Memories of My Mother ROSE MARIE

THE PERFORMER'S DAUGHTER RECALLS HER WARMTH, WIT, HEARTBREAK AND LOVE OF SHOW BUSINESS

- Katie Bruno

In 1953, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz dropped by Rose Marie’s home while they were shooting their movie The Long, Long Trailer. “I think Desi brought some wine, and they did a scene in our living room,” Georgiana Rodrigues tells Closer. “It was my mother, father and me.”

The ultimate showbiz insider, Rose Marie, who was born Rose Marie Mazzetta in New York City in 1923, began singing on the vaudeville circuit as a child. That led to a whopping nine decades as a star on the Las Vegas stage and on beloved TV series including The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Doris Day Show, Hollywood Squares and more. “The thing about my mother is that she loved to work,” Georgiana says.

But after Rose Marie left the set or the stage, she became a homemaker who cooked, knitted and collected serving plates. “The minute she walked in that house, she would ask what we wanted for dinner,” says Georgiana, who often ate meals with her parents.

Rose Marie and big band trumpeter Bobby Guy wed in 1946 and were among Hollywood’s favorite hosts. “They had a lot of dinner parties. One time they had a costume party to come dressed as your favorite song — and the costumes were outrageous!” says Georgiana, who recalls visits from Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and more.