Mickey Rooney’s death this week passed by surprisingly unheralded. For a man once considered one of the biggest movie stars in the world, this is not a judgment on the quality of his work. Instead, it reflects how shockingly long ago Mickey Rooney was in his heyday and for how long after he continued his craft.
Rooney began his acting career in the 1920s and achieved international fame in the dozens of movies in which he appeared across the 1930s and 1940s. He was a song-and-dance man who acted in tandem with other famous faces, especially and notably his collaboration with Judy Garland. Even after his career highs, Rooney regularly star in films through the end of his life. To today’s viewers, he is perhaps best known for his appearance in Night at the Museum (at age 85!) and his unfortunate, much-criticized turn as Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Mickey Rooney may not hold the same iconic status of the other superstars of his era, but make no mistake: he was a legend of his time. We have a number of his most successful films in our collection, including a number of documentaries and compilations about the era and his work.
Quicksand – HU DVD 203
Breakfast at Tiffany’s – HU DVD 501*
National Velvet – HU DVD 5483
That’s Entertainment! – HU DVD 5671
That’s Entertainment, Part II – HU DVD 5672
That’s Entertainment! III – HU DVD 5673
Golden Age of Television. Disc 3 – HU DVD 7093
Babe: Pig in the City – HU DVD 7222
Babes in Arms – HU DVD 7871
Strike Up the Band – HU DVD 7872
Babes on Broadway – HU DVD 7873
Girl Crazy – HU DVD 7874
Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection, Bonus Disc – HU DVD 7875
Beach Blanket Bingo – HU DVD 10337
Beast of the City – HU DVD 11071
When the World Breaks – Streaming video