Tapley performed on stage from 1900 to 1909. Her first theatrical engagement was with the Myron B. Rice Company, as
Bernice, in
My Friend From India. During the season of 1900 she played every other woman's part in this play. She starred with popular actors of the era such as
Richard Mansfield,
Chauncey Olcott,
E.H. Sothern, and J.H. Stoddard. With Mansfield, Rose acted in
Beau Brummel,
Monsieur Beaucaire,
A Parisian Romance, and
First Violin. One of her most noted roles was in
The Sign of the Cross. Her first motion picture appearance was in 1905. Tapley was featured in the
Thomas Alva Edison film,
Wanted a Wife. Soon after she performed in the first standard two reeler,
The Money Kings. She signed a contract with the old
Vitagraph Company in May 1909, making her the first
leading lady of movies. She was also the first star of the stage to begin a film career. She acted with Vitagraph,
Famous Players–Lasky, and for
Fox Film until her retirement in 1931. Her credits number 175 films. Some of the titles are
The Way of the Cross (1909), ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1909), The Cave Man
(1912), Every Inch A Man
(1912), Seeing Double (1913), One Can't Always Tell (1913), Mr. Jarr and the Society Circus
(1915), Her Majesty
(1922), God's Great Wilderness
(1927), His First Command
(1929), and Resurrection'' (1931). Tapley was frequently called the
Mother of Movies. She served as official hostess at a number of motion picture expositions at different locales throughout the country. In 1916–1917 Rose toured America as a representative of the film industry. She made appearances in front of state legislatures, businesses, and women's clubs. All of this to promote interest in the quality of movies. On Broadway, Tapley appeared in
Robert Burns (1905),
Zombie (1932), and
Satellite (1935). ==Personal life and death==