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Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story... |
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Contributed by: Pam Vetter USO Performer and Co-Star with Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland |
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Frank Sinatra music played in the background as family and friends remembered the life of Anne Rooney, born Shirley Ann McCully. An actress, singer, and dancer from the Golden Age of Hollywood, she passed away peacefully in her sleep at her Toluca Lake home. She was 81. A Celebrant funeral service was held in her memory at the Little Church of the Flowers, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale. Ann's service focused on her life stories and her loves. Her son, Steve, began his personal reflections by saying, "Ann outlived many of her doctors." Ann loved Frank Sinatra and his music was used for the prelude and postlude. Two Sinatra songs were used during the service, "I've Got the World on a String," and her favorite song, "It Happened in Monterey." Shirley Ann McCully was born to Hazel and Ernest McCully in San Jose, Calif., in 1925. She later changed her stage name to Anne She joined sister, Virginia, who was only a few years older. Their father worked for the railroad while their mother nurtured her daughters' talents and allowed them to grow. Soon, the family moved to an apartment in Hollywood. Ann started singing and dancing at the age of two and by the age of six, she was in the movies. It was the time of the Depression and while the economy was hit hard, the entertainment industry was a source of steady income. Ann spent her entire childhood working in film and doing what she loved. Her talents were many: Acting, singing, tap dancing, ballet, and playing violin. She and her sister attended professional schools on the studio lot, which included a variety of training. Ann was a starlet and commanded attention for her beautiful singing voice and talents. She was also quite a tap dancer or a "hoofer" as they called them. At the age of 9, she was co-starring in Mack Sennett comedies. She was featured as a child actress. Her mother was with her every step of the way, while her sister also worked on movies. Hazel raised the girls in the Catholic religion and the three of them were very close. The family lived off Hollywood Boulevard which had a trolley car running down the middle of it at the time.The Boulevard served as a walking path in the evenings for studio employees. It was a tight knit community, one big family. Many employees from the studio system knew Anne, and everywhere she worked, people liked her for her honesty and kindness. She didn't like the phoniness of the entertainment business, but it was a business. Her goal was to find a way to use her talents for the good and to entertain those who needed it the most. One time, when the studio found a new young talent who needed a ride to the lot, they asked Ann to drive her because she had her own car. The new talent's name was Ava Gardner. They became good friends which lasted several years until they lost touch. Ann said that Ava was one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen and she had seen many beautiful women in Hollywood. Ann believed Ava was different because she had a natural beauty. In her line of work, there were many meetings that took place over the years concerning contracts and parts in pictures. When Ann had to meet with MGM studio boss Louis B. Mayer, he was one of the most feared men in Hollywood at the time. Although she was nervous and scared, Ann won him over and got what she was after because he liked her just for being her. Annwas only 16 years old when she signed a seven-year agreement. It was one of the longest studio contracts of the time. She also had many other studio contracts with MGM, Universal, and Warner Brothers. The studio training paid off as well. Ann sang with Eddie Fisher at the Copacabana and in 1941 went on to co-star with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in "Babes on Broadway." Anne Rooney is part of history. Her wonderful talents led to more film work throughout the 1940's: "Calling Dr. Gillespie," "For Me and My Gal," "Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour," "Follow the Band," "Always a Bridesmaid" with the Andrews sisters, "Slightly Terrific," "Freddie Steps Out," and "High School Hero." Throughout the years of success, her mother kept amazing photo albums with clippings and pictures of her famous daughter. The National Jitterbug Contest Winner from 1938, Ray Hirsch, knew her when she became a part of film history, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, "I dated Ann and we became real good friends. She was a good Catholic girl and we went to Mass together. I was a dancer in, 'Babes on Broadway.' Ann was a petite woman who was very talented. When I servedfour years in the Marine Corp, Ann wrote me letters. I was grateful for every letter she wrote to me. When I returned, we lost touch, but I will always remember Ann as a good dancer and talented singer." Hirsch worked on two dozen movies over the years and continues to make appearances. In 1945, Ann took part in a USO Tour called "Girl Crazy," during World War II. Unlike the USO tours of today, where everyone flies, Ann departed Seattle by ship and had to endure nine straight days of storms before arriving in Ohau on the first leg of the tour. She performed throughout many of the South Pacific Islands. The troops loved her so much, one of the squadrons voted her their favorite pinup girl. Ann was proud of her work for the troops because she knew in her heart that she was meant to help others through her talents. She also believed in having an education and graduated from Immaculate Heart High School in Los Feliz. She continued working in the studio system until her mid- 20's. Betty Rose, of Sherman Oaks, was friends with Ann dating back to the late 40's. Betty remembers seeing Ann perform, "She was like a doll, a beauty with a lovely voice. Men loved her because she was very feminine and very talented. It was always fun to spend time with Ann." After her movie career, Ann married a restaurateur in 1947 named Jerry Brooks. He owned many restaurants including Ciro's on Sunset Boulevard and Slapie Maxie's on Vine Street. Both restaurants were show business hangouts. In 1948, they welcomed the birth of their son, Steven Brooks, in Los Angeles. Ann stayed home with Steve while he was young. When Steve was5 years old, the couple grew apart and divorced. So, Ann took on the role of mother and father. She was very supportive of her son and his love of baseball. She also took him fishing many times to the Santa Monica Pier. One time, she drove him up the coast in her light green Plymouth. When they arrived at Morro Bay, she rented him a fishing pole. He caught a huge Halibut with the rented pole. She wasn't a camping mom, but she had great hand-eye coordination because of her training in dance. Ann's artistic talents rubbed off on Steve as he developed a love for photography. She was so proud when Steve landed a job doing still photography on various shows at NBC. Ann beamed as Steve graduated from the Brooks Institute of Photography. She did want Steve to have a backup to his artistic career because of her childhood. Ann worked as an escrow officer at Litton Savings later in life and re-dedicated herself to a new career in real estate. She welcomed Steve into her world and taught him everything. Together, Steve's grandmother, Hazel, his Aunt Virginia, and his mother, Ann, built a solid, family owned real estate business, The Clarionisland Group, LLC, which he continues to run today. Steve also works as a photographer, an artist at heart. Ann had other sides to her life as well. Over a 25-year period, she married Vincent Nuccio twice. She loved him very much. She was also surrounded by friends throughout her life. She was good friends with dancer Peggy Ryan. She also went to several reunions over the years and had pictures taken with her friend, performer Donald O'Connor. In a phone interview, Gloria, O'Connor's widow, said "Ann was a wonderful, loyal person to Donald. They got together at studio reunions and Ann was a sweet, wonderful woman. We were sorry to hear of her passing." Ann also loved to laugh. She had a great sense of humor and a dry wit. She liked to have fun. In fact, Ann's favorite beverage was a good martini. Getting older was the hardest part of Ann's life, but raising Steve and the show business years were the best parts of her life. Her final words to Steve were, "Have a wonderful time," inspiring us to have a wonderful time in life. Her wish was to stay in her own home and she did exactly that. She also told her son that she didn't want to be buried and he honored her wishes. A final blessing was delivered by Father Adrian Comerford and Ann was cremated. Her ashes will remain at home with her son. Ann lived through much of history. She lived through the terms of 14 Presidents in the United States, the Great Depression, several wars began and ended, thousands of products were invented over her lifetime, and dozens of musicals were produced on film, many of which she starred in for the studio system. Her funeral service closed with the song, "Smile," by Nat King Cole. Ann Brooks Nuccio will be remembered for her intelligence, sense of humor, and her smile. She had major accomplishments on film, but she will be remembered as a loving wife, a wonderful mother, a businesswoman, and trusted friend. Many pictures from the studio years and USO tour were on display at her service, along with a special poem written by a family friend in her honor. At Last The Time Has Come - by Sherri Pinero At last the time has come, You gave me life and cuddled me as I cried upon your shoulder, At last the time has come, Dear memories of you dancing and singing, shown the glow within your eyes, At last the time has come, The tender heart with timid smile, that soothed my inner scowl, At last the time has come, So rich in your desire, to amuse the wartime men who tired, At last the time has come, Your guidance and your sweet caress, I have learned so much from you, I'm blessed, At last the time has come, May the angels in the heavens know, you will be cherished on Earth til' I go, At last the time has come, My mother you will always be, my love, my soul, the person who always nurtured me. At last your time has come, to dance with the angels. |
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Copyright © 2005-2008 Pam Vetter. All rights reserved. |