Rooney, born Joseph Yule, Jr. in 1920, hailed from a family of vaudeville actors, setting foot on the stage himself at a mere 17 months old as part of their act in Brooklyn, NY. However, his parents separated when he was just four years old, and the following year, he and his mother embarked on a journey to Hollywood.
In Tinseltown, his mother began a relentless campaign to launch him into the world of cinema, and by the tender age of six, he had already made his debut in the movies. At seven, he clinched the role of Mickey McGuire, marking the inception of a series of 78 short comedy films that ran from 1927 to 1938.
Nonetheless, his most prominent breakthrough came in 1937 when he was cast as Andy Hardy, the son of Judge Hardy (played by Lionel Barrymore) in “A Family Affair.” The film surpassed all expectations, leading to a staggering 13 additional Andy Hardy films produced from 1937 to 1946.
Later in this series, Rooney was paired with Judy Garland, and their dynamic duo set the stage for an immensely popular song-and-dance partnership in several musicals, including “Babes in Arms.”
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Mickey Rooney’s Cause Of Death
On April 6, 2014, Rooney peacefully passed away due to natural causes, found unresponsive during an afternoon nap. TMZ reported the news even before Jan or Rooney’s biological children could be notified, sparking outrage among them. Jan and Chris, Rooney’s stepson, immediately sought to claim his body and began giving interviews.
Original Mouseketeer Mickey Rooney has passed away at the age of 77. His cause of death is unknown at this time. pic.twitter.com/9WKmih7Lf1
— Alex Farnworth (@AlexFarnworth) July 18, 2022
Ironically, despite being one of the top movie stars of all time, Rooney left this world with modest financial means. His former attorney, Augustine, lamented, “If he had been managed properly, I think he would have been in the neighbourhood of someone like Paul Newman, easily worth hundreds of millions of dollars.” Rooney’s life was marred by the exploitation of others who sought to profit from his fame, with Jan even collecting clippings of his hair as if he were the next Elvis.
Today, Jan, Chris, and Christina sustain themselves on Rooney’s pensions. Surprisingly, Rooney had little intention of subsidizing Chris’ lifestyle and once expressed, “I don’t want that [expletive] to get a nickel.” Yet, Chris claims financial hardship and speaks of his struggles to make ends meet.
Mickey Rooney’s $18,000 Estate: A Tragic End to an 80-Year Career
Despite Rooney’s legendary career, his funeral lacked the presence of fellow Hollywood stars. An exception was Mickey Rourke, who, having received a fan letter from Rooney three decades earlier, attended the funeral as a mark of respect. He described the poignant scene of Rooney in his casket, wearing a modest grey suit and remarked on the disparity between the actor’s incredible career and his humble ending.
Told that Rooney’s favourite wine was kosher Manischewitz, Rourke brought a bottle, took a sip, and placed it beside Rooney. Rooney now rests at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, with no Hollywood stars to bid him farewell, but only the memory of a fan who never had the chance to write back to his idol.
In the twilight of his career, Rooney’s estate amounted to a meagre $18,000, with a will signed just weeks before his death designating his stepson Mark Rooney and wife as sole beneficiaries. Despite Rooney’s vast career spanning over eight decades, financial mismanagement and elder abuse had depleted most of his fortune. Plans for Rooney’s burial are still underway, with hopes for a small private service and a larger celebration of his illustrious life and career.
