About
"How would I like to be remembered? As a good performer. A professional performer who had a great sense of humor."
In her two-and-a-half-hour interview, Rose Marie (1923-2017) talks about her career which began at the age of three when she was "Baby Rose Marie." She describes her years as a child star and her transition to an adult actress. She talks about her early television appearances on Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theatre, The Colgate Comedy Hour, and her work as a regular on My Sister Eileen (1960-61), in the role of "Bertha Bronsky." She describes her most memorable and enduring work for television, as "Sally Rogers" on The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66). Rose Marie also details her appearance as a regular panelist on The Hollywood Squares (1966-82) and as a regular character on The Doris Day Show, on which she appeared from 1969-71. She also talks about her then-more recent appearances as a regular on the series Scorch (1992) and Hardball (1994) and guest spots on such series as Murphy Brown, Wings, and Caroline in the City (on which she appeared with long-time friend and Dick Van Dyke Show co-star Morey Amsterdam). Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 22, 1999 in Van Nuys, CA.
Highlights
Rose Marie on her distinctive voice which led to winning a talent contest at age three
Rose Marie on getting cast on The Dick Van Dyke Show and suggesting Morey Amsterdam for the role of "Buddy"
Rose Marie on her Dick Van Dyke Show character "Sally Rogers"
Rose Marie on her trademark hair bow
Rose Marie on how she'd like to be remembered
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her early years growing up in New York; On her distinctive voice which led to winning a talent contest at age three
On her career in radio and movies as "Baby Rose Marie"; on being a child star
On first learning about television; on meeting her husband; on her early radio and television work
Chapter 2
On her childhood and playing the Vaudeville circuit; on starting in television
On her first television parts including Gunsmoke, The Bob Cummings Show, and My Sister Eileen
On getting cast on The Dick Van Dyke Show and suggesting Morey Amsterdam for the role of "Buddy"
Chapter 3
On playing "Sally Rogers" on The Dick Van Dyke Show and working with the cast and crew; on the chemistry of everyone on the show; on production
On some of the memorable episodes of her character on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Chapter 4
On the legacy of The Dick Van Dyke Show; learning of JFK's assassination during a rehearsal; being nominated for three Emmys; on losing her husband during the run of The Dick Van Dyke Show; on her final thoughts on "Sally Rogers"
On her long tenure on Hollywood Squares and working with the other celebrity guests
On co-starring on The Doris Day Show
Chapter 5
On working on The Doris Day Show
On going on tour with "Four Girls Four"
On guest-starring on series in the 1980s, including Murphy Brown
On comedy; on her advice to child actors; on how she'd like to be remembered
On some of the people she's worked with over the years
B-roll photos from her career
Shows
Bob Cummings Show, The aka Love That Bob
Rose Marie on the many series she appeared on early in her television career
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Rose Marie on being cast as "Sally Rogers" on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Rose Marie on co-starring in The Dick Van Dyke Show
Rose Marie on The Dick Van Dyke Show and her final thoughts on the character of "Sally Rogers"
Doris Day Show, The
Rose Marie on co-starring on The Doris Day Show
Gunsmoke
Rose Marie on her first dramatic role, playing a 60-year-old woman on Gunsmoke in the episode "Twelfth Night" (airdate: December, 1957)
Hollywood Squares, The
Rose Marie on her long tenure as a panelist on The Hollywood Squares
M Squad
Rose Marie on the many series she appeared on early in her television career
My Sister Eileen
Rose Marie on co-starring on My Sister Eileen
Topics
Characters & Catchphrases
Rose Marie on her Dick Van Dyke Show character "Sally Rogers"
JFK Assassination and Funeral
Rose Marie on learning of JFK's assassination during a rehearsal of The Dick Van Dyke Show
Pop Culture
Rose Marie on her Dick Van Dyke Show character "Sally Rogers"
Women
Rose Marie on her Dick Van Dyke Show character "Sally Rogers"
Professions
Comedian
Rose Marie on comedy
Genres
Comedy Series
Rose Marie on being cast as "Sally Rogers" on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Rose Marie on co-starring in The Dick Van Dyke Show
Game Shows
Rose Marie on her long tenure as a panelist on The Hollywood Squares
People
Morey Amsterdam
Rose Marie on being cast as "Sally Rogers" on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Rose Marie on the production of The Dick Van Dyke Show
Candice Bergen
Rose Marie on guest-starring on series in the 1980s, including Murphy Brown
Milton Berle
Rose Marie on her friendship with Milton Berle
Sheldon Leonard
Rose Marie on being cast as "Sally Rogers" on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Rose Marie on the production of The Dick Van Dyke Show
Lee Marvin
Rose Marie on the many series she appeared on early in her television career
Mary Tyler Moore
Rose Marie on the production of The Dick Van Dyke Show
Carl Reiner
Rose Marie on being cast as "Sally Rogers" on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Rose Marie on the production of The Dick Van Dyke Show
John Rich
Rose Marie on the production of The Dick Van Dyke Show
Dinah Shore
Rose Marie on co-starring on The Doris Day Show
Elaine Stritch
Rose Marie on co-starring on My Sister Eileen
Dick Van Dyke
Rose Marie on the production of The Dick Van Dyke Show