By Rosie O'Donnell

"I wish I could say it was after years of tap dancing classes, hours and hours of vocal training and many day jobs with an issue of BackStage rolled up in my back pocket... but the truth is - I did a lot of movies. Broadway was always a dream of mine. A Mecca for the best in the business. After my 'hoity-toity' big-time Hollywood agent got done screaming at me and calling me insane - she reluctantly booked an appointment for the Broadway revival of GREASE. I walked onto the empty stage of a Broadway theatre, and feeling very much like Fanny Brice - called out to the producers in the darkness: "Hey listen, I can't really sing and dance - but I'll sell a lot of tickets!" Those producers, Barry and Fran Weissler - who I would later come to affectionately call "the cheapest people on Broadway" recognized my particular talent... and got me my Equity Card."

For six years, Rosie O'Donnell was America's best friend for an hour each day as host and executive producer of the critically acclaimed, nationally syndicated talk/variety series "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." However, in May 2002, she decided to leave her successful show to concentrate her talents and energies elsewhere.

In her phenomenal first season on the air, Rosie won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host. Rosie continued her success right into her second season by winning Daytime Emmy's for both Outstanding Talk Show Host and Outstanding Talk Show. She has won back-to-back Daytime Emmy's for both Outstanding Talk Show Host and Outstanding Talk Show in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. She has graced the cover of Newsweek magazine (dubbed the "Queen of Nice"); was cited as one of Time magazine's 25 Most Influential People in America (1997). She was also named one of Ladies Home Journal's Fascinating Women of the Year (1996), one of Barbara Walter's 10 Most Fascinating People of 1996, and Entertainment Weekly named her 1996's Entertainer of the Year.

Rosie has taken her popularity and put it to good use. As a tireless crusader for children, she established the For All Kids Foundation, which distributes money to children's charities across the country. In April 1997, Warner Books published "Kids Are Punny," a best-selling collection of Rosie's favorite jokes sent to the show by kids, with all proceeds going to the Foundation. Furthering her commitment to kids, she has hosted Nickelodeon's "Kids Choice Awards" every year from 1997 - 2003.

When critics claimed that Broadway was on the decline and the networks threatened to stop broadcasting the Tony Awards, Rosie, an ardent fan of the theater, came to the rescue. Not only did she agree to host the 51st annual Tony Awards (1997), but she also did a weeklong tribute to the Great White Way on her show leading up to the event. The Tony's earned its highest ratings in 10 years, much credit given to O'Donnell.

As much at home in front of the camera as she is in front of the TV set, self-confessed television savant O'Donnell has made guest appearances on a number of television series including "Will and Grace," "All My Children," "Suddenly Susan," "Spin City," "Sesame Street," "The Nanny," and "The Larry Sanders Show." Rosie was first able to hone her hosting and executive producing skills back in 1988, on the top-rated cable show "Stand Up Spotlight" on VH1.

While she was increasing her popularity among the television audience, O'Donnell was also making a name for herself in movies. She made her motion picture debut in Penny Marshall's 1992 smash film "A League of Their Own" starring opposite Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Madonna. O'Donnell recalls that she got the role because she was the only actress in Hollywood who could "throw a baseball from third to first base."

She has since gone on to star on the big screen in: "Sleepless in Seattle"; "Another Stakeout"; "The Flintstones"; "Exit To Eden"; "Now and Then"; "Beautiful Girls"; "Harriet the Spy"; and "Wide Awake."

Following her heart to the stage, the multi-talented O'Donnell added Broadway to her repertoire in 1994, when she starred as Rizzo in Tommy Tune's revival of "Grease." In 2001, Rosie followed her heart back to Broadway to star as The Cat in the Hat in "Seussical."

In April 2001, Rosie made her media debut as the Editorial Director of Rosie, the magazine she launched for G&J USA publishing; in partnership with her own KidRo productions. The magazine was a celebration of humanity with humor and heart. The December 2002 issue was the last.

O'Donnell shared her gift for writing with the release of her book Find Me, in April 2002. In her premiere endeavor as an author she offered a brave and powerful account of an extraordinary experience that changed her life. Find Me reached number two on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Rosie spent her childhood staring at posters of Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler, dreaming of "being them" -- her ideals of the all-around performer. With her multi-faceted talents, Rosie is well on her way to living that dream.