Just Passed: Mickey Rooney

Credit: possumsal.com

Mickey Rooney passed away last night in Los Angeles at the age of 93, leaving Hollywood with a bevy of film classics – and an irreplaceable void.

Mickey Rooney was born Joseph Yule Jr. in Brooklyn, New York in 1920. Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Rooney’s father (Joe Sr.) came to the States with his own parents at the turn of the 20th century. Eventually Joe met and wed Missouri native Nellie Carter, and the two went on to have a successful place on the vaudeville scene. Hollywood seemed inevitable from the get-go for the couple’s little ‘Joey,’ who worked vaudeville with his parents before he could walk. Later, Rooney would describe the sensation of being under the spotlight as the most natural fit in the world – as right as his “mother’s womb.”

When Rooney’s parents divorced in 1925, he moved to Hollywood with his mother to continue acting. One name change and a hit TV series later and Rooney, now “Mickey McGuire,” was the brightest thing in young Hollywood.

In the 30s and 40s, Rooney moved on to star in the “Andy Hardy” films, which would solidify his place as the ultimate goofball-heartthrob. With his “oh-shucks” demeanor and a gaze stolen straight from the face of a confused basset hound, he’d consistently enchant Judy Garland’s character, Betsy Booth. But Garland and Rooney were never romantically involved, and he would later speak of the actress as a beloved sister. However, Rooney did have his fare share of high-profile romances, including a marriage (one of eight) to starlette Ava Gardner.

Mickey Rooney watches Judy Garland make her handprint at Grauman’s Theatre during “Babes in Arms” film premiere, 1939. (Credit: Wikipedia)

Rooney’s career hardly petered out as the Golden Age of Hollywood ended. The actor has appeared in over 300 films, including 2014’s Night at the Museum 3. On a political and very personal note, Rooney has helped speak out about elder abuse. In 2011, he gave an emotionally pointed speech to a Senate committee in which he admitted to being a victim of elder abuse in the home. “I’m asking you to stop elderly abuse. I mean to stop it. Now. Not tomorrow, not next month, but now,” said Rooney from the witness table, encouraging Congress to list elder abuse as a specific crime.

Mickey Rooney lived life fully engaged, saying in a 2009 interview that he’d rather “inspire” than just “stop” and retire. With a career that spanned almost a century in the entertainment industry, Rooney will be sorely missed – but his influence on our cinematic and cultural history will be ever present.