Rosemary Lane, a talented vocalist and member of the renowned Lane sisters, began her career as a singer with renowned bandleader Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians. Despite her impressive start, her career was somewhat overshadowed by that of her more famous sister, Priscilla, who also performed with the band and went on to achieve greater success.
Rosemary and Priscilla made their stage debut in the 1937 musical production of Varsity Show, featuring the Waring orchestra and starring Dick Powell. With a Warner Brothers contract in hand, Rosemary then starred alongside her sister Lola in the 1937 film Hollywood Hotel, once again alongside Dick Powell.
Although she did well in the film, Rosemary and the rest of the cast were largely upstaged by Busby Berkeley's stunning stage design and the iconic Benny Goodman's orchestra, which performed in eight musical numbers. Rosemary then played a supporting role to Priscilla in a series of films featuring three of the four Lane sisters: Four Daughters (1938),Daughters Courageous (1939),and Four Wives (1939).
After this, Rosemary Lane decided to leave Hollywood, commenting in the New York Times on November 27, 1974, "that was the end of it as far as I was concerned." Instead, she pursued a successful career on Broadway, starring as the lead in George Abbott's 1941 musical comedy Best Foot Forward, alongside Nancy Walker and June Allyson. Ironically, her role was that of a sophisticated, yet fading film star.
After 1945, Rosemary settled down in Pacific Palisades and worked in real estate for a time before eventually retiring.
