Und Rosie sang doch....And yet, Rosie sang...

Ich war vorgestern so kühn zu behaupten, dass Rosie zumindest nicht selbst sang. Wie man sehen kann, lag ich komplett daneben. Rosie war ein Hollywoodstar. Viktor hat über Google Books noch ein paar Informationen gefunden, die aus der Zeitschrift "Life" vom 19.8.1946 stammen.

Rosie wog damals 250 Pfund.Geboren offenbar 1936 in Brooklyn als Nachkomme einer russischen "histrionic" (schauspielerisch affinen) Bärenfamilie, lebte sie in New York bei ihrem Manager Stanley Beebe. Neben Radioauftritten gab sie auch Roller Skating Vorstellungen fürs Fernsehen und spielte in einem Hollywood-Film namens "Road to Utopia" (Der Weg nach Utopia) mit, zusammen mit Bing Crosby und Bob Hope.Der Film kann hier online gesehen werden.-

When I posted the photos of Rosie the Trained Bear I was so bold as to assert that Rosie at least did not sing. As you can see, I was completely wrong. Rosie was a Hollywood star. Viktor found some more information on Google Books which was published in the 19 August 1946 edition of "Life" magazine.

Rosie then weighed about 125 KG. Apparently she was born in 1936 in Brooklyn as a descendant of a Russian "histrionic" (acting affine) bear family, she lived in New York with her manager Stanley Beebe. Besides radio appearances, she did also roller skating performances for television and starred in a Hollywood movie called "Road to Utopia" with (Road to Utopia), along with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.The movie can be seen online.

"Rosie, the star of the Stanley Beebe Russian Bear troupe which will be part of the entertainment at the Albany Sportsmen's and Boat Show Mar. 1 through 9, walks abroad arm in arm with Helen Paris, television star. Rosie, whose accomplishments include singing of a sort, appeared with Miss Paris on television broadcast."

"A trio of Russian Brown Bears including Rosie whose career includes several movie appearances and singing acts for television, are scheduled to go through their paces at the Albany Sportsmen's and Boat Show in the Wahington Ave., Armory, Mar. 1 through on. Stanley Beebe of Brooklyn is the trainer of the trio, which currently is performing at the National Sportmen's Show in New York.Beebe has seven bears, including two cubs born just before the opening of the New York show, but only three will be used in Albany.

Rosie, a 10-year-old, is star of the troupe, and accompanies Beebe in song, giving out with a coughing high C in true bruin fashion.Beebe's bears will be one of the12 acts which will make up a two hour program for the Albany show which is being sponsored by the Albany County Conservation Alliance and directed by the Campbell-Fairbanks Expositions, which stages the New York and Boston shows each year."

 Ebenfalls von Viktor gefunden hier noch ein Artikel aus der Pittsburgh Post Gazette vom 18.10.1946. Rosies Auftritte für Radio und Fernsehen werden dort sehr anschaulich beschrieben. Mit $ 75-100 Gage pro Auftritt ist sie eine Großverdienerin. Sie hatte zwei Brüder, Bobby und Tuffy, und ihre Eltern hießen Bill und Min. Offenbar waren alle künstlerisch unterwegs:

Here another article found by Viktor about Rosie in the Pittsburgh Gazette from 18 October 1946 with descriptions of. Rosie's appearances in radio and TV shows. She earns up to 100 $ per performance.She had tw brothers, Bobby and Tuffy, and her parents were Bill and Min, obviously the whole family was in acting.

"The family does ice skating, roller skating, mock love affair, and comedy-drunk skits."

"They live happily in a converted bus, usually parked in the back yard of a frame residence in Brooklyn belonging to their owner, Stanley Beebe."

" The Beebe bears made a great impression, especially with the very small spectators who naturally knew all about bears.These are very fine bears, happy, active and beautifully groomed", mentions another source reporting on a circus performance with animal acts featuring two (unnamed) Beebe bears.

But one can also find an article about an escape of two Beebe bears in 1940.

 Sources:

 The Knickerbocker News, Albany, If. Y., Friday February 21, 1947
- Life Article about Rosie
- Animal Acts/The Montreal Gazette 24.05.1943 
- Trained Bears Slap 'Em Down/ The Spokesman Review 29.02.1940

- Pittsburgh Post Gazette Article 18.10.1946

See also:

- 1944:One day in the busy life of Rosie the Trained Bear/ 03.02.2013

Thank you, Viktor!