Late Singer Rosemary Clooney ‘Adored’ Being a Mom to Her 5 Kids With Ex-Husband Jose Ferrer

When it comes to famous families, the Clooneys sure have proven their prowess in Hollywood. Rosemary Clooney juggled her work as a singer and actress along with motherhood during her decades-long career. 

Who Are Rosemary Clooney’s Kids? 

Rosemary married her husband, José Ferrer, who was 16 years her senior, in 1953. The pair welcomed five children together: Miguel, Gabriel, Rafael, Monsita and Maria. Rosemary and José divorced in 1961 but remarried in 1964. They divorced for the second time in 1967. 

Rosemary and José’s kids were exposed to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood at a young age.

“There were a lot of parties,” Gabriel told Closer in January 2018. “Once I snuck downstairs and sat with Nat King Cole as he played piano. To us, it was just another Tuesday.” 

He recalled his mom inviting A-list guests to her soirees like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. After facing some difficult points in her life and career, Rosemary pulled back from the spotlight to focus more on parenthood. 

“She became less concerned about chasing fame and more interested in her children,” Gabriel shared along with some memories from family dinners. “She would find a recipe and make it over and over until she got it right, like for three nights we would have soufflés.”

Rosemary married Seven Brides for Seven Brothers actor Dante DiPaolo in 1997 and they remained together up until her death. She died on June 29, 2002, at age 74 from lung cancer. Her contributions to the music industry and love for her family have never been forgotten. 

“She adored her grandchildren,” Gabriel said. “My fondest memories are watching her dote on her grandchildren.”

How Is George Clooney Related to Rosemary Clooney? 

Rosemary was the aunt of George Clooney, the son of her brother Nick Clooney and his wife, Nina Bruce Warren. George once revealed the advice his aunt gave him to help further his Hollywood career. 

"My aunt Rosemary was a great jazz singer,” he reflected during a September 2011 interview with Parade. “I asked her, 'Why are you a better singer now when you're 70 years old and you can't hold a note?' And she goes, 'Because I don't have to prove I can sing anymore. Just serve the music, just serve the material.' I'm leaning toward that [philosophy] more and more — in my career, in life.”