Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Rosie O'Donnell
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Rosie O'Donnell made an impact.
Rosie O'Donnell is a well-known American comedian, actress, and talk show host. Starting her comedy career early, she gained prominence on Star Search in 1984. She transitioned to television and film roles before hosting the highly successful daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, from 1996 to 2002, earning multiple Daytime Emmy Awards. During this time, she was known as the "Queen of Nice" for her positive demeanor and philanthropic activities.
8 hours ago : Rosie O'Donnell surprised by Ellen DeGeneres' U.K. move after Trump's election.
Rosie O'Donnell expressed surprise at Ellen DeGeneres' relocation to the U.K., seemingly triggered by Donald Trump's election. O'Donnell shaded DeGeneres for her apolitical stance and fleeing.
1979: Stand-up Comedy Tour
From 1979, Rosie O'Donnell began touring as a stand-up comedian in clubs.
1984: Big Break on Star Search
In 1984, Rosie O'Donnell got her first big break on Star Search.
1986: Series Debut on Gimme a Break!
In 1986, Rosie O'Donnell made her series debut as Nell Harper's neighbor on Gimme a Break!
1988: Joins VH1 as a Veejay
In 1988, Rosie O'Donnell joined VH1's lineup of veejays and started hosting Stand-up Spotlight.
1992: Starring in Stand By Your Man and A League of Their Own
In 1992, Rosie O'Donnell starred in Stand By Your Man and made her feature film debut in A League of Their Own.
May 1996: Warner Books Advances O'Donnell $3 Million for Memoir
In May 1996, Warner Books advanced Rosie O'Donnell $3 million to write a memoir, which she used to seed her For All Kids Foundation.
1996: Hosting The Rosie O'Donnell Show
In 1996, Rosie O'Donnell began hosting The Rosie O'Donnell Show for her production company KidRo Productions. The show proved successful, earning her the title "The Queen of Nice".
1997: Release of 'Kids are Punny: Jokes Sent by Kids to the Rosie O'Donnell Show'
In 1997, Rosie O'Donnell released the children's book 'Kids are Punny: Jokes Sent by Kids to the Rosie O'Donnell Show', featuring jokes received from children.
1997: Scope Promotion and Listerine Partnership
In 1997, after Procter & Gamble's Scope mouthwash promotion designated O'Donnell as "unkissable", she partnered with Warner–Lambert's Listerine, who donated to charity for every kiss she received on her show, raising over $350,000.
1997: Rosie's For All Kids Foundation Awards Grants
Since 1997, Rosie's For All Kids Foundation has awarded more than $22 million in Early Childhood Care and Education program grants.
1998: Release of 'Kids are Punny 2: More Jokes Sent by Kids to the Rosie O'Donnell Show'
In 1998, O'Donnell released a sequel titled 'Kids are Punny 2: More Jokes Sent by Kids to the Rosie O'Donnell Show'.
April 19, 1999: Gun Control Stance on Talk Show
On April 19, 1999, during her talk show broadcast, Rosie O'Donnell stated her strong stance on gun control, advocating for imprisonment for gun owners.
May 1999: Interview with Tom Selleck on Gun Control
In May 1999, Rosie O'Donnell interviewed Tom Selleck on her talk show, questioning his NRA commercial and the NRA's stance on assault weapons.
1999: Contract Discontinuation with Kmart
In 1999, Rosie O'Donnell discontinued her contract with Kmart as their spokeswoman due to complaints from gun enthusiasts.
September 2000: Launch of Rosie's McCall's Magazine
In September 2000, Rosie O'Donnell partnered with McCall's publishers to revamp the magazine as Rosie's McCall's, launched as a competitor to Oprah Winfrey's magazine. In the September 2000 issue, O'Donnell shared her lifelong struggle with depression and decision to start medications. The magazine had a strong start, but conflicts with editors later emerged.
September 11, 2001: Support After 9/11 Attacks
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Rosie O'Donnell encouraged support for Broadway and New York City tourism, donating $1 million for rescue efforts.
April 2002: Release of 'Find Me'
In April 2002, Rosie O'Donnell released 'Find Me', a memoir, mystery, and detective story about reuniting birth mothers with their children, reaching number two on The New York Times bestseller list.
September 2002: O'Donnell Quits Rosie's McCall's Magazine
In September 2002, Rosie O'Donnell quit Rosie's McCall's magazine following a dispute over editorial control. O'Donnell stated that if her name and brand were on the magazine, it had to be her vision.
2002: Departure from Talk Show
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell left her talk show, which was then replaced by The Caroline Rhea Show.
2002: Coming Out as Lesbian
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell publicly came out as a lesbian and became an outspoken advocate for lesbian rights and gay adoption issues.
2002: Publication of Find Me
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell published her memoir, Find Me, and used the $3 million advance to establish her For All foundation.
2002: The Rosie O'Donnell Show End
In 2002, Rosie O'Donnell's daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, ended its run.
May 2003: Becomes Regular Columnist for The Advocate
In May 2003, O'Donnell became a regular columnist for The Advocate magazine.
2003: Launch of R Family Vacations
In 2003, O'Donnell partnered with Gregg Kaminsky to launch R Family Vacations, catering to LGBT families. O'Donnell contributed to the creative aspects and came up with the name.
2003: Creation of Rosie's Broadway Kids
In 2003, Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli O'Donnell collaborated with Lori Klinger to create Rosie's Broadway Kids, providing free music and dance instruction to New York City public schools.
2003: O'Donnell Brings 'Taboo' to Broadway
In 2003, Rosie O'Donnell brought the musical 'Taboo' to Broadway and hired Charles Busch to rewrite the book.
2003: Rosie Magazine Folds and Lawsuits Ensue
In 2003, Rosie magazine folded, and O'Donnell and the publishers sued each other for breach of contract. O'Donnell made an apology for stating that people who lie "get sick and they get cancer". The judge dismissed the case, ruling that neither side should receive damages.
February 8, 2004: 'Taboo' Closes on Broadway
On February 8, 2004, 'Taboo' closed on Broadway after about 100 performances and mostly bad reviews.
July 11, 2004: First R Family Vacations Cruise
On July 11, 2004, the first R Family Vacations cruise was held with 1600 passengers including 600 children and partnered with Family Pride to host discussions on LGBT parenting.
2005: Ratings Comparison for The View
In September 2006, Rosie O'Donnell joined The View and the show scored record ratings in the total viewer category with an average of 3.4 million viewers which was up 15% versus the same time in 2005.
April 6, 2006: HBO Debuts 'All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise'
On April 6, 2006, the documentary film 'All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise' about the trip debuted on HBO and was nominated for three Emmy Awards.
September 2006: Co-host and Moderator of The View
In September 2006, Rosie O'Donnell replaced Meredith Vieira as a co-host and moderator of The View, leading to a rise in ratings.
October 30, 2006: O'Donnell Honored by the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
On October 30, 2006, Rosie O'Donnell was honored by the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for her work with Rosie's for All Kids Foundation.
November 2006: Opening of The Children's Plaza and Family Center in Renaissance Village
In November 2006, Nightline aired a video report about the opening of The Children's Plaza and Family Center in Renaissance Village, a FEMA trailer park in Louisiana, as an emergency response initiative of Rosie's For All Kids Foundation after Hurricane Katrina.
December 2006: Donation of $50 Million to Charity Confirmed
In December 2006, Elizabeth Birch confirmed that $50 million from Rosie O'Donnell's five-year contract were donated to charity in an irrevocable trust.
December 2006: Criticism of Donald Trump
In December 2006, Rosie O'Donnell criticized Donald Trump for holding a press conference to reinstate Miss USA Tara Conner after she violated pageant guidelines. O'Donnell questioned Trump's moral authority given his marital affairs and business bankruptcies, leading to a media blitz from Trump threatening to sue her.
2006: Moderator on The View
In 2006, Rosie O'Donnell became the moderator on the daytime talk show The View.
March 2007: Launch of Jahero Video Blog
In March 2007, Rosie O'Donnell started a video blog called Jahero on her website Rosie.com, featuring O'Donnell, her hair and makeup artist Helene Macaulay, and writer Janette Barber. O'Donnell later won the "best celebrity blogger" category in the 2007 Blogger's Choice Awards.
April 25, 2007: Departure Announcement from The View
On April 25, 2007, ABC announced Rosie O'Donnell would be leaving The View before the end of the year due to a failure to reach an agreement on a new contract.
May 2007: Partnership with Pogo.com to Raise Money for Rosie's All Kids Foundation
In May 2007, Rosie O'Donnell and Pogo.com announced a joint effort to raise money for Rosie's All Kids Foundation, with EA committing $30,000.
May 23, 2007: Heated Discussion with Elisabeth Hasselbeck
On May 23, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell engaged in a heated discussion with Elisabeth Hasselbeck on The View regarding O'Donnell's previous statements about the Iraq War. O'Donnell felt betrayed by Hasselbeck's unwillingness to defend her, contributing to her decision to leave the show.
May 25, 2007: Agreement to Cut Short Contract with ABC
On May 25, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell and ABC agreed to cut short her contract agreement for The View, following heated exchanges with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. ABC News reported that the arguments brought the show its best ratings ever.
June 8, 2007: Guest on True Colors Tour
On June 8, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell was a guest on the True Colors Tour, sponsored by Logo, which traveled through 15 cities and benefited the Human Rights Campaign, P-FLAG, and The Matthew Shepard Foundation.
June 2007: Declined Hosting Role on The Price Is Right
In June 2007, Rosie O'Donnell announced on her blog that she would not be replacing Bob Barker as the host of CBS's game show, The Price Is Right, due to reluctance to move her family to California.
October 2007: Release of 'Celebrity Detox'
In October 2007, Rosie O'Donnell released 'Celebrity Detox', her second memoir, which focuses on struggles with leaving fame behind, noting her exits from The Rosie O'Donnell Show and The View.
2007: Publication of Celebrity Detox
In 2007, Rosie O'Donnell published her memoir, Celebrity Detox.
2007: Controversies on The View
In 2007, Rosie O'Donnell's controversial run as moderator on The View continued, including a public feud with Donald Trump and on-air disputes about the Iraq War.
2007: Donation of 'Celebrity Detox' Profits to Rosie's Broadway Kids
In 2007, all net profits from O'Donnell's book Celebrity Detox were donated to Rosie's Broadway Kids.
2008: Appearance on True Colors Tour 2008
In 2008, Rosie O'Donnell appeared again on True Colors Tour.
2008: Starred in and Executive Produced "America"
In 2008, Rosie O'Donnell starred in and executive produced America, a Lifetime channel film where she played the therapist of a 16-year-old boy aging out of foster care.
2008: Emmy Win for Autism Episode of The View
In 2008, The View won an Emmy for "Outstanding Special Class Writing" for a specially themed Autism episode that Rosie O'Donnell helped create.
October 2009: Appeared in "Love, Loss, and What I Wore"
In October 2009, Rosie O'Donnell appeared in the original cast of Love, Loss, and What I Wore.
November 2009: Premiere of Rosie Radio
In November 2009, "Rosie Radio," a daily two-hour show with Rosie O'Donnell discussing news and events on Sirius XM Radio, premiered.
2009: Rosie Radio on Sirius XM Radio
In 2009, Rosie O'Donnell hosted Rosie Radio on Sirius XM Radio.
May 2011: Premiere of The Doc Club with Rosie O'Donnell
In May 2011, "The Doc Club with Rosie O'Donnell" premiered on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), featuring live panel discussions following premieres of OWN Documentaries.
June 2011: End of Rosie Radio
In June 2011, Rosie O'Donnell's radio show, "Rosie Radio" on Sirius XM Radio, ended.
October 10, 2011: Debut of The Rosie Show
On October 10, 2011, "The Rosie Show" debuted on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The show was taped at the Chicago studio formerly home to The Oprah Winfrey Show and received generally positive reviews.
October 2011: Hosted Miss Representation Special
In October 2011, Rosie O'Donnell hosted specials for Miss Representation on OWN.
2011: The Rosie Show on OWN
In 2011, Rosie O'Donnell hosted a talk show on OWN, The Rosie Show.
2011: Guest Appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm
In 2011, Rosie O'Donnell made another guest appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm, competing with Larry for the affection of a bisexual woman in the episode "The Bi-Sexual".
March 16, 2012: Cancellation of The Rosie Show
On March 16, 2012, OWN canceled The Rosie Show. The last show was taped on March 20, 2012, on the eve of O'Donnell's 50th birthday.
March 29, 2012: Final Airing of The Rosie Show
On March 29, 2012, the final episode of The Rosie Show aired on OWN.
2012: End of The Rosie Show
In 2012, Rosie O'Donnell's talk show on OWN, The Rosie Show, ended its run.
2013: Television Appearances
In 2013, Rosie O'Donnell appeared in an episode of Bomb Girls as Dottie Shannon, voiced the Bouncing Bumble Queen in Jake and the Never Land Pirates, and appeared in two episodes of Smash as herself and in an episode of Impractical Jokers as herself.
2014: Recurring Role on The Fosters
In 2014, Rosie O'Donnell landed a reoccurring role as Rita Hendricks on The Fosters, where she played a tough yet compassionate woman who works for the foster care system and becomes a mentor to a member of the Foster family. The character lasted through their 2016 season.
2014: Return to The View
In 2014, Rosie O'Donnell returned to The View as a co-host, with a newly re-vamped version of the show.
February 6, 2015: Exit from The View
On February 6, 2015, Rosie O'Donnell confirmed she would once again exit The View, citing health concerns.
April 2015: Release of Roseanne For President!
In April 2015, Roseanne For President! was released, a film about Roseanne Barr's presidential bid in 2012. Rosie O'Donnell appeared in the film alongside Michael Moore and Sandra Bernhard.
September 2015: Release of Everything Is Copy
In September 2015, the documentary Everything Is Copy was released, a film by Jacob Bernstein about his mother Nora Ephron. Rosie O'Donnell appeared in the documentary to help "bring his mother into focus."
November 2016: Joined Cast of SMILF
In November 2016, Showtime announced that Rosie O'Donnell had joined the cast of the comedy pilot SMILF.
2016: Guest Appearances and Role in Hairspray Live!
In 2016, Rosie O'Donnell made a two-episode appearance in the CBS series Mom, played Jeanine, and was a regular panelist on Match Game. Later that year, she played the role of the gym teacher in Hairspray Live!
2016: End of Role on The Fosters
Rosie O'Donnell's character, Rita Hendricks on The Fosters, lasted through their 2016 season.
November 5, 2017: Premiere of SMILF
The series SMILF, in which Rosie O'Donnell played the role of Tutu, aired from November 5, 2017, until March 31, 2019. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Tutu.
2017: Starring in SMILF
In 2017, Rosie O'Donnell began starring in the Showtime comedy series SMILF.
March 31, 2019: End of SMILF
The series SMILF, in which Rosie O'Donnell played the role of Tutu, aired from November 5, 2017, until March 31, 2019.
April 3, 2019: Cast in HBO's I Know This Much Is True
On April 3, 2019, Rosie O'Donnell was announced to play the role of Lisa Sheffer in the HBO series I Know This Much Is True.
2019: End of SMILF
In 2019, Rosie O'Donnell finished starring in the Showtime comedy series SMILF.
June 15, 2021: Starred in American Gigolo Reboot
On June 15, 2021, it was announced that Rosie O'Donnell would star as Detective Sunday, alongside Jon Bernthal, in a series reboot of American Gigolo on Showtime, premiering in 2022.
2022: Guest Starred on Run the World and The L Word: Generation Q
In 2021, Rosie O'Donnell guest starred on the series Run the World and The L Word: Generation Q.
2022: Voiced Role in Russian Doll and Appeared in A League of Their Own
In 2022, Rosie O'Donnell voiced the role of the MTA subway announcements in the second season of the Netflix series Russian Doll and appeared as Vi in the Amazon Prime Video series A League of Their Own.
2023: Regular Contributor to The Advocate
In 2023, Rosie O'Donnell became a regular contributor to The Advocate magazine.
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