Scott's World -- UPI Arts & Entertainment

HOLLYWOOD, July 1 (UPI) -- There was never another actress-singer quite like Rosemary Clooney, a country girl who came to the big city seeking fame and fortune and found heartbreak instead.

She was a sylph-like blue-eyed blonde somewhat gawky youngster from the hick town of Maysville, Ky., when she arrived in Hollywood to become an actress.

Rosie had been a band singer with Tony Pastor's orchestra touring the country in the rough and tumble final days of the big band era. A bit of a waif, Rosie was anything but a chic sophisticated, polished songbird of the times. She was sweet-faced, unpolished, sincere and self-conscious.

But she could sing up a storm with ballads and novelty tunes. With youthful enthusiasm she delivered her lyrics in pure tones with a clean-cut delivery.

Rosie made her professional debut on Cincinnati's WLW radio station in 1941 at the age of 13 and later sang with Barney Rapp's band, following in the footsteps of Andy Williams and Doris Day. She moved on to work with Tony Pastor's band on tour and cutting records for with the group.

Her neat little figure and long blonde hair tied up with a ribbon gave her the appearance of the All-American girl next door, an image that suited her perfectly. Naive and filled with romantic dreams, Rosemary Clooney arrived in Hollywood, as did uncounted thousands of other hopefuls seeking a career in Tinseltown.

Her first significant national appearance was on the "Robert Q. Lewis Show" in 1959 where she became a regular.

Her pleasing personality led to her movie debut in "Here Come The Girls" playing Daisy Crockett in 1953, followed by a role in "The Stars Are Singing." It wasn't until her showcase part in "Red Garters" in 1954, that Rosie had gained a modicum of sophistication and really caught on with the moviegoing public.

While her career was gaining momentum Rosie had the misfortune of falling in love with a Latin movie star named Jose Ferrer, one of the great bravura hams in the history of Hollywood.

An effective, posturing actor in a good many films, Ferrer had an overweening, overblown opinion of himself as the greatest actor of all time suffused with boorish braggadocio about his sexual conquests. A native of Puerto Rico and 19 years Rosemary's senior, the swarthy, arrogant Ferrer found the girl singer from the Kentucky hills a perfect trophy wife.

She was impressed by Ferrer's worldliness, his smooth manners and his self-professed membership in Spanish aristocracy, perhaps even royal lineage.

It was a classic case of an innocent girl falling for the line of an older man, a movie star who would become a wife-beating, arrogant male chauvinist who flaunted his dalliances with other Hollywood beauties.

Their marriage was a dreadful mistake, but Rosemary's devotion to her marital vows and her growing family -- five beautiful children -- convinced her to stay with her bad bargain and make the best of a degrading situation. She frequently entertained at their beautiful Beverly Hills mansion, on the same street with Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Polly Bergen and other celebrities.

As her movie career grew to include "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby and "Deep In My Heart," Rosemary Clooney became a genuine, if short-lived movie star.

Her popularity as a singer continued to grow with such hits as "Come On-A My House" and "Tenderly," "Botcha-Me" "This Ole House," "Half as Much" and others. But the smiling young woman with the merry eyes and natural modesty was anything but happy, married to a man who took every opportunity to belittle her publicly and privately.

Her most successful parties frequently did not include her petulant, insulting husband whose favorite topic was himself and his conquests of beautiful woman, even in Rosemary's presence.

She took comfort in nurturing her brood, Miguel, Rafael, Maria, Gabriel and Monsita. Ferrer was often absent from their home, working on movies and television shows on locations and squiring numerous women in open defiance.

Her favorite dinner parties always included music, sometimes with Rosie singing for her friends. A favorite and regular couple were Nat (King) Cole and his beautiful wife.

On those occasions Cole would entertain the guests after dessert, singing popular favorites and accompanying himself on the piano. From time to time Rosemary would join him in unforgettable duets, much to the delight of her guests.

The misbegotten marriage ended in divorce in 1967. Throughout her tumultuous marriage Rosemary continued to sing in clubs, on television, in tributes and recordings.

At one time she suffered a nervous breakdown, but she recovered and kept working. Rosemary gained weight but her voice remained dazzling. She found happiness and security in her second marriage, to Dante DiPaolo.

Rosie died of lung cancer this week at age 74, one of the most admired and beloved singers of them all.