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Clooney Museum; reunion completed
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By Wendy Mitchell, Staff Writer
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AUGUSTA -- As if part of the schedule of events at the Rosemary Clooney House Museum, Saturday, a small stern-wheeler sounded its horn as it traveled west on the Ohio River.
A crowd had begun to form along Riverside Drive shortly before 1 p.m. in front of the museum; in that crowd mingled Clooney’s brother, Nick Clooney, his wife, Nina and Dante DiPaolo, husband of the late entertainer.
Creators of the museum set in Clooney and DiPaolo’s favorite get-away home, Steve Henry and Heather French Henry busied with final details before their latest museum acquisition was unveiled. One of the Henrys' newest items of the collection was an operational vintage military style Willys Jeep, which was parked on the lawn near the house.
Almost missed in the hubbub was the arrival of ceremonial guest, comedian Rich Little. Little shook hands with crowd members and reunited with friend Nick Clooney near the steps of the museum.
Following a jovial introduction of Little the crowd broke into applause. With his trademark smile and impish glint in his eye, Little entertained the crowd with impromptu impressions of Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Jimmy Stewart which lasted several minutes.
Entwined in the crowd, Nick Clooney asked his niece, Monsita Botwick and Rosemary’s daughter-in-law and singer, Debby Boone to assist as Little unveiled the dress worn by the late Vera Ellen, who played Rosemary’s sister in the musical movie "White Christmas."
Flashes on cameras and cellular phone cameras caught Little posing behind the dress with his head on the neck of the dress frame as Boone marveled at the tiny size of the waistline of the dress.
"Vera Ellen was known for her tiny waist," said Heather French Henry.
The dress completes a display featuring the only in-tact feather fan and both dresses worn by Clooney and Ellen in the "Sisters" scene of the movie. The Ellen dress is actually exactly as it appears in the movie, with a sequined sash and under beading intact.
"Rosemary’s dress was used in another movie, so it is shorter and some of the decoration on the lower skirt was slightly changed," Steve Henry said as he placed the dresses side by side for the first time in 54 years.
Following the unveiling, Little toured the museum, escorted at times by DiPaolo who often paused to explain an old photograph or piece of memorabilia or sort out the family tree painted on the wall in one room.
DiPaolo, who met Clooney when they were young entertainers later married her in a star-studded ceremony at St. Patrick Church in Maysville. He has appeared in a few productions in recent times but spends most of his time caring for his mother these days, he said.
"There comes a time when you have to look at what the future holds and make the best of it. My mother, I call her my doll, will be 100 years old soon. What an accomplishment that is," DiPaolo said.
Earlier in the day Boone and Botwick toured the museum in private, their first time in Clooney’s home since its conversion into a monument to the life of Rosemary Clooney and her family, with a large section dedicated to actor George Clooney, including his costume football uniform from his recent movie "Leatherheads" and a set of scrubs from the television show "ER."
"It is wonderful yet bittersweet," Botwick said. "As I walked around I felt Mom everywhere. She would have enjoyed this so much."
As a contrast to life in Los Angeles, Botwick remembered times when her children visited their grandmother at the Riverside Drive home.
"It is always amazing. There is so much freedom here. My son, at 6 years-old, could walk from the Parkview Inn, where we sometimes stayed when visiting Mom, to the house and nobody thought much of it - you don’t have that in L.A. ," Botwick said.
Augusta was a favorite stopping point for Clooney and DiPaolo, she said.
"Mom loved three things in this order, family, music and this place (Augusta)," Botwick said.
Clooney was everything the public saw on the screen, Boone said.
"What you saw on the screen was Rosemary at home and everywhere else. She was the real deal," Boone said.
For a time Boone privately shared stories about her father entertainer Pat Boone, with Little. She could be seen laughing at Little’s side.
As the crowd thinned DiPaolo became inspired to sing and the remaining crowd sang along. He even added a bit of dancing to his tune.
As he prepared to leave for the Rosemary Clooney Concert in Maysville, DiPaolo tapped at a few bricks at the end of the sidewalk from the house to the public sidewalk.
"That’s just the same as it was; I was suppose to fix that," he said softly.
For more area news go to www.maysville-online
To contact Wendy Mitchell call 606-564-9091 ext. 276 or e-mail wendy.mitchell@lee.net. |
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Reader Comments
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.
Rita wrote on Oct 1, 2008 4:53 AM: " I was also there..........very nice article Wendy........nice to meet you. "
shadow wrote on Sep 29, 2008 9:33 PM: " i was at this evevnt.debbie boone and mosita botwick were so gracious and very nice to all who were there to see the unveiling. "
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