicest memories of my life.

October 3, 2001, was a very special day for me. As I mentioned earlier, I've had many wonderful things happen to me, but this was a very
special day.

Larry W. Jones, executive vice president and general manager of the
cable company TV Land-which still shows The Dick Van Dyke Show twice
a day, called Barry M. Greenberg of Celebrity Connection-TV Land's
PR firm-and said, "I think Rose Marie deserves a star on the Walk of
Fame." A call was made to Johnny Grant, our honorary mayor of Hollywood. Before I knew it, I got the call. It was such a great thrill to hear that
news. Dick Van Dyke, Carl Reiner, and Johnny Grant were the presenters.
Dick-God love him-said so many nice things about me and my comedic timing. He said that he learned a lot about timing from me. What an
honor to hear him say that.

Then Carl got up-he's so brilliantly funny. He said he wouldn't be
where he is today if it wasn't for me. You have no idea how wonderful it
was to hear all of that! Ah yes, I have an ego too, and boy it was really
popping that day. Especially since it was from the two people I love and
respect the most. Johnny Grant then got up and read a proclamation star ing all the things I had done. Even I couldn't remember all the things I've
done! It is beautifully framed and says that October 3, 2001, is Rose Marie
Day in Hollywood. How about that!

Congratulations Rose Marie!

October 3, 2001

Hollywood Walk of Fame

Getting my star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, October 3, 2001

So many people were there at the ceremony. Dear friends such as
John Rich, director of The Dick Van Dyke Show; Joy Tierney; Barbara
Lampson, my hairdresser; Steve and Noopy; Bill Loeb, who was my manager for 26 years; and producer-writer Billy Van Zandt. There were a lot of
people I've worked with over the years who took the time to be there.
Esther Williams, Margaret O'Brien, Virginia Mayo, and Ann Miller were
also there. What a day! What a ceremony! When it was over, there was a
beautiful luncheon at the Pinot restaurant in Hollywood, sponsored by
TV Land. Everyone had such a wonderful time. It was something I'll never
forget.

At the ceremony, I met Steve Cutler and his wife. They brought me a
beautiful basket filled with goodies. They spoke to Randy about inducting
me in the Las Vegas Hall of Fame on October 12, 2001.

I assume it was because I was one of the first people to play Vegas,
with Durante and Xavier Cugat at the Flamingo in 1946. The Flamingo
was the third hotel on the strip. I played Vegas at least seven or eight times
a year. During those years, aside from the Flamingo, I worked the Riviera
Hotel, the Stardust Hotel and the Thunderbird. I was thrilled to be asked
to be a part of the Las Vegas Hall of Fame.

Randy made all the arrangements for Noopy, Steve, and me to fly to
Vegas. We stayed at the Tropicana Hotel, which is where the Las Vegas
Museum is located. The Smothers Brothers were also being inducted, as
well as Jimmy Durante. They asked Margaret O'Brien to accept the award
because she had been in a few movies with him. They also honored Lt. Governor Lorraine Hunt, who will probably be the next governor of Nevada.

The ceremony was held in the main room of the Tropicana Hotel. It
was a full house with about 3800 people. When they introduced me, I
walked out to a standing ovation, which was quite a thrill. It felt great to
stand on a stage again, in front of an audience! Bob Anderson, the host,
did about a 15-minute sit-down interview. After it was over, I walked off
to another standing ovation. Steve Cutler and his wife couldn't do enough
to make our stay pleasant. Noop and Steve drove me around "the new
Vegas." It had changed so much from what I remember. I hadn't been there
in years. But it certainly is a kick to know I'm in the Las Vegas Hall of
Fame.

To top it off, I got a call that I was to be invited to a luncheon by the
California Motion Picture Council, because they were giving me a Lifetime Achievement award at the Sportsman Lodge in Studio City on December 7, 2001. Talk about one thing after another! The luncheon was
wonderful. Noopy and Steve came, as did Randy Malone and Mike Schwibs.
I sat next to Patty Andrews and her husband. All Patty could say was, "It's
about time!"

I guess all the hard work and knocking around the country and entertaining people for so many years pays off. It certainly did for me!

I forgot to tell you about the Black Bow...