Film actor, born in New York City, New York, USA. Born into a vaudeville family, he crawled on stage before he was two and made his first film at age six. He changed his name after starring in a series of short subjects based on a character named Mickey McGuire. He gained serious attention for playing Puck in the film of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935). In 1937 he launched a popular series of (15) feature films in which he played Andy Hardy. In 1938 his role in Boys Town gained him a Special Academy Award and his diminutive size allowed him to play boys until he was about 28 years old. He proved to be multi-talented as he moved from musicals to raucous comedy to serious drama. He returned to the stage (1979) in a long-running tour with Sugar Babes and won an Emmy for his television role in Bill. Later films include Erik the Viking (1989), Making Waves (1994), and Long Road Home (1996), and he wrote and acted in The Legend of O B Taggart (1995). In 2004, he starred in Let's Put on a Show, a musical memoir of his life in 300 films. Married eight times, often down but never out, he proved to be one of the most resilient showbusiness characters of his era.
Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule, Jr., September 23, 1920), is an American film actor.
Biography
Early life
Rooney was born in Brooklyn, New York to a vaudeville family.
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.
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; The Mickey Rooney Show, also known as Hey Mulligan, appeared on NBC for 39 episodes during 1954 and 1955. 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). Laurence Olivier called Rooney "the single best film actor America ever produced", a sentiment equalled by actor James Mason.
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;
He also voiced Mr. Cherrywood in 1985's The Care Bears Movie, and starred as the Movie Mason in yet another family film, 2000's Phantom of the Megaplex (a Disney Channel Original Movie).
In January 2005, Rooney made headlines again, starring in a commercial that was barred as "indecent" from its scheduled slot during Super Bowl XXXIX. He has also began appearing in television commercials for Garden State Life Insurance Company in 1999 and continues to appear in commercials for the company with his wife Jan.
Personal life
As of 2006, 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!" Rooney has said in many interviews that from his earliest stage work to his current projects, "I've loved it.
Selected filmography
Bamboo Shark (2006) as Brook Night at the Museum (2006) Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001) Phantom of the Megaplex (2000) Babe: Pig in the City (1998) Revenge of the Red Baron (1994) Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1992) The Care Bears Movie (1985) The Fox and the Hound (1981) Bill (1981) tv movie The Black Stallion (1979) The Magic of Lassie (1978) Pete's Dragon (1977) How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) Platinum High School (1960) The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1960) - directed and acted Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958) - the final Andy Hardy film Baby Face Nelson (1957) The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955) The Big Wheel (1949) Words and Music (1948) - his last film appearance with Judy Garland Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946) National Velvet (1944) Girl Crazy (1943) The Human Comedy (1943) A Yank at Eton (1942) Babes on Broadway (1941) Strike Up the Band (1940) Babes in Arms (1939) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939) Boys Town (1938) Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937) - his first appearance with Judy Garland Captains Courageous (1937) A Family Affair (1937) - the first Andy Hardy film The Devil is a Sissy (1936) Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) Riffraff (1936) - starring Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy Ah, Wilderness! (1935) A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935 film) (1935) - as PuckSelected other works
The Happy Elf (2005) - Santa Claus (voice) Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) - Santa Claus (voice) The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) - Santa Claus (voice) Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1970) - Santa Claus (voice)Marriages
He has been married eight times. But his current marriage has been a long and happy one:
Ava Gardner (1942-1943) 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 RooneyFour daughters:
Kimmy Rooney,hair stylist Kelly Rooney,salon owner,hair stylist Kerry Rooney Jonelle RooneyTwo Stepsons:
Chris Aber Mark Aber Rooney, musician, music productionThree Grandchildren:
Lacey Rooney Shannon Rooney Dominique RooneyTwo Great-Grandchildren:
Kaitlyn Rooney Hunter RooneyTrivia
In the Animaniacs song "Yakko's Universe", Yakko makes a comment that Mickey is small. On Family Guy Mickey Rooney was made out to be a madman who rips off people's scabs and yells at mice with his shirt off.Other Uses
"Mickey Rooney" is also used as an adjective meaning inferior or of extremely high quality. The Mickey Rooney chair re assembled itself every time I sit in it.
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