Mickey Rooney

Mickey permanently separated from his eighth wife Jan in June of 2012.

He legally separated from his eighth wife in June of 2012. Ironically, after eight failed marriages he never looked or felt better and finally found happiness and peace in the single life. Mickey, Mark and Charlene focused on health, happiness and creative endeavors and it showed. Mickey Rooney had once again landed on his feet reminding us that he was a survivor.

In 2011 Rooney filed elder abuse and fraud charges against stepson Christopher Aber and Aber's wife. At Rooney's request, the Superior Court issued a restraining order against the Aber's demanding they stay 100 yards from Rooney, as well as Mickey's other son Mark Rooney and Mark's wife Charlene. Just prior, Rooney mustered the strength to break his silence and appeared before the Senate in Washington D. C. telling of his own heartbreaking story of abuse in an effort to live a peaceful, full life and help others who may be similarly suffering in silence. Rooney requested through the Superior Court to permanently reside with his son Mark Rooney, who is a musician and Marks wife Charlene, an artist, in the Hollywood Hills.

As of 2007 he was the only surviving actor to appear in silent films and still continue to act in movies into the 21st century. His film debut was in the movie Not to Be Trusted (1926), in 1926 when he was four years old.

More recently he has appeared in such films as Night at the Museum (2006) with Ben Stiller and The Muppets (2011) with Amy Adams and Jason Segel. Rooney's personal life, including his frequent trips to the altar, has proved to be just as epic as his on-screen performances. His first wife was one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, actress Ava Gardner.

Attended the state funeral of former President Ronald Reagan on 11 June 2004.

With the death of James Stewart on July 2, 1997, Rooney was the last surviving entertainer of the 46 caricatured in Hollywood Steps Out (1941).

Release of his book, "The Search for Sonny Skies: A Novel". [1995]

Rooney was a childhood movie hero to his The New Adventures of the Black Stallion (1990) co-star, Richard Ian Cox. Their friendship lasted 24 years, until Rooney's death in 2014.

On his 85th birthday he and wife Jan Rooney both appeared in the variety show "Let's Put On A Show".

In 1981, Rooney won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of a mentally challenged man in Bill (1981). The critical acclaim continued to flow for the veteran performer, with Rooney receiving an honorary Academy Award "in recognition of his 60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances".

Was nominated for Broadway's 1980 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Sugar Babies."

He gave an impressive performance in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film The Black Stallion (1979), which brought him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

He also turned to the stage in 1979 in Sugar Babies with Ann Miller, and was nominated for a Tony Award. During that time he also portrayed the Wizard in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with Eartha Kitt at New York's Madison Square Garden, which also had a successful run nationally.

Is portrayed by Moosie Drier in Rainbow (1978) and by Dwayne Adams in Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001)

Was considered for the role of Archie Bunker on All in the Family (1971).

Father of Jonelle Rooney (born January 11, 1970) from his marriage to Carolyn Hockett. He also adopted Carolyn's son from a previous marriage, Jimmy Rooney (born 1966).

Liza Minnelli wanted Rooney to do the eulogy at the funeral for her mother, Judy Garland in June of 1969, but decided against it because she felt that Rooney might not be able to get through it, given his and Garland's long and close friendship.

He reunited with friend and former co star Judy Garland, as her singing and dancing partner, on an episode of The Judy Garland Show (1963). On that show, he displayed his music versatility by performing a drum solo.

He once again showed his incredible range in the dramatic role of a boxing trainer with Anthony Quinn and Jackie Gleason in Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962).

He also appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. Rooney played Hepburn's Japanese neighbor, Mr. Yunioshi. A sign of the times, Rooney played the part for comic relief which he later regretted feeling the role was offensive.

In the late 1960s and 1970s Rooney showed audiences and critics alike why he was one of Hollywood's most enduring stars.

Father of Kelly Ann Rooney (born September 13, 1959), Kerry Yule Rooney (born December 30, 1960), Michael Rooney (VI) (born April 2, 1962) and Kimmy Sue Rooney (born September 13, 1963), from his marriage to Carolyn Mitchell.

His son Teddy Rooney appeared with him in Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958), portraying Andy Hardy Jr.

Originally came to Hollywood to audition for "Our Gang" (aka The Little Rascals (1955)), unfortunately Mickey's mother declined over a dispute over salary.

Rooney appeared in four television series': The Mickey Rooney Show (1954) (1954-1955), a comedy sit-com in 1964 with Sammee Tong called Mickey, One of the Boys in 1982 with Dana Carvey and Nathan Lane, and The New Adventures of the Black Stallion (1990) from 1990-1993.

His third child, Teddy Rooney, was born weighing 7 lb. 3 oz. in April 1950, to Martha Vickers.

He returned to Hollywood after 21 months in Love Laughs At Andy Hardy (1946), did a remake of a Robert Taylor film, The Crowd Roars (1932) called Killer McCoy (1947) and portrayed composer Lorenz Hart in Words and Music (1948).

During that time he also appeared with Elizabeth Taylor in the now classic National Velvet (1944). Rooney joined the service that same year, where he helped to entertain the troops and worked on the American Armed Forces Network.

This beloved character appeared in nearly 20 films and helped make Rooney the top star at the box office in 1939, 1940 and 1941.

Teaming up with Judy Garland, Rooney also appeared in a string of musicals, including Babes in Arms (1939) the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a leading role, Strike Up the Band (1940), Babes on Broadway (1941), and Girl Crazy (1943). He and Garland immediately became best of friends. "We weren't just a team, we were magic," Rooney once said.

Rooney also proved himself an excellent dramatic actor as a delinquent in Boys Town (1938) starring Spencer Tracy.

In 1938, he was awarded a Juvenile Academy Award.

Rooney reached new heights in 1937 with A Family Affair, the film that introduced the country to Andy Hardy, the popular all-American teenager.

Broke his leg while filming A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) and was doubled in many scenes by George P. Breakston.

He made his first film appearance in 1926. The following year, he played the lead character in the first Mickey McGuire short film. It was in this popular film series that he took the stage name Mickey Rooney.

In "The Guinness Book of World Records he holds the record for longest movie career--86 years (1925-2011).

Mickey Rooney was born Joe Yule Jr. on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. He first took the stage as a toddler in his parents vaudeville act at 17 months old.

Rooney was the son and only child of Scottish-born vaudevillian/actor Joe Yule and Nell Ruth Carter (born July 12, 1897, Kansas City, Missouri -March 3, 1966, Los Angeles, California), who was of English descent. Yule and Carter divorced in 1923, when Mickey (Joe Yule, Jr.) was three years old. In 1925, Rooney and his mother moved to Hollywood, where he attended Hollywood Professional School and Fairfax High School.

Has four Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame including a star for Motion Pictures at 1718 Vine St., a star for Television at 6541 Hollywood Blvd., a star for Radio at 6372 Hollywood Blvd. and shared with wife Jan Rooney a star for Live Theater at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.