My Mother Was Rosemary LaPlanche, Film Star and Beauty Queen

Photo of the lobby card poster of the 1946 movie Devil Bat's Daughter starring Rosemary LaPlanche, John James, Michael Hale, Molly Lamont, Nolan Leary, Monica Mars, Edward Cassidy and Eddie Kane. The poster shows four images: a head shot of LaPlanche, a green-tinted image of a vampire extending his arms, LaPlanche over a man who is unconscious or dead, and a blue-tinted LaPlanche flanked by four men in suits. — *A lobby card for the 1946 movie Devil Bat's Daughter*

Many of you remember Rosemary LaPlanche by her title, Miss America 1941, representing the state of California. Others may know her as RKO star and cast member of the Lum and Abner movie Two Weeks to Live. However, I knew her best because Rosemary was my mother.

Rosemary was born to Charles and Anna LaPlanche in Glendale, California, on October 11, 1923. She had a big sister, Louise, who was four years older. It was a family in every sense of the word. Charles worked for the telephone company, and Anna took care of the girls while "Charlie" was at work. Both Rosemary and Louise loved to entertain and would go out in their backyard and put on dance shows for neighbors, or just for their own entertainment. On weekends, the LaPlanche family would walk for miles, each family member eating from a gallon carton of ice cream while walking to the one movie theater in town. It was something they loved doing together and always looked forward to seeing the Hollywood movies.

Louise, Rosemary's sister, began acting at age three when she appeared as the child Esmerelda in the silent film classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame, starring Lon Chaney. Both girls showed both beauty and talent. It was just a fun day in the life of the LaPlanche girls to take dance lessons and perform in their backyard. They were not pushed into the entertainment field, they just loved performing and couldn't get enough of it.

Louise and Rosemary attended Marshall High School. Both entered beauty contests for fun. Rosemary's sister Louise was Miss Catalina 1939 and Miss North America. Rosemary started entering the local beauty contests in 1940 at the age of 16, while still in high school. Entering and winning all the contests leading up to the Miss America pageant in 1940, she became Miss California and represented California in the Miss America Pageant. Many people do not know that in 1940 Rosemary and the contestant from Pennsylvania tied for the title. The judges were asked to vote several times to break the tie. They were still tied after many hours. The news headlines were printed in California saying that "Miss California Wins!" Still, with no decision, another judge from Pennsylvania was brought in to break the tie. Of course, he placed his vote for Miss Pennsylvania and Rosemary became the first runner-up. It was quite a scandal and controversial.

Rosemary was told if she could win the American Legion Contests leading up to the Miss America Pageant for the following year, she could be included in the pageant again. Rosemary couldn't wait for the opportunity, and won every one of the pageants including Miss California 1941. She was proud to represent her native state a second time and went on to win Miss America 1941 at the age of 17. To this day, she is one of the most beautiful and popular Miss Americas of all time. After being in the pageant twice, pageant rules were changed to say that no contestant may appear in the Miss America pageant more than once.

While in high school, Rosemary appeared in her first movie, Mad About Music, with Deanna Durbin. As I was growing up, I remember mom singing the song called "I Love to Whistle" from that movie to me.

After graduating high school and holding the Miss America title, Rosemary represented the United States as it went to war in December 1941. Naturally, Rosemary became a centerfold in many of our servicemen's lockers and she received fan mail and marriage proposals! During that time, mom went on a coast-to-coast train tour selling war bonds. The Hollywood War Bond Cavalcade included over 20 major celebrities, including Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, James Cagney, Greer Garson, Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland ... and of course, Rosemary LaPlanche. Following her time spent representing the United States as Miss America, she was invited to spend time with President and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt on their private boat on the Potomac River.

Shortly after that, Rosemary was signed to a contract with RKO Radio Pictures, while her sister Louise was signed at MGM. Some of Rosemary's most remembered movies are Strangler of the Swamp, with leading man Blake Edwards; Devil Bat's Daughter, Two Weeks to Live with Lum and Abner, Federal Agents vs. the Underworld (a serial), Jack Armstrong, The All-American Boy (another serial), Prarie Chickens with Noah Beery Jr., Show Business with Eddie Cantor and Betty Co-Ed. Mom told me she made over 50 movies during her RKO years.

In January 1947, Rosemary married the love of her life, my dad, Harry Koplan, a television emcee and radio personality. My dad created and emceed a new television show called You 're Never Too Old, then later both mom and dad emceed The Koplan/LaPlanche Show.

In October 1950, they became the proud parents of Carol Louise (that's me), and two years later in June 1953, Rosemary gave birth to Terry Michael. My brother and I couldn't have asked for a better set of parents. They both were the perfect role models for both of us. I am presently teaching kindergarten in Sherman Oaks, California, and my brother Terry is in the insurance business also in Sherman Oaks. Terry is married to wife Claire and has two sons, Christopher and Michael.

Living in Sherman Oaks, California, since 1955, Rosemary retired from show business, only occasionally filming a television show or a commercial. Rosemary was happy being a full-time wife and mother. And may I add that my mom and dad were the best and loving parents!

During her retirement, Rosemary took up oil painting and became quite recognized for her paintings ... especially her seascapes and desert scenes. She had several one-woman art shows and was awarded Best of Show in a special competition. She sold most of her framed paintings to people who loved her technique and appreciated fine art. In 2000 her sister Louise, who now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, donated one of Rosemary's paintings, "Laguna Shores," to the Miss America Organization.

In May 1973 Rosemary became a widow when her husband Harry passed away while they were on a business trip to Gallup, New Mexico. They had been married 26 years, the most wonderful 26 years of mom's life. Then, in May 1979 after a year of suffering with kidney cancer, Rosemary passed away to join her beloved husband Harry.

I remember one day while mom was ill, I came home from school and mom told me she recognized herself on TV in Lum and Abner's Two Weeks to Live. Rosemary only wished she had been able to view the movie from its beginning. She had many fond memories of all her movies, but she spoke frequently of the time she worked with Lum and Abner on Two Weeks to Live. She even gave me a press book from the movie that she had kept, with black and white pictures of the lobby cards and posters, with information about the movie in it. Now that they sell videotapes of old movies, I am proud to own my own copy of the movie. Oh how I wish my mother could have seen it.

Rosemary LaPlanche was not only Miss America 1941 , a beautiful, talented performer, artist, loving wife, and wonderful mother, but she was a gift to everyone's life she touched. I am so very proud of her and am thrilled to have been asked to share just a small part of her life with you.

Carol Koplan in Jot 'Em Down Journal, February 2003

Old Time Radio · Rosemary LaPlanche · Lum And Abner · Harry Koplan · RKO · Miss America ·

2025/07/09 · Link