Mickey Rooney, the iconic actor, passed away on Sunday afternoon at his home in North Hollywood at the age of 93. Los Angeles Police has confirmed his death, saying that the Rooney died peacefully while he was with his family. Charlene Rooney, wife of Mark Rooney (Mickey’s son) said that the legendary actor died of natural causes.
Despite standing at 5”3’, Mickey Rooney had a remarkable movie career as boy-next-door especially in his 15 Andy Hardy movie series from 1937 to 1946. Among his other notable films include musical movie “Babes in Arms” in 1939 where he was paired with Judy Garland and received his first Oscar nomination. He started appearing in movies even before he reached 10, and has been nominated for the Academy Awards four times.
Rooney, who spent most of his life in the movie industry, also starred in the classic film “National Velvet,” the launching movie of Elizabeth Taylor back in 1944. He made more than 340 films and had one of the longest Hollywood careers. The pint-size star received his second Oscar nod for the movie “The Human Comedy” in the early 1940s. He got his third Oscar supporting actor in 1956 for the World War II drama movie, “The Bold and the Brave,” and his fourth one in 1979 for the film, “The Black Stallion.”
Mickey Rooney also had a colorful romantic life and got married 8 times. He married his first wife, movie goddess Ava Gardner in 1942 but their marriage lasted only for a year. He was 21 then, and Ava was 19. He slowed down in making movies and joined the US Army in 1943, during World War II. He returned to Hollywood and earned an Emmy Award in 1982 for the TV drama “Bill,” where he played a mentally challenged man.
Rooney has a total of eleven children, seven boys and four girls, along with 19 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. He was survived by his eighth wife, Jan.
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