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The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney
A definitive biography of the iconic actor and Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) and his extravagant, sometimes tawdry life, drawing on exclusive interviews, and with those who knew him best, including his heretofore unknown mistress of sixty years.
“I lived like a rock star,” said Mickey Rooney. “I had all I ever wanted, from Lana Turner and Joan Crawford to every starlet in Hollywood, and then some. They were mine to have. Ava [Gardner] was the best. I screwed up my life. I pissed away millions. I was #1, the biggest star in the world.”
Mickey Rooney began his career almost a century ago as a one-year-old performer in burlesque and stamped his mark in vaudeville, silent films, talking films, Broadway, and television. He acted in his final motion picture just weeks before he died at age ninety-three. He was an iconic presence in movies, the poster boy for American youth in the idyllic small-town 1930s. Yet, by World War II, Mickey Rooney had become frozen in time. A perpetual teenager in an aging body, he was an anachronism by the time he hit his forties. His child-star status haunted him as the gilded safety net of Hollywood fell away, and he was forced to find support anywhere he could, including affairs with beautiful women, multiple marriages, alcohol, and drugs.
In The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney, authors Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes present Mickey’s nearly century-long career within the context of America's changing entertainment and social landscape. They chronicle his life story using little-known interviews with the star himself, his children, his former coauthor Roger Kahn, collaborator Arthur Marx, and costar Margaret O’Brien. This Old Hollywood biography presents Mickey Rooney from every angle, revealing the man Laurence Olivier once dubbed “the best there has ever been.”
“I lived like a rock star,” said Mickey Rooney. “I had all I ever wanted, from Lana Turner and Joan Crawford to every starlet in Hollywood, and then some. They were mine to have. Ava [Gardner] was the best. I screwed up my life. I pissed away millions. I was #1, the biggest star in the world.”
Mickey Rooney began his career almost a century ago as a one-year-old performer in burlesque and stamped his mark in vaudeville, silent films, talking films, Broadway, and television. He acted in his final motion picture just weeks before he died at age ninety-three. He was an iconic presence in movies, the poster boy for American youth in the idyllic small-town 1930s. Yet, by World War II, Mickey Rooney had become frozen in time. A perpetual teenager in an aging body, he was an anachronism by the time he hit his forties. His child-star status haunted him as the gilded safety net of Hollywood fell away, and he was forced to find support anywhere he could, including affairs with beautiful women, multiple marriages, alcohol, and drugs.
In The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney, authors Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes present Mickey’s nearly century-long career within the context of America's changing entertainment and social landscape. They chronicle his life story using little-known interviews with the star himself, his children, his former coauthor Roger Kahn, collaborator Arthur Marx, and costar Margaret O’Brien. This Old Hollywood biography presents Mickey Rooney from every angle, revealing the man Laurence Olivier once dubbed “the best there has ever been.”
624 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2015
30 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 16, 2017
This book lost a star because of lousy editing and confusing sequencing. Mickey's story is fascinating and that kept me in the book, but it really needs a good editor.
Personal anecdote: In the fall of 1970 or 1971 I was playing bass in a trio at Grossinger's in the Catskill mountains. We were working the lounge. One night the pianist and I were on the stand waiting for the drummer. The drummer was a little late. I noticed Mickey Rooney alone at the bar. It was obvious that the drummer was late and after a few minutes Mickey got up and started walking towards the stand (he played drums). Just at the moment the drummer ran in and got on the stand. Mickey turned around and went back to the bar. I wish the drummer had been a little more late. It would have been a nice memory to have had Mickey Rooney sit in with you.
Personal anecdote: In the fall of 1970 or 1971 I was playing bass in a trio at Grossinger's in the Catskill mountains. We were working the lounge. One night the pianist and I were on the stand waiting for the drummer. The drummer was a little late. I noticed Mickey Rooney alone at the bar. It was obvious that the drummer was late and after a few minutes Mickey got up and started walking towards the stand (he played drums). Just at the moment the drummer ran in and got on the stand. Mickey turned around and went back to the bar. I wish the drummer had been a little more late. It would have been a nice memory to have had Mickey Rooney sit in with you.
December 30, 2015
A truly awful book. Bad writing, bad grammar, no apparent editing, tabloid style "facts" presented as reality. I finished it only so that I could review it. No one should have to pay for a book as badly done as this.
October 23, 2015
Great read!
This is one of the best show business biographies I've read. I've always loved the old MGM musicals, and Mickey Rooney was a major part of them. I knew very little about the man himself.
The authors did an excellent job recounting his life with its many ups and downs. They don't whitewash, and they don't overdo the bad stuff. Rooney was the total entertainer, alive when performing. He was a failure in relationships, too self absorbed and bipolar.
He was his own worst enemy, especially when it came to money. All this made it hell for wives and children, but it's the stuff of great reads. Which this is.
This is one of the best show business biographies I've read. I've always loved the old MGM musicals, and Mickey Rooney was a major part of them. I knew very little about the man himself.
The authors did an excellent job recounting his life with its many ups and downs. They don't whitewash, and they don't overdo the bad stuff. Rooney was the total entertainer, alive when performing. He was a failure in relationships, too self absorbed and bipolar.
He was his own worst enemy, especially when it came to money. All this made it hell for wives and children, but it's the stuff of great reads. Which this is.
October 28, 2015
Bloated, repetitious, poorly-edited and at times just plain lurid. Mickey Rooney was a giant talent who deserved much better than this book.
December 30, 2015
Mickey Rooney was a delight on the screen, but he would have been a hard person to be close to. His love of gambling, drinking and women would leave little time for anything else and it is astounding that he worked as often and as expertly as he did. Some of the worlds most heralded actors including Cary Grant named him as a favorite or the best. He transitioned, albiet with difficulty, through the decades, growing up from a child actor to a young man embodying the innocence of youth during the war years, then to an adult where he found his niche as a character actor.
This book is an impressive achievement due to Rooney's volatile behavior; trying to pin him down would have been close to an impossible task. In fact, others have tried with mediocre to poor results. These authors do a good job of explaining him, a performer first and foremost who bent stories to suit his whims and who felt a need for approval above all else. They draw heavily from interviews with friends and family members, many of whom have since passed away. Some of the stories have yet to be concluded due to how recently Rooney died and the fact that he is still in the news due to his fight against elder abuse and his family's contesting of his will. However, this book feels complete and though it is a long book, it is an easy and enjoyable read.
This book is an impressive achievement due to Rooney's volatile behavior; trying to pin him down would have been close to an impossible task. In fact, others have tried with mediocre to poor results. These authors do a good job of explaining him, a performer first and foremost who bent stories to suit his whims and who felt a need for approval above all else. They draw heavily from interviews with friends and family members, many of whom have since passed away. Some of the stories have yet to be concluded due to how recently Rooney died and the fact that he is still in the news due to his fight against elder abuse and his family's contesting of his will. However, this book feels complete and though it is a long book, it is an easy and enjoyable read.
September 29, 2021
This book seriously needs an editor. It’s filled with all sorts of interesting tidbits, yet wanders back and forth in the timeline, goes off on tangents just because the research is there, and actually repeats anecdotes, almost word for word. The pictures are even out-of-sync with the chapter heads. And yet, in some bizarre way, this lack of a clear focus accurately reflects Rooney’s persona - flippant, self-destructing, impulsive. Rooney was in a staggering 400+ films, yet most were forgettable. He left a ragged trail of a personal life. There’s a lot of damage. Yet this book can’t seem to rise above it all for a clear view. It relies on many insider accounts, each depositing their own fractured memories and motives.
December 23, 2024
Thorough and well researched. A nice balance of his professional and personal life. Sometimes repetitive and very salacious. All aspects and sides are considered as to Mickey’s behavior in life and why he died with very little money. Some of the opinions are suspect because the man supported so many hangers-on for his entire life. Needless to say, I do not believe everything written here; however, I enjoyed the book.
October 15, 2015
This book talks about his career but by the time he became 40 years old he was no longer in demand, other stars were coming along and he was not getting many acting gigs. My father worked with him in many of his movies as an extra and told me that Mr Rooney was not a very pleasant man and was not very nice. He lost most of the money he made, too bad such a talent.
August 7, 2016
One of the worst bios of a movie star I have had the displeasure to read. Simple mistakes that could have been caught by an editor or a proofreader-Sterling Hayden is not Sterling Holloway. Narrative that repeats itself in many places. Such a talented man and such a disservice by shoddy writing.
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September 29, 2017A definitive biography of the iconic actor and Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) and his extravagant, sometimes tawdry life, drawing on exclusive interviews, and with those who knew him best, including his heretofore unknown mistress of sixty years. #memoir #entertainment
April 12, 2016
Well put together biography of a very complicated man. It put many things into perspective. I could have done without a lot of the salacious bits.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
March 17, 2019
Riveting biography of a brilliant but troubled actor
July 22, 2023
Biographers have incentives to portray their subjects sympathetically. So when the current authors say that Rooney was unpleasant, neglectful and disloyal, then it's hard to disagree. It may seem contradictory to then say that their portrayal is sympathetic and admiring. But this is because they have only praise for Rooney's skill and dedication on stage or camera (at least, until he was into his 90s). Laurence Olivier, Cary Grant and James Mason were among those who rated Rooney as the best actor of his time.
The authors have got a surprisingly postmodern take on his character, or lack of one. "In the empty pit where Mickey's personality should have been, there was only a hollow echo of narcissism." Their theory is that, having been performing since before his second birthday, there was no way for him to develop a personality beyond whatever role he was currently playing. It didn't help having an alcoholic father, a mother who turned tricks in their Los Angeles house to make ends meet, and studio employers who, when he was still a child, put him on uppers and downers to squeeze as many films out of him as possible.
He made his last film in 2014, more than 90 years after taking to the stage, having lost tens of millions of dollars by gambling, manipulative agents, hopeless business schemes and, allegedly, elder abuse by relatives.
The authors do a good job overall, but let themselves down in minor ways, e.g. in terms of proofreading (Jack Paar's name is spelt two different ways on the same line) and in repeatedly plugging their former book on Max Jacobson ("Dr Feelgood").
The authors have got a surprisingly postmodern take on his character, or lack of one. "In the empty pit where Mickey's personality should have been, there was only a hollow echo of narcissism." Their theory is that, having been performing since before his second birthday, there was no way for him to develop a personality beyond whatever role he was currently playing. It didn't help having an alcoholic father, a mother who turned tricks in their Los Angeles house to make ends meet, and studio employers who, when he was still a child, put him on uppers and downers to squeeze as many films out of him as possible.
He made his last film in 2014, more than 90 years after taking to the stage, having lost tens of millions of dollars by gambling, manipulative agents, hopeless business schemes and, allegedly, elder abuse by relatives.
The authors do a good job overall, but let themselves down in minor ways, e.g. in terms of proofreading (Jack Paar's name is spelt two different ways on the same line) and in repeatedly plugging their former book on Max Jacobson ("Dr Feelgood").
May 3, 2022
I listened to this book on mp3 in my car. It was 2 mp3 discs long.
I am rating this book a three only because it contains good factual information about Mickey Rooney's life. But the structure and content of this work left much to be desired.
The first thing which I disliked was that the book did not stay in strict chronological order. It would jump around a lot. Suddenly you are in the past again; then at another point you shoot ahead several years.
The second thing which I disliked was the constant repetition. How many times did we have to hear the following:
a. Mickey could not handle money
b. Mickey was a womanizer and cheated on all his wives.
c. Mickey had a mercurial personality.
d. Mickey was a lousy father.
e. Mickey had gambling, alcohol, and sex addictions which he couldn't control.
f. Mickey often contradicted himself in his recollections of past events.
And I don't just mean that we hear these things over and over: the authors go into significant discourse about the same issue each time it is mentioned. Where was the editor for this book to excise this repetition? It is no wonder that this book is a massive tome with all of this repetitive content.
On the plus side, I did like the "where are they now" about his kids at the end of the book and Paul Petersen's afterword.
Likewise, I appreciated the discussion about the possible interpretations of the murder of Rooney's wife Barbara. I also found the coverage about his disputed will and custody issues intriguing.
So I cannot recommend this title. But it does cover all of Mickey's life.
I am rating this book a three only because it contains good factual information about Mickey Rooney's life. But the structure and content of this work left much to be desired.
The first thing which I disliked was that the book did not stay in strict chronological order. It would jump around a lot. Suddenly you are in the past again; then at another point you shoot ahead several years.
The second thing which I disliked was the constant repetition. How many times did we have to hear the following:
a. Mickey could not handle money
b. Mickey was a womanizer and cheated on all his wives.
c. Mickey had a mercurial personality.
d. Mickey was a lousy father.
e. Mickey had gambling, alcohol, and sex addictions which he couldn't control.
f. Mickey often contradicted himself in his recollections of past events.
And I don't just mean that we hear these things over and over: the authors go into significant discourse about the same issue each time it is mentioned. Where was the editor for this book to excise this repetition? It is no wonder that this book is a massive tome with all of this repetitive content.
On the plus side, I did like the "where are they now" about his kids at the end of the book and Paul Petersen's afterword.
Likewise, I appreciated the discussion about the possible interpretations of the murder of Rooney's wife Barbara. I also found the coverage about his disputed will and custody issues intriguing.
So I cannot recommend this title. But it does cover all of Mickey's life.
November 13, 2021
I’ve always loved his movies: Andy Hardy, movies with Judy Garland, Boy’s Town, etc. I had the opportunity to go see him at the Orpheun Theatre in Galesburg, IL in the late 1990’s where he was performing with his wife, Jan. Prior to the show, we went and grabbed lunch. I saw Mickey walk in with his wife and another man….obviously a son (they looked identical). I was so excited as I watched him drink a milkshake and I was thrown back to his Andy Hardy movies. I got the courage to go to his table to say hello (I did take my young daughter with me in the hopes that he would be nice if I had a child with me). I don’t remember what all I said…something about loving his movies and that it was such a pleasure to meet him. He didn’t say anything. His wife was very nice and chatted with me asking if we were going to the show. I said I was and then got the courage to ask for his autograph. He scribbled his name on a piece of paper I had and I said thank you and left. I was struck that he was not very friendly, but chalked it up to being constantly hounded by fans since the 1930’s. I loved the show by the way!
Reading this book has now answered a lot of questions for me on why he was the way the way he was that day, What a life he led. Pure talent, but tortured for many reasons. Thanks for the joy of your long career and thanks for the autograph (even though you probably wished I remained at my table)!
Reading this book has now answered a lot of questions for me on why he was the way the way he was that day, What a life he led. Pure talent, but tortured for many reasons. Thanks for the joy of your long career and thanks for the autograph (even though you probably wished I remained at my table)!
October 25, 2021
Mickey Rooney's life was spectacular and shocking and sad. He was an incredibly talented performer, a womanizer, a gambler and a bankrupt, both financially and morally. By the end of this tell-all biography, I was torn between admiring his staying power in a ninety year career and feeling sorry for him. The authors believe that he was his true self only when he was on stage; that his very early start in vaudeville, and huge success as Andy Hardy in his teens, left him with no inner core to rely on when he wasn't working. And he had to keep working to support his bad habits, and his eight wives and his eight children, not to mention the IRS and the many managers and hangers-on who took advantage of his total lack of financial know-how. This is the story of a very hard-working user who ultimately got used and used-up.
March 17, 2022
This is a very detailed book. I enjoyed most of it. I wasn't interested in some of the minutiae. A student of plays, tv, and movies would appreciate the details.
The authors try to be even handed most of the time. Mickey Rooney worked from age 18 months until he died. He was an extremely talented pro. His personal life was a mess. His financial situation was worse even though he earned millions during his lifetime.
It is sad that the industry didn't value him more. For me, the best part of the book was the first half. If you have seen him in Black Stallion or a few of his other films, you will enjoy this book.
The authors try to be even handed most of the time. Mickey Rooney worked from age 18 months until he died. He was an extremely talented pro. His personal life was a mess. His financial situation was worse even though he earned millions during his lifetime.
It is sad that the industry didn't value him more. For me, the best part of the book was the first half. If you have seen him in Black Stallion or a few of his other films, you will enjoy this book.
May 8, 2024
What a crazy life? and indeed what a crazy childhood! It's no wonder the man was riddled with self-destructive addictions: sex, drugs, alcohol & gambling. He didn't have a 'normal' childhood or family life; which explains his behaviour and why nothing 'stuck'.
I was sad to know of the 'elder abuse'. He was an absent and disinterested father but that does not excuse torment. I have a close friend (but in another country) who has experienced that recently. At least I can point it out so she is aware.
Whatever he was as a man; he was a prodigious talent and one of the last of his kind.
I was sad to know of the 'elder abuse'. He was an absent and disinterested father but that does not excuse torment. I have a close friend (but in another country) who has experienced that recently. At least I can point it out so she is aware.
Whatever he was as a man; he was a prodigious talent and one of the last of his kind.
September 25, 2024
I used to be a Mickey Rooney fan before reading this book. What a horrible pos this guy was. I was going to buy a bunch of his movies on dvd, I'm glad I waited. I don't want movies of a man who was such a terrible person. Shit husband, shit father, pedo, shit with money, shit to his fans, great actor though according to his peers. If I didn't hate dnf'ing books I would've stopped after reading about his affair with a 14 year-old. Afterwards I was just skimming pages, eager to finish. Mickey fuckin' Rooney. Ugh!
January 1, 2025
You can Loathe a subject yet love a book, Who knew? . Mickey Rooney may be to you a fine entertainer, A bit before my time, But the Talent isn't the subject in this very TELL ALL and I mean ALL book. Fondness may be had toward the subject by author , but it never keeps them from spilling it all, This may come off salacious, and in a way it is. But I Can't blame the author, Rooney's life was to filled with strife and he always reacted the worst way to it. I almost pity the writer, the research must have broke their heart.
June 28, 2018
More like 2.5 stars but I did finish it. The good: there's a lot of research here, and the first third is pretty compelling as it outlines the transition of nearly destitute Joe Yule Jr. into Hollywood's #1 star Mickey Rooney. But as has been mentioned in other reviews, this book was/is in desperate need of an editor. Facts are arranged haphazardly and not chronologically, and anecdotes and facts get restated within the space of a few paragraphs.
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November 12, 2020Mickey was a great talent but behind the scenes he was a #1 man whore i mean the actresses he's bedded is a who's who list in Hollywood but i must say the studio did its job in keeping their stars reputations clean covering up all the drinking gambling and whoring those people were doing yet on screen they were the sweet innocent darlings but behind the scenes those people were buck wild, really enjoyed the book, i was surprised Mickey bedded psycho child abuser joan Crawford wow .
June 2, 2017
This book is a mess. The story of the 90 plus tears of Mickey Rooney is laid out here in a bloated pile.
Repetitive, in dire need of editing and grammar. It time shifts within the same paragraph.
The photos are miss captioned in no apparent order.
There were even several instances of wrong facts.
Get this on the remainder rack...two Jimmys out of five.
Repetitive, in dire need of editing and grammar. It time shifts within the same paragraph.
The photos are miss captioned in no apparent order.
There were even several instances of wrong facts.
Get this on the remainder rack...two Jimmys out of five.
October 1, 2018
It wasn't bad. Maybe not a masterpiece, but I enjoyed it. As someone said in a review, he really was his own worst enemy. But wherever one reads about him, there appears to always be a high opinion of his talent.
I like showbiz biographies. I don't read them as classics, but rather for entertainment. So given that, it was worth the read.
I like showbiz biographies. I don't read them as classics, but rather for entertainment. So given that, it was worth the read.
April 1, 2019
Before this book, I knew the basics about Mickey Rooney: the Andy Hardy series (even tho I've never seen even one Andy Hardy movie!), his performances and friendship with Judy Garland, and his wives. Oh my, his wives! This book is an exceptional, in depth, well researched book about the 93 years of Mickey Rooney's life and the times in which he lived. I highly recommend it!
November 9, 2018
A bit unfocused...
Interesting and entertaining book although could have
used a good editor. Lots of repetition and frequently confusing time leaps can be a little distracting. But on balance a fascinating read.
Interesting and entertaining book although could have
used a good editor. Lots of repetition and frequently confusing time leaps can be a little distracting. But on balance a fascinating read.
August 12, 2017
Wow....he only thought about himself.....so talented .....don't know how any one could go through that much money
November 11, 2017
Truly loved reading this book
Well written with just the right amount of detail, I️ truly loved reading this tragic story of a star who didn’t plan for a soft landing at the end.
Well written with just the right amount of detail, I️ truly loved reading this tragic story of a star who didn’t plan for a soft landing at the end.
April 23, 2018
#23 of 120 books pledged to read during 2018
June 12, 2018
Repetitious facts, slow chronological narrative. Avoid. I was hoping for a better book about a major talent.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews