What Happened To Rosemary Clooney? How Did Rosemary Clooney Die?

American singer and actress Rosemary Clooney died on Saturday, June 29, 2002, at age 74 in her Beverly Hills home. The cause was complications from lung cancer.

Clooney was diagnosed with lung cancer in later 2001.

Born May 23, 1928, in Maysville, Maysville, Kentucky, Rosemary Clooney was the daughter of Andrew Joseph Clooney and Frances Guilfoyle Clooney. She had four siblings; Andy, Betty, Nick and Gail Clooney.

At age 10 and in the fourth grade, Rosemary made her acting debut in a school production of ”Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” in which she played the witch.

Rosemary and her sister Betty started to sing publicly, at first for political rallies for her grandfather, who was mayor of Maysville, and later at amateur contests throughout northern Kentucky and southern Ohio. When a radio station WLW in Cincinnati conducted a talent contest, the sisters won and for a time were heard seven nights a week, earning $20 each.

The sisters began to sing with Barney Rapp’s big band, which performed around Cincinnati. An agent for Tony Pastor heard them, and for the next three years, the Clooney Sisters became vocalists for the Pastor’s big band.

In 1946, Rosemary Clooney made her first solo recording, ”I’m Sorry I Didn’t Say I’m Sorry When I Made You Cry Last Night”.

Rosemary Clooney signed with Columbia and cut her first record with Tony Pastor’s big band in 1948.

Her early career reached a height in 1954 when she starred along with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye singing Irving Berlin songs in the hit musical ”White Christmas.”

Clooney’s top hits include “Hey There” in 1954, “Tenderly”, “This Ole House” and “Half As Much” in 1952.

She was nominated for an Emmy award for an appearance on ”E.R.,” the series that featured her nephew George Clooney.

In 2002, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rosemary was married to José Ferrer (1953-1967) and Dante DiPaolo ( 1997–2002). She had five children; Miguel Ferrer, Gabriel Ferrer, Maria Ferrer, Rafael Ferrer and Monsita Ferrer.

Rosemary Clooney was interred at Saint Patrick’s Cemetery in Maysville.