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GO TO THE FIFTH ANNUAL ROSEMARY CLOONEY MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR REVIEWS & PHOTOS
Click
here to read Nick Clooney's article "Special
Guests to grace festival"
Click Here to download Official Press Releases "The Clooney-Crosby Connection" offers fans an opportunity to ask Mrs. Crosby about her life with Bing and her nearly 50 years of friendship with Rosemary Clooney. She will read excerpts from her new book, "My Last Years With Bing," and, with members of Rosemary's family, offer insight into one of the most legendary friendships in Hollywood. Mr. Bob DeFlores, world renowned film archivist, will present vintage and rare video clips featuring Rosemary and Bing. Clips include: The Clooney Sisters with Tony Pastor Band (1947); Betty Clooney Snader Telescription (circa 1951); Christmas Seals (1953); Bing & Rosemary at radio recording session (1960); selections from early tv shows like "The Bing Crosby Show," "The Rosemary Clooney Show," "Hollywood Palace," "Ed Sullivan" and The Dean Martin Show"; scenes from "The Stars are Singing," and "White Christmas," plus much more. Nick Clooney will serve as Master of Ceremonies for this celebration. The event is just one of many events planned for The Rosemary Clooney Music Festival in Maysville, Kentucky, on September 20, 2003. "The Clooney-Crosby Connection" will begin at 10 AM at the Opera Theatre, 114 W. Second Street in downtown Maysville. Tickets are $20 at the door.
For More Information About Rescue the Russell visit www.rescuetherussell.com Click Here For More Information about THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Special
guests to grace festival by Nick Clooney, Cincinnati Post, September 1, 2003 Happy Labor Day, everyone. Since this is also the first day of September, it seems an appropriate time to update you on the Rosemary Clooney Music Festival in Maysville, now less than three weeks away. As many of you know, Linda Ronstadt will be this year's headliner. Any words of praise about Linda at this point would be gilding the lily. Suffice to say, she is one of the important singers of her generation and this will be an increasingly rare opportunity to see and hear her in person. It should also be mentioned that Linda was a great friend and admirer of Rosemary, which is why she agreed to appear at the festival. As usual, Third and Market in Maysville will be closed to traffic, a stage will be set up, tables put in place almost a full block back to Limestone. There's some construction under way on Market, but that, I'm told, won't give us any problem. Dinner will be served, then we relax and watch the show as twilight falls on Maysville's historic downtown. In addition to Linda -- who will be accompanied by the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra -- we will see a portion of a show I wrote about in this corner in April. The Kentucky Repertory Jazz Band organized a salute to Rosemary at the University of Kentucky, finding some rare arrangements of the Tony Pastor Band in the 1940s featuring the Clooney Sisters, Rosemary and Betty. There were two good singers, a blonde and a brunette, and a boy singer to take care of Tony's contributions. It was fun and I know you'll enjoy it. There is something new this year and it is being done specifically for the Save the Russell Theater fund. On Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, Kathryn Crosby, the widow of Bing Crosby and a friend of Rosemary, will appear at the Opera House Theater on Second Street in Maysville. She will talk about the special chemistry between Bing and Rosemary in performance. She will bring clips of movies and TV shows Rosemary and Bing did together and give the audience some background on them. Kathryn will be joined by Bing's film archivist, who knows chapter and verse on all of Bing's work. Joining Kathryn on stage will be Dante di Paolo, Rosemary's widower. Dante, as some of you know, was one of the great dancers of Hollywood's golden era. When he was a child performer, he was even in a musical with Bing Crosby. I understand we'll have a clip of that. Organizers tell me they have also found a rare early film of my sister Betty in performance and are bringing it along. I am anxious to see that. I have been asked to act as a sort of moderator of this event and, of course, I'm glad to do it. Kathryn has agreed to appear for two hours, from 10 to noon, and she will take questions from the audience. The admission is 20 dollars per person and, as noted, proceeds go to the Russell restoration. I'm told tickets will be available only at the door. After the show, Kathryn will sing copies of her newest book about Bing. As far as the dinner and concert that evening is concerned, the number to call for tickets or information is (606) 564-9411. They answer that phone at the Maysville City Office, then you ask for Duff Giffen, who has been a part of this concert from the beginning. Rosemary's longtime friend and manager Allen Sviridoff tells me that Maysville's Jerry Lundergan has booked some surprise guests to perform during dinner, so it looks as though it is going to be another great night of entertainment . Rosemary's oldest friend, Blanche Chambers, who used to dance while Rosemary sang right on that street corner when they were kids, will be there, sitting at our table. Of course, Nina and I won't be sitting much. We'll be walking around saying hello to old friends and, I hope, meeting new ones. Each year, we of the Clooney persuasion feel this event is a sort of reunion of our extended family with lots of laughs, lots of conversation and, of course, lots of world-class music. Rosemary wouldn't have it any other way. |
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'Clooney-Crosby Connection' to feature films, book signing By MARLA TONCRAY - Staff Writer, Maysville's Ledger-Independent Local residents will have the opportunity to share a morning with Kathryn Crosby, widow of renowned crooner Bing Crosby, learning more about the friendship between the singer and the late Rosemary Clooney. "The Clooney-Crosby Connection," will come to light during a film festival and salute celebrating the lives, careers and friendship of the two stars. The event is planned for Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. at Maysville's Washington Opera House in conjunction with the Rosemary Clooney Music Festival. The event will provide fans the opportunity to interact with Kathryn Crosby, Nick Clooney, Rosemary Clooney's widower Dante DiPaolo and film archivist Bob DeFlores. The event is being organized by members of the Rescue the Russell group, which is raising funds to restore the historic Russell Theatre. "We were contacted several months ago by Kathy Brown, a friend of the Clooney family, with the idea after she had talked with Crosby," said James Tierney, Rescue the Russell president. Tierney said community response was so positive about the event, the group began looking for a location. "We first looked at the Maysville auditorium, but had a scheduling conflict, so we turned to the Opera House, and they agreed," Tierney said. Tierney said it's great to see the two theatrical groups working together to restore the Russell Theatre. Kathryn Crosby will speak about her new book, My Last Years with Bing, her friendship with Rosemary Clooney and will sign copies of her book after the program, Tierney said. Nick Clooney will serve as master of ceremonies for the event and will share his personal recollections of his sister's legendary friendship and his personal encounters with the man whom he describes as having had an "astounding influence on American music, the jazz and swing era and the golden era of movies." DiPaolo, who married Clooney on Nov. 7, 1997, at St. Patrick Church, will share his early days as a dancer in Hollywood, when at the age of 13 he met Crosby and had a part in his 1939 movie "The Starmaker." DiPaolo will also offer a unique and personal perspective on how important the Crosby family was to his late wife, reminiscing about the days she spent touring with Bing Crosby and his family. Film historian-preservationist Bob DeFlores is currently assisting Kathryn Crosby in restoring her late husband's personal film collection. DeFlores met Bing Crosby in 1977 when he uncovered rare film clips of the singer and established himself as a major film biographer. In addition to assisting many stars in completing their own film collections, DeFlores has become a primary resource for historical footage and clips used on A&E's "Biography" series. "The films of Crosby and Clooney shown at the event should take about an hour," said Tierney. The event is sponsored by Bluegrass Satellite, owned by Basil and Luanne Mattingly. All of the proceeds raised will go directly to the Rescue the Russell fund. "Bas and I are happy to assist Rescue the Russell in providing such a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and learn more about Maysville's own hometown girl and her special relationship with Bing Crosby," said Luanne Mattingly. "Restoring this theater is such an important part of our history and community," Mattingly said. Since it's founding in 1996, Rescue the Russell Inc. has raised more than $800,000 through grants and fund-raising activities. To date, the roof, doors, marquees and brick pointing have been repaired and asbestos abatement completed. The building is now ready for contractors and engineers to move forward with heating, air conditioning, plumbing and wiring plans. Eventually, planned use for the restored theater includes ideas such as showing classic movies, hosting live entertainment and a museum dedicated to the Clooney family. Current estimates for the restoration stand at $3.5 million dollars. For more information about the book signing and film festival, contact James Tierney at 564-4104. Contact Marla Toncray at marla.toncray@lee.net. Copyright © 2003 Maysville Newspapers, Inc. A Lee Enterprises Publication |
