As Hollywood mourns the loss of one of the Golden Age’s finest actors, Rob Partridge takes a look back at the life of Mickey Rooney.

It’s not often an actor comes along who can invoke a desire to watch any film with just the mere mention of his name.  I was never a Ben Stiller or Owen Wilson fan, but A Night At The Museum was a must watch for one man alone.

Mickey Rooney was a man with such a diverse range of acting skills that although in his later years Hollywood would try and pigeonhole him as a comedian, he was still able to take on roles in thrillers. Two of which at the tender age of 91.

Personally, my first introduction to Rooney was when he voiced Tod in The Fox and the Hound, but of course in my young years I was unaware as to who he really was. Many years later, I would watch Erik the Viking and think “I know that voice!”  It wouldn’t take long for him to become a very favourite actor of mine.

Born Joe Yule Jr. in a 1920’s Brooklyn, Rooney’s first experience of showbiz came at the age of 17 months as he stepped out on stage with his parents in their vaudeville act.   It would be four years later, when he turned six years old, that he would make his first film appearance and another year later he would take the lead in the first Mickey McGuire short film.

In 1937, he appeared in A Family Affair and this was the film that introduced us to Andy Hardy, a character that appeared in nearly 20 films and turned Rooney into a box office star.

He appeared with all the big names, Elizabeth Taylor, Spencer Tracy and Anthony Quinn to name but a few.  He would talk fondly of his roles with Judy Garland once saying, “We weren’t just a team, we were magic!”

He was married eight times with his last marriage only being officially over in January of this year.  His first marriage, to the immeasurable Ava Gardner, lasted a year and of tying the knot, he once said, “Always get married early in the morning.  That way, if it doesn’t work out, you haven’t wasted a whole day.”

Rooney was one of the last surviving silent film stars who’s versatility knew no bounds. With films such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Domino Principle, 24 Hours to Kill and Requiem for a Heavyweight, his skills were unsurpassed and he will forever remain one of my Hollywood favourites. I’ll forgive him for The Muppets and Night at the Museum because he’d earned the right to star in whatever he wanted to star in and if they made him happy then so be it.  Who am I to complain when this man brought me so much happiness over the years.  My grandmother utterly adored him and would talk about the day she met him. “If your grandfather hadn’t been such a gentleman you could have been a Rooney!” she’d say. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that this is utter rubbish but, like him, it still brings a smile to my face.

“I don’t get caught between lesbians and gays. If you can’t say something nice about someone, just shut your mouth!”  Never a truer word said. Thanks Mickey.

Your were a true Hollywood star who’ll be missed by many. So long, Andy.

Mickey Rooney. 1920-2014.

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Rob Partridge (no relation to Alan!) Face of an angel, heart of lion, pecs like dinner plates, mind of a whore. Bear of sorts, flâneur of walks, writer of crap. Usually found fighting with his inner child.  Often mistaken for Whoopi Goldberg.  WLTM similar for Twix sharing.  Seen at @RobDoofus during the waking hours.