Biography

A versatile American screen actor and former juvenile star who made up in energy what he lacked in height, Mickey Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. The son of vaudevillians who first incorporated him into their act when he was 15 months old, Rooney was soon on stage singing, dancing, mimicking, and telling jokes, becoming an important part of the family act. He debuted onscreen at the age of six in the silent short Not to Be Trusted (1926), playing a cigar-smoking midget. His next film was the feature-length Orchids and Ermine (1927). Over the next six years he starred in over 50 two-reel comedies as "Mickey McGuire," a name he legally adopted; the series was based on a popular comic strip, "Toonerville Folks." In 1932 he changed his name to "Mickey Rooney" when he began to appear in small roles in feature films. He was signed by MGM in 1934 and gave one of the most memorable juvenile performances in film history by portraying Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935).

A turning point in Rooney's career came with his appearance as Andy Hardy, the wise-cracking son of a small-town judge, in the B movie A Family Affair (1937). The movie proved to be such a success that it led to a string of 15 more "Andy Hardy" pictures over the next twenty years, and the character became the one with which Rooney is most identified; the films were sentimental light comedies that celebrated small-town domestic contentment and the simple pleasures. Rooney went on to a memorable performance in Boys Town (1938) and to several high-energy musicals with Judy Garland. Added to his Andy Hardy work, these performances caused his popularity to skyrocket, and by 1939 he was America's biggest box-office attraction. He was awarded a special Oscar (along with Deanna Durbin) in 1939 for "significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth, and as a juvenile player setting a high standard of ability and achievement." His popularity peaked in the early '40s with his appearances in such films as The Human Comedy (1943) and National Velvet (1944), the latter with a young Elizabeth Taylor. However, he was called to serve in World War II, and, after his discharge, his drawing power as a star decreased drastically, never to be recovered; he was only acceptable as a juvenile, not a grown man.

In the late '40s Rooney formed his own production company, but it was a financial disaster and he went broke. To pay off his debts he was obliged to take a number of low-quality roles. By the mid-1950s, though, he had begun a new stage as an adult character actor, starring in a number of good films including Baby Face Nelson (1957), in which he had the title role. Rooney continued to perform into the '90s, appearing on stage (he debuted on Broadway in the 1979 Sugar Babies), screen, TV, and in nightclubs. Although his screen work was relatively erratic in the 1990s, he managed to lend his talents to diverse fare, appearing in both Babe: Pig in the City and the independent Animals (And the Tollkeeper) in 1998 alone.

During the course of his career, Rooney has received two Best Actor Oscar nominations and two Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominations, the last of which was for his work in 1979's The Black Stallion. He also won a Golden Globe for the TV movie Bill. In 1983, while undergoing a well-publicized conversion to born-again Christianity, he was awarded a special Lifetime Achievement Oscar, "in recognition of his 60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances." Rooney is also the author of an autobiography, Life is Too Short. His eight wives included actresses Ava Gardner and Martha Vickers. ~ All Movie Guide

Filmography

Paradise (2003) .... Simon/Henry Sr.
Strike the Tent (2003) .... David McCord
Liza Minnelli: The E! True Hollywood Story (2002) (TV) .... Himself
Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002) (TV) (uncredited) .... Archive footage
Topa Topa Bluffs (2002) .... Prospector
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001) (TV) (uncredited) .... Singing Voice of Mickey Rooney
Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001) (V) (voice) .... Sparky (Junkyard Dog)
Last Days of Judy Garland: The E! True Hollywood Story (2001) (TV) .... Himself
Elizabeth Taylor: England's Other Elizabeth (2000) (TV) .... (archive footage)
Phantom of the Megaplex (2000) (TV) .... Movie Mason
First of May, The (2000) .... Boss Ed
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (2000) (TV) .... Himself
Elizabeth Taylor: The E! True Hollywood Story (1998) (TV) .... Himself
Face on the Barroom Floor, The (1998)
Internet Love (1998)
Intimate Portrait: Donna Reed (1998) (TV) .... Himself
"Stories from My Childhood" (1998) TV Series .... Ole Lukoje
... aka "Mikhail Baryshnikov's Stories from My Childhood" (1998) (USA: complete title)
Babe: Pig in the City (1998) .... Fugly Floom, the Speechless Man in Hotel
Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights (1998) .... Sage
Michael Kael contre la World News Company (1998) .... Griffith
... aka Michael Kael in Katango (1998)
... aka Michael Kael vs. the World News Company (1998)
Animals (1997) .... Tollkeeper
Boys Will Be Boys (1997) .... Wellington
Killing Midnight (1997) .... Professor Mort Sang
Kings of the Court (1997) (V)
Judy Garland's Hollywood (1997) (V) .... (archive footage)
Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM (1996) (TV) .... Himself
Brothers' Destiny (1995) (TV) .... Father Flanagan
... aka Long Road Home (1995/II) (TV)
... aka Road Home, The (1995) (TV)
First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies, The (1995) (TV) .... Himself
Century of Cinema, A (1994) .... Himself
Making Waves (1994) .... Gabriel
Outlaws: Legend of O.B. Taggart, The (1994)
Radio Star - die AFN-Story (1994) .... Himself
Revenge of the Red Baron (1994) .... Grandpa Spencer
... aka Plane Fear (1994)
That's Entertainment! III Behind the Screen (1994) (V) .... Himself (interview)
That's Entertainment! III (1994) .... Host
Legend of Wolf Mountain, The (1992) .... Jensen
Maximum Force (1992) .... Chief of Police
Sweet Justice (1992) (uncredited) .... Zeke
Vida láctea, La (1992) .... Barry Reilly
... aka Milky Life, The (1992)
Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1992) (voice) .... Flip
"MGM: When the Lion Roars" (1992) (mini) TV Series (interviewed) .... Himself
Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1992) .... Joe Petto
Closer Look: Elizabeth Taylor, A (1991) (TV) .... Himself
Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw, The (1991) (TV) .... The Director
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991) .... Junion, Jesse's Roommate at Retirement Home
Hollywood on Parade (1990) (V) .... Himself
Home for Christmas (1990) (TV) .... Elmer
"Black Stallion, The" (1990) TV Series .... Henry Dailey
... aka "Adventures of the Black Stallion, The" (1990)
... aka "New Adventures of the Black Stallion, The" (1992) (USA: new title)
Erik the Viking (1989) .... Erik's Grandfather
... aka Erik viking (1989) (Sweden)
Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park Grand Opening, The (1989) (TV)
1930's: Music, Memories & Milestones, The (1988) (V) (archive footage) .... Himself (with Judy, thanks fans at luncheon)
Bluegrass (1988) (TV) .... John Paul Jones
Lightning, the White Stallion (1986) .... Barney Ingram
... aka White Stallion, The (1986) (USA)
Little Spies (1986) (TV) .... James Turner(The Hermit)
There Must Be a Pony (1986) (TV) (uncredited) .... Himself
Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, The (1986) (TV) .... Jack Bergan
Care Bears Movie, The (1985) (voice) .... Mr. Cherrywood
That's Dancing! (1985) (archive footage)
Hollywood Outtakes (1984) (archive footage)
... aka Hollywood Outtakes & Rare Footage (1984)
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (1984) (TV) .... Mike Halligan
Bill: On His Own (1983) (TV) .... Bill Sackter
Hollywood's Children (1982) (V) .... Himself
Circus of the Stars #7 (1982) (TV) .... Ringmaster
"One of the Boys" (1982) TV Series .... Oliver Nugent
Emperor of Peru, The (1981) .... The Railway Engineer
... aka Odyssey of the Pacific (1981)
Something a Little Less Serious (1981) (TV) .... Himself/Ding Bell
Senior Trip (1981) (TV) .... Himself
Bill (1981) (TV) .... Bill Sackter
Fox and the Hound, The (1981) (voice) .... Adult Tod
All-Star Comedy Birthday Party from West Point (1981) (TV)
Leave 'em Laughing (1981) (TV) .... Jack Thum
My Kidnapper, My Love (1980) (TV) .... The Maker
... aka Dark Side of Love (1980) (TV)
From Raquel with Love (1980) (TV)
"O'Malley" (1980) TV Series .... O'Malley
34th Annual Tony Awards, The (1980) (TV) .... Himself (performer)
Donovan's Kid (1979) (TV) .... Old Bailey
Kennedy Center Honors, The (1979) (TV) .... Himself
Arabian Adventure (1979) .... Daad El Shur
Black Stallion, The (1979) .... Henry Dailey
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) (TV) (voice) .... Santa Claus
Magic of Lassie, The (1978) .... Gus
Pete's Dragon (1977) .... Lampie
Domino Principle, The (1977) .... Spiventa
... aka Domino Killings, The (1977) (UK)
... aka Domino principe, El (1977) (Mexico)
It's Showtime (1976) .... (archive footage)
... aka Crazy Animals (1976) (USA)
... aka Jaws, Paws, Claws (1976) (USA)
... aka Wonderful World of Those Cukoo Animals (1976) (USA)
... aka World of Those Cuckoo (1976) (USA)
Find the Lady (1976) .... Trigger
... aka Call the Cops! (1976)
... aka Kopek and Broom (1976)
That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) (archive footage)
Bons baisers de Hong Kong (1975) .... Marty
... aka From Hong Kong with Love (1975) (International: English title)
Hooray for Hollywood (1975)
Juego sucio en Panamá (1975)
... aka Ace of Hearts (1975) (USA)
Just One More Time (1974) (uncredited) .... Himself
Rachel's Man (1974) .... Laban
... aka Ish Rachel (1974) (Israel: Hebrew title)
Thunder County (1974)
... aka Cell Block Girls (1974)
... aka Convict Women (1974)
... aka Swamp Fever (1974) (USA: video title)
... aka Women's Prison Escape (1974)
Year Without a Santa Claus, The (1974) (TV) (voice) .... Santa Claus
That's Entertainment! (1974) .... Himself (Host/Narrator)
"NBC Follies" (1973) TV Series .... Featured Performer (1973)
Godmothers, The (1973)
Pulp (1972) .... Preston Gilbert
Richard (1972) .... Guardian Angel
Evil Roy Slade (1972) (TV) .... Nelson Stool
Journey Back to Oz (1971) (voice) .... Scarecrow
Manipulator, The (1971) .... B.J. Lang
... aka B.J. Lang Presents (1971)
Mooch Goes to Hollywood (1971) (uncredited) .... Himself
... aka Mooch (1971) (USA: video title)
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) (TV) (voice) .... Kris Kringle
Hollywood Blue (1970)
Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970) .... Indian Tom
... aka Woman for Charley, A (1970) (UK: TV title)
80 Steps to Jonah (1969) .... Wilfred Bashford
Comic, The (1969) .... Cockeye
... aka Billy Bright (1969) (USA)
Extraordinary Seaman, The (1969) .... W. W. J. Oglethorpe
Vienna (1968)
Skidoo (1968) .... Blue Chips Packard
Arcidiavolo, L' (1966) .... Adramalek
... aka Devil in Love, The (1968) (USA)
... aka Diavolo innamorato, Il (1966) (Italy)
Ambush Bay (1966) .... Gunnery Sgt. Ernest Wartell
Inside Daisy Clover (1965) (uncredited) (archive footage) .... Himself
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) .... Peachy Keane
Twenty-Four Hours to Kill (1965) .... Norman Jones
... aka 24 Hours to Kill (1965)
"Mickey" (1964) TV Series .... Mickey Grady (1964-65)
Secret Invasion, The (1964) .... Terence Scanlon
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) .... Ding 'Dingy' Bell
... aka It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) (USA: promotional title)
Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) .... Army
... aka Blood Money (1962) (UK)
Everything's Ducky (1961) .... Beetle McKay
Private Lives of Adam and Eve, The (1961) .... Nick Lewis (The Devil)
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) .... Mr. Yunioshi
King of the Roaring 20's - The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961) .... Johnny Burke
... aka Big Bankroll, The (1961) (UK)
Platinum High School (1960) .... Steven Conway
... aka Rich, Young and Deadly (1960)
... aka Trouble at Sixteen (1964) (USA: reissue title)
Big Operator, The (1959) .... Little Joe Braun
... aka Anatomy of the Syndicate (1964) (USA: reissue title)
Last Mile, The (1959) .... John 'Killer' Mears
Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958) .... Andy Hardy
Glamorous Hollywood (1958) .... Himself
Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed, A (1958) .... Gus Harris
... aka How to Rob a Bank (1958)
Baby Face Nelson (1957) .... Lester M. 'Baby Face Nelson' Gillis
Comedian, The (1957) (TV) .... Sammy Hogarth
Pinocchio (1957) (TV) .... Pinocchio
Operation Mad Ball (1957) .... MSgt. Yancy Skibo
Mr. Broadway (1957) (TV) .... George M. Cohan
Francis in the Haunted House (1956) .... David Prescott
Magnificent Roughnecks (1956) .... Frank Sommers
Bold and the Brave, The (1956) .... Dooley
Screen Snapshots: Playtime in Hollywood (1956) .... Himself
Twinkle in God's Eye, The (1955) .... Reverend William Macklin II
Bridges at Toko-Ri, The (1955) .... Mike Forney
"Mickey Rooney Show, The" (1954) TV Series .... Mickey Mulligan (1954-55)
... aka "Hey Mulligan" (1954)
Atomic Kid, The (1954) .... Barnaby 'Blix' Waterberry
Drive a Crooked Road (1954) .... Eddie Shannon
Slight Case of Larceny, A (1953) .... Augustus 'Geechy' Cheevers
All Ashore (1953) .... Francis 'Moby' Dickerson
Screen Snapshots: Mickey Rooney - Then and Now (1953) .... Himself
Off Limits (1953) .... Herbert Tuttle
... aka Military Policemen (1953) (UK)
Sound Off (1952) .... Mike Donnelly
My Outlaw Brother (1951) .... J. Dennis 'Denny' O'Moore
... aka My Brother, the Outlaw (1951)
Strip, The (1951) .... Stanley Maxton
He's a Cockeyed Wonder (1950) .... Freddie Frisby
Fireball, The (1950) .... Johnny Casar
... aka Challenge, The (1950/I)
Quicksand (1950) .... Dan Brady
Big Wheel, The (1949) .... Billy Coy
Words and Music (1948) .... Lorenz Hart
Summer Holiday (1948) .... Richard Miller
Killer McCoy (1947) .... Tommy McCoy
Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1947) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
... aka Uncle Andy Hardy (1947) (USA: promotional title)
Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944) .... Andy Hardy
National Velvet (1944) .... Mi Taylor
Human Comedy, The (1943) .... Homer Macauley
Show Business at War (1943) .... Himself
... aka March of Time Volume IX, Issue 10, The (1943)
Girl Crazy (1943) .... Danny Churchill, Jr.
... aka When the Girls Meet the Boys (1943) (USA)
Thousands Cheer (1943) .... Cameo appearance
Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942) .... Andy Hardy
Personalities (1942) (uncredited) .... Andy Hardy (screen test footage)
Yank at Eton, A (1942) .... Timothy Dennis
Courtship of Andy Hardy, The (1942) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Babes on Broadway (1941) .... Tommy 'Tom' Williams
Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Men of Boys Town (1941) .... Whitey Marsh
Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Rodeo Dough (1940) .... Himself
Strike Up the Band (1940) .... James 'Jimmy' Connors
Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Young Tom Edison (1940) .... Thomas Alva 'Tom' Edison
Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939) .... Andy Hardy
Judge Hardy and Son (1939) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Babes in Arms (1939) .... Mickey Moran
Hardys Ride High, The (1939) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The (1939) .... Huckleberry 'Huck' Finn
... aka Huckleberry Finn (1939) (USA: review title)
Andy Hardy's Dilemma (1938) .... Andy Hardy
Out West with the Hardys (1938) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Stablemates (1938) .... Michael 'Mickey'
Boys Town (1938) .... Whitey Marsh
Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Lord Jeff (1938) .... Terry O'Mulvaney
... aka Boy from Barnardo's, The (1938) (UK)
Hollywood Handicap (1938) (uncredited) .... Himself
Hold That Kiss (1938) .... Chick Evans
Judge Hardy's Children (1938) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Love Is a Headache (1938) .... Mike' OToole
You're Only Young Once (1937) .... Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937) .... Timmie 'Tim' Donovan
Live, Love and Learn (1937) .... Jerry Crump
Slave Ship (1937) .... Swifty
Hoosier Schoolboy (1937) .... Shockey Carter
... aka Forgotten Hero (1937)
... aka Yesterday's Hero (1937) (UK)
Captains Courageous (1937) .... Dan
Family Affair, A (1937) .... Andy Hardy
... aka Skidding (1937)
... aka Stand Accused (1937)
Cinema Circus (1937) .... Himself
Devil Is a Sissy, The (1936) .... James 'Gig' Stevens
... aka Devil Takes the Count, The (1936) (UK)
Down the Stretch (1936) .... 'Snapper' Sinclair, aka Fred St. Clair
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) .... Dick Tipton
Riffraff (1936) .... Jimmy
Ah, Wilderness! (1935) .... Tommy Miller
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle (1935) (uncredited) .... Cameo appearance
Midsummer Night's Dream, A (1935) .... Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, a Fairy
Healer, The (1935) .... Jimmy
... aka Little Pal (1938) (USA: reissue title)
Reckless (1935) .... Eddie
West Point of the Air (1935) (scenes deleted)
County Chairman, The (1935) .... Freckles
Death on the Diamond (1934) .... Mickey
Blind Date (1934) .... Freddy
... aka Her Sacrifice (1934)
Chained (1934) (uncredited) .... Boy Swimmer
Hide-Out (1934) .... William 'Willie'/'Bill' Miller
Lost Jungle, The (1934/II) .... Boy with dog
Half a Sinner (1934) .... Willie
Love Birds (1934) .... Gladwyn Tootle
Manhattan Melodrama (1934) .... Blackie as a Boy
Upperworld (1934) (scenes deleted) .... Jerry
I Like It That Way (1934) .... Messenger Boy
Lost Jungle, The (1934/I) .... Mickey
Beloved (1934/I) (uncredited) .... Bit Part
World Changes, The (1933) .... Otto Peterson, as a Child
Chief, The (1933) .... Willie, Boy Throwing Firecracker
... aka My Old Man's a Fireman (1933)
Broadway to Hollywood (1933) .... Ted Hackett III, as a child
... aka Ring Up the Curtain (1933) (UK)
Big Chance, The (1933) .... Arthur Wilson
Life of Jimmy Dolan, The (1933) (uncredited) .... Freckles
... aka Kid's Last Fight, The (1933) (UK)
Big Cage, The (1933) .... Jimmy O'Hara
Sin's Pay Day (1932) .... Boy
Officer Thirteen (1932) (as Mickey McGuire) .... Buddy Malone
My Pal, the King (1932) .... King Charles V
Fast Companions (1932) .... Midge
High Speed (1932) (as Mickey McGuire) .... Buddy Whipple
Beast of the City, The (1932) (uncredited) .... Mickey Fitzpatrick
Mickey's Stampede (1931) .... Mickey McGuire
Mickey's Bargain (1930) .... Mickey McGuire
Orchids and Ermine (1927) (uncredited) .... Bit Part
Not to Be Trusted (1926) .... A Midget
Mickey's Big Idea (????) .... Mickey McGui