Rose Marie — How ‘Uncle’ Al Capone Made Her A Star

Rose Marie made her mark as tart-tongued comedy writer Sally Rogers on “The Dick Van Dyke” show — but the sitcom legend, who died at 94 years old in Dec. 2017, started her career as a vaudeville kiddie star with Al Capone as her mentor!

Born Rose Marie Mazetta, she was a wildly successful singing star as a child — billed as Baby Rose Marie until her teens — and admits her career had a helping hand from notorious mobster Capone. “My father worked as an arsonist for Al Capone,” Rose Marie confesses. “He used to burn down your warehouse if things weren’t going the right way, but I didn’t know that at the time.”

She recalls how as a little girl Capone had told her, “You can call me Uncle Al!” He also promised to take care of her — and he did, getting her bookings in mob-controlled clubs all over Chicago, which eventually led to her high-profile gig at Las Vegas’ brand-new Flamingo Hotel. “My career was just me working as much and as often as I could,” she says.

Rose Marie made the jump from stage to television screens in 1955 and six years later joined “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” becoming good friends with co-stars Carl Reiner, Morey Amsterdam, Dick Van Dyke,  and Mary Tyler Moore, who passed away in January at age 80.

She recalls of Mary: “The day she came in to work — the very first day — she’d made up her mind she was going to be a big star. “She said, ‘One day, I’m going to have my own show. I’m going to call it ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show.’ She was that ambitious and sure of herself! She had made up her mind … and she worked hard at it.”

Rose Marie admits, “It wasn’t until she died that I realized just how much Mary had meant to me. “It was like a part of my life had died along with her!” Rose Marie was in contact with Mary during the last months of her life and received updates on her health from old pal Dick, who she calls “naturally funny.”

“Dick is the most easygoing man I have ever known,” she confesses. “He loves to stay busy. He still goes to the gym, works out, watches his health and what he eats — and he’s still working!”

Comedy great Dick joins many others, including Carl Reiner and Tim Conway, in “Wait for Your Laugh,” Rose Marie’s story of fame, tragedy, love and laughter, to reminisce and salute the woman who’s had the world’s longest showbiz career — and is still making fans smile.