Mickey Rooney (1920-2014)

Last night after a weekend high of enjoying Doris Day birthday photos and videos, my worldly multilingual Korean-loving friend sent me a link to inform me of Mickey Rooney’s passing.

I didn’t cry but did hold back tears. I have still not seen an Andy Hardy movie but as a child and teen did watch Manhattan Melodrama, Boy’s Town, Little Lord Fauntleroy and his grown-up roles in The Bridges at Toko-Ri, the embarrassing Breakfast at Tiffany’s,  Requiem for a Heavyweight and in most recent years, The Muppets.

He’s always been a part of my life. As an Ava Gardner fan I was obsessed with reading about her husbands and lovers. My mother loved reading tabloids so I remember her old magazines issues about Mickey and Ann Miller in the Sugar Babies Burlesque Musical. A few years ago before his separation from his last wife, Jan, I found him on Facebook and became a “friend.” He then disappeared due to problems with Jan’s son. He reappeared a few years later on Facebook with photos of him dining with Margaret O’Brien and Emma Thompson, attending Hollywood parties, and exercising.

At the time of his death he was making a film with Margaret O’Brien, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I don’t know if it will still be completed. If yes, I may contribute as I would love to be part of a film in which he was involved. It makes me feel connected to the old Hollywood Studio days. I was hoping there was still time to finally meet him. My friend teases that perhaps I could have become his last wife, #9, and maybe had given him another child. If we had, he may have lived another 10+ years.