From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Mickey Rooney born Joseph Yule Jr September 23 1920 April 6 2014 was an American actor vaudevillian comedian producer and radio personality In a career spanning nine decades and continuing until shortly before his death he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the silent film era At the height of a career that was marked by declines and comebacks Rooney performed the role of Andy Hardy in a series of 16 films in the 1930s and 1940s that epitomized American family values A versatile performer he became a celebrated character actor later in his career Laurence Olivier once said he considered Rooney the best there has ever been Clarence Brown who directed him in two of his earliest dramatic roles National Velvet and The Human Comedy said he was the closest thing to a genius I ever worked with Rooney first performed in vaudeville as a child and made his film debut at the age of six At 14 he played Puck in the play and later the 1935 film adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream Critic David Thomson hailed his performance as one of the cinemas most arresting pieces of magic In 1938 he costarred in Boys Town At 19 he was the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar for his leading role in Babes in Arms and he was awarded a special Academy Juvenile Award in 1939 At the peak of his career between the ages of 15 and 25 he made 43 films which made him one of MetroGoldwynMayers most consistently successful actors and a favorite of MGM studio head Louis B Mayer Rooney was the top boxoffice attraction from 1939 to 1941 and one of the bestpaid actors of that era but his career would never again rise to such heights Drafted into the Army during World War II he served nearly two years entertaining over two million troops on stage and radio and was awarded a Bronze Star for performing in combat zones Returning from the war in 1945 he was too old for juvenile roles but too short to be an adult movie star and was unable to get as many starring roles Nevertheless Rooneys popularity was renewed with wellreceived supporting roles in films such as Breakfast at Tiffanys 1961 Requiem for a Heavyweight 1962 Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 1963 and The Black Stallion 1979 In the early 1980s he returned to Broadway in Sugar Babies and again became a celebrated star Rooney made hundreds of appearances on TV including dramas variety programs and talk shows and won an Emmy in 1982 plus a Golden Globe for his role in Bill 1981
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