A Birthday Tribute to Rosemary Lane

Today I'm paying tribute to actress-singer Rosemary Lane, who was born in Indiana April 4, 1913.

Dates vary for Rosemary's birth year; I'm using the date from her grave marker.

Rosemary was one of the lovely and talented Lane sisters, who included Leota (born 1903), Lola (born 1906), and Priscilla (born 1916).

While Leota's film career never took off, Rosemary, Lola, and especially Priscilla found success in Hollywood, both separately and together.

Like Priscilla, Rosemary was a singer with Fred Waring and appeared with him in her first film, VARSITY SHOW (1937). She would go on to appear in 20 more films between 1937 and 1945, when she retired from the screen.

Here's Rosemary with Dick Powell in VARSITY SHOW:

My favorite of Rosemary's films might be HOLLYWOOD HOTEL (1937), which she appeared in with her sister Lola. Rosemary was also reunited with Dick Powell in this film, and they share a charming duet, "Fish Out of Water," which may currently be heard here. I love this still from the number:

Rosemary, Priscilla, and Lola teamed with actress Gale Page playing sisters in four beloved films: FOUR DAUGHTERS (1938), FOUR WIVES (1939), FOUR MOTHERS (1941), and DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS (1939); the latter film has the same cast as the other three films but is a completely different story.

Clockwise from top left are Gale Page, Rosemary, Priscilla, and Lola:

The three Lanes, Lola, Rosemary, and Priscilla:

The quartet, including Gale Page, in FOUR WIVES:

And in FOUR MOTHERS:

Rosemary with her leading man in the DAUGHTERS series, Eddie Albert:

With Claude Rains in DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS:

Rosemary was married to makeup artist Bud Westmore from 1941 to 1954, when they divorced. They had one child.  It was her only marriage.

Rosemary died November 25, 1974. She was buried at Forest Lawn Glendale, where her grave marker, which Wikipedia indicates was not placed until 2012, reads "Singing With the Angels."

Rosemary Lane's career was relatively brief, but she was a delightful screen presence who made significant contributions to some wonderful films from Hollywood's Golden Age.

Rosemary Lane films previously reviewed at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: VARSITY SHOW (1937), HOLLYWOOD HOTEL (1937), GOLD DIGGERS IN PARIS (1938), FOUR DAUGHTERS (1938), BLACKWELL'S ISLAND (1939), DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS (1939), FOUR WIVES (1939), AN ANGEL FROM TEXAS (1940), FOUR MOTHERS (1941), and CHATTERBOX (1943).

Update: Here's a review of THE OKLAHOMA KID (1939).

Update: I had the honor of paying my respects at Rosemary Lane's gravesite at Forest Lawn Glendale.

Previously: A Birthday Tribute to Priscilla Lane.

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