Actress Betty Buckley sang ``They Can't Take That Away from Me'' at a Shubert Theater service Wednesday for George Rose, an actor killed May 4 at his vacation home in the Dominican Republic. ``George Rose was a teacher of mine. He was the epitome of elegance and high standards. I can only aspire to his standards,'' said Miss Buckley, who was a star with Rose in ``The Mystery of Edwin Drood.'' Rose, 68, was born in England but lived since 1961 in New York, nearly always working on Broadway. He won Tony Awards as the chairman in ``Drood'' and as Doolittle in a revival of ``My Fair Lady.'' Rupert Holmes, who composed ``Drood,'' said, ``His presence was a beam that lifts the ceiling of theater.'' Maureen McGovern, who played Rose's daughter for a year in ``The Pirates of Penzance,'' sang a vocalise by Faure which was a particular favorite of the actor. Actor Jack Gilford said, ``I never failed to marvel at Rose's honesty, depth, humor, skill and charm.'' Judy Kaye, who won a Tony on Sunday for ``The Phantom of the Opera,'' called Rose ``one of the best actors who ever walked the planet.'' Howard McGillan, who was in ``Drood'' and now is in ``Anything Goes,'' sang ``It's De-Lovely.'' Larry Kert, who said he and Rose walked their dogs together for 17 years, sang ``Anyone Can Whistle.''
