Mickey Rooney
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mickey Rooney | |
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| Birth name | Joseph Yule, Jr. |
| Born | September 23, 1920 (age 86) Brooklyn, New York |
| Years active | 1922-Present |
| Spouse(s) | Ava Gardner (1941-1943) Betty Jane Rase (1944-1949) |
| Official site | http://www.mickeyrooney.com/ |
| Notable roles | Andy Hardy |
Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule, Jr., September 23, 1920), is an American film actor. He is best known for his work in the 1930s and 1940s.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Rooney was born in Brooklyn, New York to a vaudeville family. His father, Joseph Ninian Yule, was from Scotland, and his mother, Nellie W. Carter, was from Kansas City, Missouri. Rooney began performing at the age of 17 months in 1922.
[edit] Career
Entering the movie business in 1926, he made his name as the title character in the Mickey McGuire shorts. These were a series of more than 40 silent, two-reel comedies adapted from the Toonerville Trolley comic strip, in which he starred through 1936. For a time he billed himself as Mickey McGuire, but legally changed his name to Mickey Rooney in 1932. Also during this period he met Walt Disney and later he would claim Disney had named Mickey Mouse after him. It is difficult to verify, and others have made similar claims, but Rooney takes credit for giving rising starlet Norma Jean Mortenson the stage name Marilyn Monroe (his co-star in the 1950 film The Fireball).
In 1934 he signed to MGM and was educated at the studio's School for Professional Children.
Rooney's successful role as Andy Hardy in A Family Affair (1937) led to fourteen further films featuring that character from 1938 to 1958. His first role as the top-billed star in a feature film was as Shockey Carter in Hoosier Schoolboy (1937) with Edward Pawley playing his father. His breakthrough serious role came in 1938's Boys Town opposite Spencer Tracy as Whitey Marsh, which opened shortly before his 18th birthday. His fame peaked in World War II with a string of successful musicals with Judy Garland, including the Oscar nominated Babes in Arms (1939) as well as more serious roles in films such as The Human Comedy (1943) and National Velvet (1944).
In 1944, Rooney entered military service for 21 months during World War II, during which time he was a radio personality on the American Forces Network. After his return to civilian life, his career slumped. He appeared in a number of films, including Words and Music in 1948, which paired him for the last time with Garland on film (he appeared with her on one episode as a guest on her CBS variety series in 1963), and one final Andy Hardy film in the late 1950s. The Mickey Rooney Show, also known as Hey Mulligan, appeared on NBC television for 39 episodes during 1954 and 1955. In 1960, he directed and starred in The Private Lives of Adam and Eve, an ambitious comedy known for its multiple flashbacks and many cameos. In the 1960s Rooney returned to theatrical entertainment. He still accepted film roles in undistinguished movies, but occasionally would appear in better works, such as Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) and The Black Stallion (1979). On December 31, 1961, he appeared on television's "What's My Line" and mentioned that he had already started enrolling students in the MRSE (Mickey Rooney School of Entertainment).
He was awarded an Academy Juvenile Award in 1938, and in 1983 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted him their Academy Honorary Award for his lifetime of achievement. Laurence Olivier called Rooney "the single best film actor America ever produced", a sentiment echoed by actor James Mason. Judy Garland stated that Rooney was "the world's greatest talent."
Rooney did the voices for three Christmas TV animated/stop action specials: Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1970), The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974), and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July—always playing Santa Claus.
He continued to be busy in stage and television work through the 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the acclaimed stage play Sugar Babies with Ann Miller beginning in 1979; starring in the long-running TV series The Adventures of the Black Stallion, reprising his role as Henry Daily from The Black Stallion film; touring Canada in a dinner theatre production of The Mind with the Naughty Man in the mid-1990s; and playing The Wizard in a stage production of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with Eartha Kitt at Madison Square Garden. Kitt was later replaced by Jo Anne Worley. He also appeared in the documentary That's Entertainment! III.
He also voiced Mr. Cherrywood in 1985's The Care Bears Movie, and starred as the Movie Mason in yet another family film, 2000s Phantom of the Megaplex (a Disney Channel Original Movie). He plays himself in the "Simpsons" episode "Radioactive Man" of 1995.
In 1996-97 Mickey played Talbut on the TV series, Kleo The Misfit Unicorn produced by Gordon Stanfield Animation (GSA).
In January 2005, Rooney made headlines again, starring in a commercial that was barred as "indecent" from its scheduled slot during Super Bowl XXXIX. The ad included a comic turn that saw Rooney's backside briefly exposed. The pulling of the ad was considered to be fallout from Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" a year earlier.
In 2006, he co-starred in Night at the Museum with Dick Van Dyke and Ben Stiller.
Rooney has also been appearing in television commercials for Garden State Life Insurance Company in 1999, alongside his wife Jan. In current commercials (2007), Rooney can be seen in the background washing imaginary dishes.
[edit] Personal life
As of 2007, Rooney continues to work in film, and tours with his wife, Jan Chamberlin in a multi-media live stage production called "Let's Put On a Show!" Chamberlin met Mickey through son Mickey Jr. whom she had been dating at the time.
Currently, he and his wife live in Westlake Village, California.
[edit] Filmography
Features:
- Orchids and Ermine (1927)
- The Beast of the City (1932)
- Sin's Pay Day (1932)
- High Speed (1932)
- Fast Companions (1932)
- My Pal, the King (1932)
- Officer Thirteen (1932)
- The Big Cage (1933)
- The Life of Jimmy Dolan (1933)
- The Big Chance (1933)
- Broadway to Hollywood (1933)
- The Chief (1933)
- The World Changes (1933)
- Beloved (1934)
- The Lost Jungle (1934)
- I Like It That Way (1934)
- Upperworld (1934) (scenes deleted)
- Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
- Love Birds (1934)
- Half a Sinner (1934)
- Hide-Out (1934)
- Chained (1934)
- Blind Date (1934)
- Death on the Diamond (1934)
- The County Chairman (1935)
- West Point of the Air (1935) (scenes deleted)
- Reckless (1935)
- The Healer (1935)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
- Rendezvous (1935)
- Ah, Wilderness! (1935)
- Riffraff (1936)
- Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936)
- Down the Stretch (1936)
- The Devil Is a Sissy (1936)
- A Family Affair (1937)
- Captains Courageous (1937)
- Slave Ship (1937)
- Hoosier Schoolboy (1937)
- Live, Love and Learn (1937)
- Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937)
- You're Only Young Once (1937)
- Love Is a Headache (1938)
- Judge Hardy's Children (1938)
- Hold That Kiss (1938)
- Lord Jeff (1938)
- Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938)
- Boys Town (1938)
- Stablemates (1938)
- Out West with the Hardys (1938)
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939)
- The Hardys Ride High (1939)
- Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939)
- Babes in Arms (1939)
- Judge Hardy and Son (1939)
- Young Tom Edison (1940)
- Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940)
- Strike Up the Band (1940)
- Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941)
- Men of Boys Town (1941)
- Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941)
- Babes on Broadway (1941)
- The Courtship of Andy Hardy (1942)
- A Yank at Eton (1942)
- Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942)
- The Human Comedy (1943)
- Thousands Cheer (1943)
- Girl Crazy (1943)
- Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944)
- National Velvet (1944)
- Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946)
- Killer McCoy (1947)
- Summer Holiday (1948)
- Words and Music (1948)
- The Big Wheel (1949)
- Quicksand (1950)
- The Fireball (1950)
- He's a Cockeyed Wonder (1950)
- My Outlaw Brother (1951)
- The Strip (1951)
- Sound Off (1952)
- Off Limits (1953)
- All Ashore (1953)
- A Slight Case of Larceny (1953)
- Drive a Crooked Road (1954)
- The Atomic Kid (1954)
- The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955)
- The Twinkle in God's Eye (1955)
- The Bold and the Brave (1956)
- Francis in the Haunted House (1956)T
- Magnificent Roughnecks (1956)
- Operation Mad Ball (1957)
- Baby Face Nelson (1957)
- A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed (1958)
- Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958)
- The Big Operator (1959)
- The Last Mile (1959)
- Platinum High School (1960)
- The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1960) (also director)
- King of the Roaring 20's - The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961)
- Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
- Everything's Ducky (1961)
- Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962)
- It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- The Secret Invasion (1964)
- Twenty-Four Hours to Kill (1965)
- How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965)
- The Devil In Love (1966)
- Ambush Bay (1966)
- Skidoo (1968)
- The Extraordinary Seaman (1969)
- The Comic (1969)
- 80 Steps to Jonah (1969)
- Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970)
- Hollywood Blue (1970) (documentary)
- Mooch Goes to Hollywood (1971)
- The Manipulator (1971)
- Richard (1972)
- Pulp (1972)
- The Godmothers (1973)
- Thunder County (1974)
- Rachel's Man (1974)
- That's Entertainment! (1974)
- Journey Back to Oz (1974) (voice)
- Ace of Hearts (1975)
- From Hong Kong with Love (1975)
- Find the Lady (1976)
- The Domino Principle (1977)
- Pete's Dragon (1977)
- The Magic of Lassie (1978)
- The Black Stallion (1979)
- Arabian Adventure (1979)
- The Fox and the Hound (1981) (voice)
- The Emperor of Peru (1982)
- The Care Bears Movie (1985) (voice)
- Lightning, the White Stallion (1986)
- Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989) (voice)
- Erik the Viking (1989)
- My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991)
- The Milky Life (1992)
- Sweet Justice (1992)
- Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1992)
- The Magic Voyage (1992) (voice)
- Maximum Force (1992)
- The Legend of Wolf Mountain (1993)
- Revenge of the Red Baron (1994)
- The Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart (1994)
- Making Waves (1994)
- A Century of Cinema (1994) (documentary)
- That's Entertainment! III (1994)
- Killing Midnight (1997)
- The Face on the Barroom Floor (1998)
- Animals and the Tollkeeper (1998)
- Michael Kael vs. the World News Company (1998)
- Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights (1998)
- Babe: Pig in the City (1998)
- Holy Hollywood (1999)
- The First of May (1999)
- Internet Love (2000)
- Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)
- Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001) (voice) (direct-to-video)
- Topa Topa Bluffs (2002)
- Paradise (2003)
- Strike the Tent (2005)
- A Christmas Too Many (2005)
- The Thirsting (2006)
- Hedy Lamarr: Secrets of a Hollywood Star (2006) (documentary)
- To Kill a Mockumentary (2006)
- Night at the Museum (2006)
- Bamboo Shark (2006)
Upcoming:
- Horrorween (2007)
Short Subjects:
- Not to Be Trusted (1926)
- Mickey's Circus (1927)
- Mickey's Pals (1927)
- Mickey's Eleven (1927)
- Mickey's Battles (1927)
- Mickey's Minstrels (1928)
- Mickey's Parade (1928)
- Mickey in School (1928)
- Mickey's Nine (1928)
- Mickey's Little Eva (1928)
- Mickey's Wild West (1928)
- Mickey in Love (1928)
- Mickey's Triumph (1928)
- Mickey's Babies (1928)
- Mickey's Movies (1928)
- Mickey's Rivals (1928)
- Mickey the Detective (1928)
- Mickey's Athletes (1928)
- Mickey's Big Game Hunt (1928)
- Mickey's Great Idea (1929)
- Mickey's Explorers (1929)
- Mickey's Menagerie (1929)
- Mickey's Last Chance (1929)
- Mickey's Brown Derby (1929)
- Mickey's Northwest Mounted (1929)
- Mickey's Initiation (1929)
- Mickey's Midnite Follies (1929)
- Mickey's Surprise (1929)
- Mickey's Mix-Up (1929)
- Mickey's Big Moment (1929)
- Mickey's Strategy (1929)
- Mickey's Champs (1930)
- Mickey's Master Mind (1930)
- Mickey's Luck (1930)
- Mickey's Whirlwinds (1930)
- Mickey's Warriors (1930)
- Mickey the Romeo (1930)
- Mickey's Merry Men (1930)
- Mickey's Winners (1930)
- Screen Snapshots Series 9, No. 24 (1930)
- Mickey's Musketeers (1930)
- Mickey's Bargain (1930)
- Mickey's Stampede (1931)
- Mickey's Crusaders (1931)
- Mickey's Rebellion (1931)
- Mickey's Diplomacy (1931)
- Mickey's Wildcats (1931)
- Mickey's Thrill Hunters (1931)
- Mickey's Helping Hand (1931)
- Mickey's Sideline (1931)
- Mickey's Busy Day (1932)
- Mickey's Travels (1932)
- Mickey's Holiday (1932)
- Mickey's Big Business (1932)
- Mickey's Golden Rule (1932)
- Mickey's Charity (1932)
- Mickey's Ape Man (1933)
- Mickey's Race (1933)
- Mickey's Big Broadcast (1933)
- Mickey's Touchdown (1933)
- Mickey's Tent Show (1933)
- Mickey's Covered Wagon (1933)
- Mickey's Medicine Man (1934)
- Pirate Party on Catalina Isle (1935)
- Mickey's Derby Day (1936)
- Cinema Circus (1937)
- Andy Hardy's Dilemma (1938)
- Rodeo Dough (1940)
- Meet the Stars #4: Variety Reel #2 (1941)
- Show Business at War (1943)
- Screen Snapshots: Out of This World Series (1947)
- Screen Snapshots: Mickey Rooney - Then and Now (1953)
- Screen Snapshots: Glamorous Hollywood (1958)
- Vienna (1968)
- Just One More Time (1974)
- The Lion Roars Again (1975)
[edit] Television Work
- The Mickey Rooney Show (1954-1955)
- The Comedian (1957)
- Pinocchio (1957)
- Mickey (1964-1965)
- Ready and Willing (1967) (unsold pilot)
- Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) (voice)
- Evil Roy Slade (1972)
- The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) (voice)
- Donovan's Kid (1979)
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) (voice)
- O'Malley (1980) (unsold pilot)
- My Kidnapper, My Love (1980)
- Leave 'em Laughing (1981)
- Bill (1981)
- Senior Trip (1981)
- One of the Boys (1982) (canceled after 13 episodes)
- Bill: On His Own (1983)
- It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (1984)
- The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1986)
- There Must Be a Pony (1986)
- Little Spies (1986)
- Bluegrass (1988)
- Home for Christmas (1990)
- The Adventures of the Black Stallion (1991)
- The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991)
- Brothers' Destiny (1995)
- The Simpsons (1995) (as himself in the episode Radioactive Man)
- Kleo The Misfit Unicorn (1997) (As Talbut The Elder Unicron)
- Boys Will Be Boys (1997)
- ER (1998)
- Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)
- The Happy Elf (2005) (voice)
[edit] Marriages
- Ava Gardner (1941-1943)
- Betty Jane Rase (1944-1949), two children
- Martha Vickers (1949-1951), one child
- Elaine Devry (1952-1958)
- Carolyn Mitchell (born Barbara Ann Thomasen) (1958-1966), four children
- Marge Lane (1966-1967)
- Carolyn Hockert (1969-1974), two children
- Jan Chamberlin (1978-present)
Five sons:
- Tim Rooney, actor (January 4, 1947-September 23, 2006)
- Teddy Rooney, actor
- Mickey Rooney Jr., actor and musician
- Kyle Rooney
- Jimmy Rooney
Four daughters:
- Kimmy Rooney,hair stylist
- Kelly Rooney,salon owner,hair stylist
- Kerry Rooney
- Jonelle Rooney
Two Stepsons:
- Chris Aber
- Mark Aber Rooney, musician, music production
Three Grandchildren:
- Shannon Rooney
- Dominique Rooney
Two Great-Grandchildren:
- Kaitlyn Rooney
- Hunter Rooney
[edit] External links
