Raised on Long Island

Made her stage debut as Glinda, the Good Witch, in second grade production of "The Wizard of Oz"

Professional debut as comedian at the local Ground Round restaurant's open-mike night at age 16

TV debut on the syndicated series "Star Search"; winning the comedy competition five times by decade's end

TV series debut as Nell Carter's dental-hygenist neighbor on "Gimme a Break" (NBC)

Produced and hosted VH-1's "Stand Up Spotlight", a half-hour series featuring up and coming comedians

Starred in short-lived Fox sitcom "Stand By Your Man"

Film acting debut as a baseball player in "A League of Their Own"

Played Meg Ryan's best buddy in "Sleepless in Seattle"

Joined Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez for the sequel, "Another Stakeout"

Offered a bright performance in Garry Marshall's "Exit to Eden" as half of a team of undercover cops investigating a resort that caters to sexual fantasies

Played Betty Rubble in the live-action feature version of "The Flintstones"

Realized her dream of starring on the Broadway stage, debuting as Rizzo in a revival of the musical "Grease"

Provided some great moments in Ted Demme's "Beautiful Girls"

Hosted daily syndicated talk show "The Rosie O'Donnell Show"; also served as executive producer

Served as host for the annual Tony Awards telecast on CBS for two consecutive years

Portrayed a kind and caring nun in "Wide Awake"; the script about a boy who lost his grandfather at age 10 particularly resonated with O'Donnell who lost her mother to cancer at around the same age

Hosted the annual telecast of the Grammy Awards

Supplied the voice of Terkoz for Disney's animated "Tarzan"

Became editorial director of McCall's; as of 2001 retitled it Rosie's: The Magazine

Assumed role of the Cat in the Hat in the Broadway musical "Seussical" while originator David Shiner was on vacation

In September issue of Rosie, admitted to being treated for depression for over two years

Narrated the Oscar-nominated documentary "Artists and Orphans: A True Drama"; O'Donnell later declared that she was shocked and appalled to learn that the film was produced and directed by members of Fourth Way, a group that allegedly advocates white supremacy and condemns homosexuality

Appeared on Will & Grace, playing the role of a lesbian; Thus the scriptwriters put the words "I'm gay" into her mouth before she officially "came out"

Published memoir "Find Me"

Officially "came out" as a lesbian in interviews

Resigned from daytime television and returned to doing stand-up

Severed her connection with Gruner & Jahr USA Publishing and resigned from the Rosie Magazine

Sued by Gruner & Jahr USA Publishing for 100 million, over her resignation from the "Rosie" Magazine; Counter sued for 125 million; a judge ruled that neither side deserved damages in their dispute over the Magazines demise;

Co-starred as a developmentally disabled woman opposite Andie MacDowell in the CBS movie "Riding the Bus With My Sister"; directed by Anjelica Huston

Cast in the role of Golde, the wife of Harvey Fierstein's 'Tevye the milkman' in the Broadway revival of the musical, "Fiddler on the Roof"

Helmed the documentary film "Aboard: Rosie's Family Cruise," about R. Family Vacations, the gay cruise that was started by O'Donnell and her partner, which debuted on HBO

Announced as the replacement for Meredith Viera on "The View" (ABC)

Rosie made her return to daytime TV by co-hosting her first episode of "The View" on Sept. 5.

Announced she would be leaving "The View" as a co-host when her contract expires in June