Hold the Roses (7 page)

I said, "Okay."

He put me down and looked at my father and said, "Don't forget,
Happy, she's one of us, so be careful. We will be keeping tabs on you."

Well, my father just about fell down. I could see he was a little scared.
They shook hands and they drove us back to the hotel.

After Chicago, we went to New Orleans to play the RKO Theater. It was
August, so it was time for my seventh birthday. We opened the day after
we arrived. Evidently Antoine's, one of the most famous restaurants in the
world, read the rave reviews of the show and learned of my birthday. They
invited my father and me to celebrate by having dinner there. What a
night it was! The dinner they served us was simply out of this world. The
piece de resistance, however, was the special birthday cake they made for
me. It had almost life-size white sugar doves all over it, some of them seemingly in flight. I will never forget that cake, or New Orleans, for that matter. I love that town in more ways than one.

On to Fort Worth, Texas, and a week at their RKO Theater. Shortly
after our arrival, the governor called and invited my father and me to the
capitol. In his office, Governor Lovejoy made me a Deputy Sheriff and
presented me with a little pearl-handled gun...a real one! I still have it.
Next stop, San Antonio, where I signed the guest book at the Alamo! Talk
about an education, I had the best. I was there!

Then it was on to many other towns: St. Louis, Denver, Portland,
Seattle-you name it, I played it. We landed in Los Angeles. I played the
Paramount Theater in downtown L.A. Rube Wolfe was the permanent
MC there. I did my act and a song with him, just like I did with Dick
Powell. We were terrific.

While we were working in Los Angeles, my father decided we should
stay an extra week or two and see about the possibility of a contract at one
of the studios. So after the gig, we stayed at the Franklin Apartments on Franklin Avenue in Hollywood. Every day we went to a different studio
and tried to see the people we knew. At Paramount, we went to see Bing
Crosby, who was very kind and cordial and that was about it. We went to
Warner Bros. and saw Dick Powell. He was doing a scene in a boat. When
he saw me, he jumped out of the boat and came over to give me a hug and
a kiss. He was so glad to see us.

With Jimmy Durante

He asked my father if we were going to be in town for a while.

My father said, "No, unless something happens with one of the studios."

So Dick said, "The big L.A. Examiner benefit is in about two weeks
and each studio goes on with their contract stars. I want her to go on with
me, let her sing a song and we'll do the duet just like we did in Pittsburgh."

My father said, "Okay."

We stayed on for another two weeks. My mother thought it was time
for me to come home, but since we decided to stay, she felt I should go to school while I was in Hollywood. There was a Professional Children's School
like in New York called Miss Lawlor's Professional School. It was located
just around the corner from where we were staying, so it was easy to get
there. We went over and I was enrolled immediately. The next day I was in
school with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, who were still known there
as Joe Yule Jr. and Frances Gumm. We quickly became friends, and we had
a lot of fun together. It was only later that Mickey and I became really
good friends, and we still are to this day. Judy and I only saw each other a
few times.

The benefit was coming and California was having a serious drought.
My father decided I should sing "Rain (When Ya Gonna Rain Again)." It
was a popular song of the day, and what a great way to use the song at the
benefit. My piano player Jack Carrol went down to the Shrine Auditorium
and rehearsed the band. We went down about seven o'clock. The show was
at eight. We went backstage, where I had never seen so many movie stars in
my whole life. All the big stars from MGM, Paramount, and Universal
Studios were there.

I saw Jackie Cooper. We smiled and he came over to me and said,
"Hi! I'm Jackie Cooper."

I said "Hi! I'm Baby Rose Marie."

He said, "I know, I listen to you on the radio."

My father went over to the stage manager or producer-I don't know
which, but he looked like he was running the whole show-and said, "I'm
here with Baby Rose Marie. She's going on with the Warner Bros. Studio's
Dick Powell."

He said, "One song, that's it. We have no more time to spare."

My father said, "Fine."

We looked for Dick Powell. He finally came into the "green room"every theater and TV show has one. It's the place where the acts go prior to
going on stage. He saw us and said, "I'm going to introduce her."

"Fine," my father said.

We waited there until they called "Warner Bros. Studio up next."

Dick grabbed my hand and said, "Come on, honey."

We waited in the wings until they introduced him. He went on stage
and sang two songs from his movies. He killed them. He then introduced
me. I went on and belted out "Rain." The house came down, whistling,
stomping-unbelievable.

I ran off the stage to the wings. My father was there and said, "Stay here."

"I gotta take my bow," I said.

The stage manager guy came over and said, "Get her out there."

My father said, "No, you said one song."

The guy said, "I've changed my mind, don't you hear that audience?
Get her out there."

Finally Dick came over and grabbed my hand and we went on stage.
He was wearing a white suit (I've never forgotten that) and we did our
little silly song-the same one we did in Pittsburgh-and when I said,
"What do you do with the sardines?" he fell flat on his back with that
white suit!

We were a smash. When the number was over, I took many bows.
Dick picked me up and kissed me and I ran off into the wings. Everybody
started to grab me to take pictures.

Jackie Cooper came over and said, "You were wonderful."

"Thanks," I said.

He said, "They want some pictures of us."

I said, "Okay."

What a night! Everyone was talking to my father about me. Guys
came up to him saying, "I'm from Paramount," "I'm from Universal,"
"Who's her agent?"

My father said, "I am her manager."

They all said, "Give us your number, we'll call you tomorrow." And
they left.

Dick came over and said, "I'm going to talk to the people at Warner's
and see what I can do."

My father said, "Thank you so much for everything."

It was getting late and everybody was leaving, so my father, Jack Carrol
and I got my music and we left. We stopped for a bite to eat and went back
to the hotel.

The next day, we were expecting all kinds of calls ... and nothing
happened. My father called the guy at Paramount.

The Paramount guy said, "There's nothing right now, but keep in
touch."

He then called Universal ... same thing: "Who's her agent? She should
have an agent."

My father said, "I'm her manager."

"No, she needs a big agent. Call us when she's signed with someone."

Then Dick called and said he was sorry. He did everything he could, but they weren't interested in kids right now. He felt awful and asked,
"How long are you going to be here?"

My father said, "I don't think we'll stay too long. We're running out
of money, her mother is pregnant and wants her home for Christmas. It's
been a long tour."

Dick said, "Call me before you leave and I'll keep trying."

My father thanked him and that was that.

Three days later we went back to Jersey and NBC had called. What a
nice Christmas present!

Tastgeast Is Twiptiq

We arrived back in New Jersey about a week before Christmas. It was good
to see my mother again after such a long tour, and to see the house all
decorated for the holidays. Christmas was always very important to my
mother, and I know now that I inherited her love for this special time of
the year-I especially love preparing for it. Today, no corner of my house
goes undecorated. There have only been two times in my life that I have
agreed to be away from home to work at Christmas.