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Rosie O'Donnell Biography (1962-)

Full name, Rosanne Teresa O'Donnell (some sources spell given name as Roseanne or Roseann); born March 21, 1962, in Commack, NY; daughter of Edward (an electrical engineer in the defense industry) and Roseanne (a homemaker) O'Donnell; companion of Kelli Carpenter (a television marketing executive); adoptedchildren: Parker Jaren, Chelsea Belle, Blake Christopher, Mia. Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.; Publicist: PMK/HBH New York, 650 Fifth Ave., 33rd Floor, NewYork, NY 10019.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Comedienne, actress, producer

Birth Details

March 21, 1962

Commack, New York, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Maggie O'Brien, Gimme a Break, NBC, 1986-1987
• Host, Stand-Up Spotlight, VH1, 1989-1993
• Lorraine Popowski, Stand by Your Man, Fox, 1992
• Host, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996-2002
• Hollywood Squares, syndicated, 1998-1999
• Specials
• Showtime Comedy Club All-Stars, Showtime, 1988
• A Pair of Jokers: Bill Engvall and Rosie O'Donnell, Showtime, 1990
• Hurricane Relief, Showtime, 1992
• Back to School '92 (also known as Education First!), CBS, 1992
• A Gala for the President at Ford's Theatre (also known as President's Night at Ford's Theatre), ABC, 1993
• In a New Light '94, ABC, 1994
• Good Hope Fairy, Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! (also known as All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!), ABC, 1994
• The Cindy Crawford Special, MTV, 1994
• Host, The Flintstones: Best of Bedrock, Fox, 1994
• Rosie O'Donnell, HBO, 1995
• Barbara Walters Presents The 10 Most Fascinating People of 1996, ABC, 1996
• Host, Catch a Rising Star 50th Anniversary--Give or Take 26 Years,CBS, 1996
• Ladies' Home Journal's Most Fascinating Women of '96, CBS, 1996
• The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful (also known as Popcorn Venus), TBS, 1996
• Vanessa Williams & Friends: Christmas in New York, ABC, 1996
• Very Personal with Naomi Judd, The Family Channel, 1996
• 50 Years of Television: A Celebration of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Golden Anniversary, HBO, 1997
• Host, Broadway '97: Launching the Tonys, PBS, 1997
• Farm Aid '97, The Nashville Network, 1997
• Happy Birthday Elizabeth--A Celebration of Life, ABC, 1997
• I Am Your Child (also known as From Zero to Three and Johnson & Johnson Presents: I Am Your Child), ABC, 1997
• Say It, Fight It, Cure It, Lifetime, 1997
• Voices of Hope ... Finding the Cures for Breast and Ovarian Cancer, Lifetime, 1997
• Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary Party (also known as The 25th Anniversary of Walt Disney World), ABC, 1997
• Elmopalooza!, ABC, 1998
• Take a Moment, The Disney Channel, 1998
• Herself, The X-Files Movie Special, Fox, 1998
• Voice, Kids Are Punny (animated; also known as Rosie O'Donnell's Kids Are Punny), HBO, 1998
• Tony Bennett: An All-Star Tribute--Live by Request, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Merv Griffin: Master of the Game, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Intimate Portrait: Rebecca Lobo, Lifetime, 1998
• Comic Relief VIII, HBO, 1998
• Celine Dion: These Are Special Times, CBS, 1998
• Broadway 98: Launching the Tony Awards, PBS, 1998
• Herself, My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies, PBS, 1999
• Tarzan in Concert with Phil Collins, ABC, 1999
• Host, A Rosie Christmas, ABC, 1999
• Intimate Portrait: Iman, Lifetime, 1999
• Cohost, Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, CBS, 1999
• The American Red Cross Holiday Music Spectacular, Fox, 1999
• Kids Pick the Issues, Nickelodeon, 2000
• (In archive footage) Herself, Survivor II: The Reunion, CBS, 2001
• The Gun Deadlock, Lifetime, 2001
• (In archive footage) Herself, Rugrats: Still Babies after All These Years, 2001
• 'N Sync: The Atlantis Concert (also known as 'N Sync Live! TheAtlantis Concert), CBS, 2001
• Intimate Portrait: Estelle Getty, Lifetime, 2001
• Lifestory: Rosie O'Donnell, Lifetime, 2001
• Intimate Portrait: Sarah Ferguson, Lifetime, 2001
• Intimate Portrait, Deidre Hall, Lifetime, 2001
• Born in My Heart: A Love Story, ABC, 2001
• TV Guide 50 Best Shows of All Time: A 50th Anniversary Celebration, ABC, 2002
• Cohost, Nick News Special Edition: My Family Is Different, Nickelodeon, 2002
• Episodic
• Star Search, syndicated, 1984
• Women Aloud, 1992
• Voice of Head Barrette Beret Girl, "Eat My Cookies," The Ren and Stimpy Show (animated; also known as VH-1 Ren and Stimpy Rocks), Nickelodeon, 1992
• Herself, "Destiny Rides Again," Beverly Hills, 90210, Fox, 1992
• Guest host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live 80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1993
• Sheri, "There's No Ship Like Kinship," Living Single, Fox, 1994
• The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, between 1994 and 1996
• Herself, "Breast Augmentation," Night Stand, syndicated, 1995
• Peg, "I Am Not My Sister's Keeper," Bless This House, CBS, 1995
• Herself, "Eight," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1995
• Cozette, "Where's the Pearls?" The Nanny, CBS, 1996
• Herself, "The Rosie Show," The Nanny, CBS, 1996
• Naomi, the maid, All My Children, ABC, 1996
• Guest host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live 80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1996
• Herself, "An Affair to Remember," Spin City, ABC, 1997
• Herself, "Ways & Means," Suddenly Susan, NBC, 1997
• Herself, The View, 1997
• The Oprah Winfrey Show, syndicated, 1997
• (Uncredited) Ann Marie Delany, Secretary 92, "A Man and Woman," MurphyBrown, CBS, 1997
• Herself, Wheel of Fortune, 1997
• Stationary store clerk, The Practice, 1997
• Naomi, All My Children, 1997
• Dennis Miller Live, syndicated, 1997 and 1998
• Today, NBC, 1998
• Herself, "Blue's Birthday," Blue's Clues, Nickelodeon, 1998
• Herself, "Madonna," Behind the Music, VH1, 1998
• Herself as Jerry Halpin's "phone-a-friend," Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, ABC, c. 1999
• Dr. Hooper, "Let's Dance," Ally McBeal, Fox, 1999
• (Uncredited) Archer Fitzwith's receptionist, "The Time She Came to New York," Time of Your Life, Fox, 1999
• The Martin Short Show, 1999
• Paramedic, "Officer Involved," Third Watch, NBC, 2000
• Celebrity contestant, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, ABC, 2000
• Wedding consultant, "Settling," The Practice, 2000
• Primetime Glick, 2001
• "The Image Maker," Spin City, 2001
• Bonnie, "Dyeing Is Easy, Comedy Is Hard," Will & Grace, NBC, 2002
• Larry King Live, Cable News Network, 2002
• Host, "Survivor: Marquesas--The Reunion," Survivor, 2002
• The Colin Quinn Show, NBC, 2002
• Also appeared on Martha Stewart Living, Night Stand, and Sesame Street; appeared as a video announcer on the VH1 cable televisionnetwork, c. 1988-89.
• Awards Presentations
• Presenter, The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 1992
• Presenter, The 1993 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 1993
• Presenter, The 48th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1994
• Presenter, The 66th Annual Academy Awards Presentations, ABC, 1994
• Presenter, The 8th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, 1995
• Cohost, The 9th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, 1996
• Presenter, The 23rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1996
• Host, The 10th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, 1997
• Presenter, The 24th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1997
• Host, The 51st Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1997
• Host, The 11th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, 1998
• The 24th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1998
• The 25th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, NBC, 1998
• Host, The 52nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1998
• Host, Nickelodeon's 12th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon,1999
• Host, The 41st Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1999
• Presenter, The 26th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1999
• Presenter, The 1999 ESPY Awards, ESPN, 1999
• Host, The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 2000
• Host, The First Ten Awards: Tonys 2000, PBS, 2000
• Presenter, Essence Awards 2000, Fox, 2000
• Host, The 54th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2000
• Presenter, The 27th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 2000
• Master of ceremonies, The 13th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, 2000
• Host, Nickelodeon's 14th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon,2001
• Presenter, The 28th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, NBC, 2001
• Host, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards '02 (also known as Nickelodeon's 15th Annual Kids' Choice Awards), Nickelodeon, 2002
• Host, Kids Choice Awards, ABC, 2002
• Movies
• Jackie, The Twilight of the Golds, Showtime, 1997
• Herself, Jackie's Back! (also known as Jackie's Back: Portraitof a Diva), Lifetime, 1999
• Television Work
• Series
• Executive producer, Stand-up Spotlight, syndicated, 1989-1993
• Producer, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996-2001
• Television Executive Producer
• Specials
• Rosie O'Donnell, HBO, 1995
• Kids Are Punny (animated; also known as Rosie O'Donnell's KidsAre Punny), HBO, 1998
• A Rosie Christmas, ABC, 1999
• Television Work
• Awards Presentations
• Creative Consultant, The 51st Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1997
• Coproducer, The 11th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, 1998
• Coproducer, The 52nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1998
• Coproducer, Nickelodeon's 12th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, 1999
• Executive producer, The 54th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2000
• Film Appearances
• Doris Murphy, A League of Their Own, Columbia, 1992
• Gina Garrett, Another Stakeout (also known as House of Cops, The Lookout, and Stakeout II), Buena Vista, 1993
• Becky, Sleepless in Seattle, TriStar, 1993
• (Uncredited) Woman in bird store, Fatal Instinct (also known as Triple Indemnity), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1993
• Lucille Toody, Car 54, Where Are You?, Orion, 1994
• Betty Rubble, The Flintstones, Universal, 1994
• Sheila Kingston, Exit to Eden, Savoy Pictures, 1994
• Make-up person, I'll Do Anything, Columbia, 1994
• Dr. Roberta Martin, Now and Then (also known as The Gaslight Addition), New Line Cinema, 1995
• Gina Barrisano, Beautiful Girls, Miramax, 1996
• Ole Golly, Harriet the Spy, Paramount, 1996
• (Uncredited) Herself, A Very Brady Sequel, Paramount, 1996
• Sister Terry, Wide Awake, Miramax, 1998
• Herself, Get Bruce!, Miramax, 1999
• Voice of Terkina "Terk," Tarzan (animated), Buena Vista/Walt Disney, 1999
• Voice of octopus masseuse, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, MCA/Universal, 2000
• Herself, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Fine Line, 2001
• Herself, Secrets through the Smoke, Centers for Disease Control, 2001
• Narrator, Artists and Orphans: A True Drama, 2001
• Film Work
• Director, We're Funny That Way, 1998
• Stage Appearances
• (Broadway debut) Betty Rizzo, Grease, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, NewYork City, 1994
• The Cat in the Hat, Seussical the Musical, Richard Rodgers Theatre, New York City, 2001
• WRITINGS
• Television Series
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996-2002
• Television Specials
• Rosie O'Donnell, HBO, 1995
• Kids Are Punny (animated; also known as Rosie O'Donnell's KidsAre Punny), HBO, 1998
• Other
• Kids Are Punny: Letters Sent by Kids to the Rosie O'Donnell Show,Warner Books (New York City), 1997
• Find Me (autobiography), Warner Books, 2002
• Contributor to periodicals, including Rosie's. Creator of the magazine Rosie's, 2001; editorial director, McCall's, 2000-01.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

• Contemporary Heroes and Heroines, Book 4, Gale, 2000
• O'Donnell, Rosie, Find Me, Warner Books (New York City), 2002
• Parish, James Robert, Rose: Rosie O'Donnell's Biography, Carroll & Graf (New York City), 1997
• St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, St. James Press, 2000
• Spreng, Patrick, Everything Rosie: The Ultimate Guide for Rosie O'Donnell Fans, Birch Lane Press (New York City), 1998

• Biography, August, 1998, pp. 32-39
• Chicago Tribune, June 6, 1998
• Entertainment Weekly, May 16, 1997, p. 7; June 19, 1998, p. 20
• Good Housekeeping, June, 1997, p. 102
• New York, March 5, 2001, pp. 47-49
• People Weekly, May 4, 1998, p. 7; January 22, 2001, p. 20; March 18, 2002, pp. 80-84, 84; July 18, 2002, p. 15
• Redbook, October, 1997, p. 104
• Us, February, 1998, pp. 40-45

• Lifestory: Rosie O'Donnell (television special), Nickelodeon, 2001