Rosemary Rice facts for kids

Rosemary Rice (born May 3, 1925 – died August 14, 2012) was an American actress, singer, and voice-over artist. She was best known for playing Katrin Hansen, the oldest daughter in the TV show Mama. This show was on CBS from 1949 to 1957. Rosemary Rice also provided the opening voice for Mama as her character.

About Rosemary Rice

Her Early Life

Rosemary Rice was born in Montclair, New Jersey, on May 3, 1925. Her parents were Albert and Laura Rice. She married John B. Merrell on July 3, 1954. They had two children together.

Starting Her Acting Career

Rosemary Rice began acting when she was in junior high school in Montclair. Her first role was in a Broadway play. She later went to New York's Professional Children's School. She performed in twelve plays and musicals on Broadway. Some of her Broadway shows included The Naked Genius in 1943, Dear Ruth, and Junior Miss.

Her Work in Radio

Rosemary Rice had a very busy career in radio. Her first radio appearance was on a show called Grand Central Station. She acted in many radio mysteries, comedies, and soap operas. Her most famous radio role was as Betty Cooper in the Archie Andrews radio series. She also appeared on shows like Ma Perkins, The Right to Happiness, CBS Radio Mystery Theater, and Let's Pretend.

Starring in Mama

In 1949, CBS launched Mama, an early TV show that was broadcast live. The show was based on a book called "Mama's Bank Account" by Kathryn Forbes. Mama was set in San Francisco, California, in the early 1900s. It was about a Norwegian American family. The show aired from 1949 to 1957. It was first broadcast live from a TV studio above the Oyster Bar in Manhattan.

Rosemary Rice played Katrin Hansen, the oldest daughter. At the start of each episode, she would show a family photo album and talk about it. She always ended by saying, "But most of all, I remember... Mama." The famous actress Peggy Wood played her mother, Marta Hansen. Judson Laire played the father, Lars Hansen. Dick Van Patten was the younger brother, Nels, and Robin Morgan played the younger sister, Dagmar.

Rosemary Rice said the cast was very close because they worked together five days a week. She even told the New York Times that she called Judson Laire "Papa" until he passed away in 1979.

Mama was filmed using a method called kinescopes. Rosemary Rice saved some of these recordings. Most of the original Mama episodes and machines were lost or thrown away. In 1985, she gave her kinescopes to the Museum of Broadcasting. This museum is now called the Paley Center for Media. She also attended Mama reunions and fan events throughout her life.

After Mama, she continued to appear as a guest on other TV shows and in commercials. Her other TV roles included Kraft Television Theatre, The Mike Douglas Show, One Life to Live, and Search for Tomorrow.

Singing for Children

Rosemary Rice also wrote, sang, and narrated fifteen children's albums. She released nine albums with Columbia Records and six with RCA. She even won a Grammy Award for one of her albums from Columbia Records. Her album Learning America the Fun Way was part of a special series. It came with coloring kits and cutouts.

Working in Commercials

Rosemary Rice also worked on many radio and TV commercials. She appeared on camera and did voice-over work. She became well-known for her voice in Clairol hair product ads. She recorded the famous line, "If I've only one life to live, let me live it as a blonde!" She also worked on campaigns for Johnson & Johnson. Her work in advertising earned her three Clio Awards. She was also the voice for the Bell Telephone exhibit at the 1964 New York World's Fair in 1964 and 1965.

Narrating Audio Books

Later in her life, Rosemary Rice recorded books for Caedmon Audio. She narrated more than twenty textbooks for a publisher called Allyn & Bacon. She also narrated nine audio books for The American Girl Collection. These books go along with the popular American Girl dolls.

Awards and Recognition

Rosemary Rice won several important awards during her career. She received a Grammy Award for her children's album. She also won three Clio Awards for her work in commercials. In addition, she earned one Emmy Award and three Peabody Awards.

Her Later Years

Rosemary Rice lived in New Canaan, Connecticut, for a long time. Later, she moved to Stamford, a nearby town. She passed away in Stamford on August 14, 2012, at the age of 87. She died from a heart attack. She was survived by her daughter, Mrs. Marcie Schonborn, and her son, John Merrell. She also had a brother named Rogers and three grandchildren.