Rosie O'Donnell was born ....:
... On March 21, 1962, as Roseann Teresa O'Donnell, in Bayside, Queens, New York. Her father, Edward O'Donnell, was an immigrant from Belfast, Ireland, and her mother, Roseann, was American. Her mother succumbed to breast cancer at age 38.
Growing up with Rosie:
After high school, Rosie attended Dickinson College, with a transfer to Boston University to follow. Her comedy career beckoned, however, and Rosie did not complete her degree.
Rosie's first job:
Taking to the stage as a comedienne, Rosie's quick wit, dry humor and New York accent attracted fans almost immediately. It wasn't long before she found herself jumping between stage and screen - small screen, anyway - as a regular personality on VH1.
The Early Years:
Those VH1 appearances - along with successful gigs on every talk show from The Tonight Show to Late Night with David Letterman = led to a number of roles in major motion pictures in the 1990s, including A League of Their Own, Sleepless in Seattle and The Flintstones. As the decade marched on, Rosie turned up a number of less-popularly received films, including Car 54, Where Are You?. It seemed as though Rosie's career needed new direction.
Becoming a Talk Show Host:
It may have seemed like a strange experiment, this tough New York comedienne taking on the more relaxed role as daytime talk show host. But when Rosie debuted on The Rosie O'Donnell Show in 1996, sparks flew. It wasn't long before she was dubbed the "Queen of Nice" and started picking up Emmys like they were going out of style.
In 2002, Rosie decided to give up the talk show life and return to her first love, stand-up comedy. She also picked this particular time to confirm rumors that she was homosexual. Her return to stand-up was met with great success, though her tough style - a style she'd cultivated since the very beginning of her career - caught fans of "The Queen of Nice" off-guard.
A key moment in Rosie's career:
Quite honestly this could be it. By this I mean her Sept. 5, 2006, debut as co-host of The View. Though Rosie quickly became a complement to the show, her tendency to feud with fellow celebrities, like Donald Trump and Kelly Ripa, were her eventual downfall.
Though Rosie's stint on The View proved to be an incredible success, truly turning around the show's ratings and keeping it constantly in the spotlight, it wasn't to last.
By June 2007, Rosie had had enough, blaming politics, pressure and failure to meet eye-to-eye with regard to compensation, and abruptly left the show.
What does the future hold?:
After leaving The View, Rosie was briefly courted by both MSNBC, to host a talk show, and by CBS's The Price is Right as a possible successor to iconic game show host Bob Barker. Both deals fell apart before they really got anywhere. So what's next for Rosie? Nobody knows at this point.
Fast facts about Rosie:
- In 2000, partnered with the publishers of McCall's magazine to publish Rosie. The magazine was noted for its lack of thin models and its focus on serious topics. Lack of ad revenue forced it to fold.
- Produced the Broadway Play Taboo, starring Boy George.
- Is married to Kelli Carpenter. Rosie and Kelli have four children by adoption, two boys and two girls.
- Operates, with Kelli, R. Family Vacations, a travel company for gay and lesbian families.
