Hold the Roses Read Online Free PDF

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."