Mickey Rooney, who began his career in vaudeville, made his film debut at the young age of 6 and went on to appear in over 200 films. As a teenager, he became Hollywood’s top star, thanks to his roles in 15 highly successful Andy Hardy films.
However, Rooney’s early success waned as he struggled to find roles after outgrowing youth films. Despite the challenges, he managed to revive his career multiple times, earning four Academy Award nominations along the way.
Standing at 5-foot-2, Rooney was a versatile performer, skilled in acting, singing, dancing, and playing instruments like the piano and drums. “Mickey was plastic; he could inhabit any role,” remarked William J. Birnes, coauthor of The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney. “He worked until the very, very, end.”
In 1981, Rooney achieved one of his greatest successes, portraying a developmentally challenged man in the television film Bill.
“Mickey absorbed who Bill was and won an Emmy for that performance,” said Birnes. “It was unbelievable.”
