RIP: Dante DiPaolo, Rosemary Clooney’s husband

I wasn't sure if I should put it in the Rosemary Clooney thread or not. Created now a new thread but feel free to merge. Thanks.

Wonder if G visit him in the hospice. Very sad news.



RIP: Dante DiPaolo, Rosemary Clooney’s husband


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Actor-dancer Dante DiPaolo, the widower of singer Rosemary Clooney, died Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 87.

Clooney married DiPaolo at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in her hometown of Maysville, Ky., on Nov. 7, 1997. Clooney died in 2002 at age 74.

They met in 1953 while filming “Here Comes The Girls” starring Clooney and Bob Hope.


The Maysville Ledger Independent says DiPaolo was hospitalized last month after a fall, and moved to hospice on Tuesday.


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So sorry to hear this . RIP.   He looks dapper in the picture with Rosemary . A lovely romantic couple.

Ah, so Our Hero will be there for the funeral.........

Yes think so too. This should be in the next few days right? Not sure how long people wait to do a funeral after someones death in the US

I do hope it won't be a media frenzie !
The Clooney family should be left alone at times 
Like these IMO.

Yep agree but those paps in LA probably go for it. I'm sure the family will try to hide the funeral date. Not sure if that is possible in LA  

RIP...

Prayers for the family...

Surely, will bring in a deluge of memories...

So sad...thanks for letting us know.

Here is the notice in the Maysville paper:

Actor and local favorite Dante DiPaolo dies at 87


September 04, 2013 2:24 pm • WENDY MITCHELL
LOS ANGELES, Calif. | Actor and dancer Dante DiPaolo, 87, died Tuesday, following a short illness, family members said on Wednesday.

DiPaolo was the widower of singer/actress Rosemary Clooney.

The two met during the filming of the movie "Here Come the Girls."

"It was love at first sight," he said in a 2010 interview with The Ledger Independent.

They were romantically linked until he left the filming of "White Christmas" for his roll as Matt in the movie "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers."

The mention of her name would bring a twinkle to DiPaolo's eye.

They met again years later to rekindle their relationship following a chance encounter on a California highway.

Clooney was driving her Corvette, DiPaolo said.

He was driving his white 1956 Ford Thunderbird and, for lack of paper, he wrote her number in the dust on the dashboard, he said.

They were married Nov. 7, 1997, in Maysville.

Clooney, Rosella, as he called her, died in 2002.

DiPaolo, an internationally known dancer and actor continued to visited Augusta, where he and Clooney had lived as a retreat from California.

"I love everyone in that whole area; they are so welcoming and have always treated me so nicely," DiPaolo said in 2010. "I have been to my boyhood home town in Colorado and there is nobody left I know. I am the oldest of my clan and the others are all gone."

Beginning dancing at 6 years old, DiPaolo's career spanned generations, including a stint in 1945 as a chorus boy in the Ziegfeld Follies, and acting roles in movies and television.

At age 18 he entered the U.S. Army as an infantryman and was just an hour away from being sent to the front lines of World War II in the Philippines when General Douglas MacArthur took control of Manila, DiPaolo said.

"They said he needed clerks who could type 40 words a minute," he said.

After taking the test, DiPaolo said he was relieved to learn his high school typing classes had paid off and he had passed the test with exactly 40 words per minute.

"One mistake and the rest could have been completely different," he said.

Following the war he returned to his career as a dancer.

According to DiPaolo, he had no children of his own, but had an extended family through his brother Richard and Clooney's family.

He had remained friends with his ex-wife, Nadia, as well, family members said.

Nina Clooney, Rosemary Clooney's sister-in-law, said on Wednesday, DiPaiolo had been in a hospital for about a month, recovering from a fall.

“We had been out to see him last week,” Clooney said. “He was very bright in his conversation. He was in bed, but seemed content to be there. His mood was very up.”

Family members were optimistic he was recovering.

“It just floored me when I heard the news. I never dreamed he would die,” said Ben Breslin, who considered DiPaolo a favorite relative through his cousin Rosemary Clooney.

“Theirs was a cool love story. He was a wonderful member of our family, a treasure we will all dearly miss, forever,” Breslin said. “I was honored to be a part of their wedding.”

He recalled DiPaolo as a talented man who was devoted to the people in his life; a doting son to his late mother, adoring husband to Clooney, a gentleman in his ever present straw fedora style hat to adoring fans, and a tornado in the kitchen.

“He loved to cook, but what a mess he could make in there,” Breslin said with a laugh. “He was someone who loved life and lived it to the fullest.”

Yesterday DiPaolo was moved to a hospice facility where his condition rapidly declined, Clooney said.

“They said, he stopped talking and just passed away,” she said.

Information on funeral services was not available Wednesday.

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Sorry to know

Big loss to the family

RIP Mr Dante

I felt him 'near' to me
bec his Italian origins

Thanks SG for the artical. the end sounds really sad. Sounds like he gave up living once he was moved to the hospice. Sounds very negative.

I have seen that a few times with elderly people, they sometimes pass very quickly and almost unexpectedly simply from the shock of leaving familiar surroundings.

Yes true. Don't understand why they didn't send him home. If no family could be with him maybe they could have send a caregiver. But at least he would have been home.

" Dante's memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 22nd at 3 p.m. at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. Both Dante's mother and father are interred there. "

22
A lot of days to come...

I don't think George will attend the service. He didn't attend their wedding for fear of turning it into a circus; I'd assume he'd be even more respectful of a funeral.

He did go to his Aunt's funeral though. Anyway the Rosemary Clooney website has a very sweet memoriam with a beautiful song. I think one of the photos shows a young GC but I can't be sure.

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George is in 2 pictures.

Thanks SG, very sad video. I could only see it once. Don't like sad music with memorial pics from a person to remember. Makes me sad and makes you think about your own life and how to live it in full.

RIP Mr. DiPaolo.

My condolences to the family and friends.

Sorry
Too much
Not now or I will flooded in tears

Thanks Joanna. I remember that from years ago and yes, It's Me, there will be tears...

Nicky80 wrote:Thanks SG for the artical. the end sounds really sad. Sounds like he gave up living once he was moved to the hospice. Sounds very negative.

In America Hospice is an incredible God send.. They only bring in Hospice when you are close to death..They are the kindest most incredible people on this earth!!! They have dedicated there life to help ease and comfort the family and patient during the death process..

There's was a true love story! God intervened when Rosemary needed him most, now they will be eternally together, everyone should be so fortunate to find there one "true love" to spend there last days with..
May they dance and sing forever, to the beautiful music in heaven!

Very sweet video. Charming man. Very loved & loving....

lovely to hear them sing...x