Net Worth Ranker
What Is Mickey Rooney’s Net Worth?
At the time of his death on April 6, 2014, at the age of 93, Mickey Rooney, the celebrated film and stage actor, comedian, and radio entertainer, had a reported net worth of $20,000. However, subsequent revelations about his estate indicated its total value was closer to $18,000.
Mickey Rooney’s Career and Earnings
Mickey Rooney’s career spanned an impressive nine decades, during which he appeared in over 300 films. His journey began in vaudeville as a child actor, leading to his breakthrough role as Andy Hardy in a series of films for MGM. Between 1939 and 1941, he was a top box-office draw, starring in films such as “Boys Town,” “Babes in Arms,” “Young Tom Edison,” and “Strike Up the Band.” Later in his career, he earned acclaim for his roles in movies like “National Velvet” and “The Black Stallion.”
At the peak of his career in the late 1930s, Mickey Rooney was one of Hollywood’s highest-paid stars, earning approximately $150,000 per year. Adjusted for inflation, this is equivalent to approximately $2.5 million per year today. In 1949, Rooney secured a five-film deal with MGM, which paid him $25,000 per movie, equivalent to about $275,000 per film today.
Rooney’s transition into adulthood posed some career challenges. He was drafted into the military in the summer of 1944 and served for nearly two years, entertaining troops across the United States and Europe. Upon returning to civilian life, Rooney found it difficult to recapture his previous screen success. He starred on the CBS radio program “Shorty Bell” and reprised his role of Andy Hardy on a radio version of “The Hardy Family”.
In 1954, Rooney co-created and appeared on his first television series, “The Mickey Rooney Show”. Throughout the 1950s, he starred in films such as “The Bridges at Toko-Ri,” “Operation Mad Ball,” “Baby Face Nelson,” and “The Bold and the Brave,” which earned him his third competitive Oscar nomination. In the 1960s, Rooney had roles in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” and appeared on TV shows like “Wagon Train,” “Arrest and Trial,” “Burke’s Law,” “Combat!,” and “The Jean Arthur Show.” In 1964, his sitcom “Mickey” ran on ABC for 17 episodes. In 1979, Rooney made his Broadway debut in the musical “Sugar Babies,” which garnered positive reviews. He performed the show over 1,200 times in New York and toured for five years with Ann Miller. That same year, he appeared as a jockey in the film “The Black Stallion,” earning his fourth and final Oscar nomination. In 1981, Rooney won both Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for his performance in the made-for-television film “Bill.” In 1983, he received an honorary Academy Award for his lifetime achievements. From 2005 to 2011, Rooney toured the country with his wife in a musical revue entitled “Let’s Put on a Show.” He appeared in the fantasy comedy “Night at the Museum” in 2006, had a cameo in the 2011 film “The Muppets,” and reprised his role from “Night at the Museum” in that film’s second sequel, “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” in 2014.
Financial Struggles and Estate Value
Despite his long and successful career, Mickey Rooney faced financial difficulties throughout his life. He declared bankruptcy twice due to poor investments and the financial strain of eight marriages. At the time of his death, his total estate was valued at approximately $18,000, and he owed significant medical bills and back taxes. Mickey was forced to sue his own stepson for mismanaging his estate and losing millions of dollars.
In his later years, Rooney became a vocal advocate for fighting elder abuse, especially concerning finances. Rooney’s financial struggles led him to declare bankruptcy for the second time in 1996. Despite these challenges, he continued to perform in stage productions such as “The Will Rogers Follies,” “Lend Me a Tenor,” “Crazy for You,” and “The Wizard of Oz,” and in films like “Revenge of the Red Baron” and “Babe: Pig in the City.”
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr. on September 23, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York, Mickey Rooney was the only child of Joe Yule, a Scottish vaudevillian, and Nellie W. Carter, a former chorus girl from Kansas City, Missouri. At age six, he made his movie debut in the short film “Not to be Trusted.” In the early 1930s, he secured small roles in films like “The Beast of the City” and “The Life of Jimmy Dolan.” Rooney attended the Hollywood Professional School and Fairfax High School.
Rooney’s first major starring role came in the Mickey McGuire series of short films. From 1927 to 1936, he appeared in 78 of these shorts. During this period, he also featured in films such as “Fast Companions,” “My Pal, the King,” “The Big Cage,” “The Chief,” “Love Birds,” “Blind Date,” and “Reckless.” In 1935, he garnered recognition for portraying Puck in Warner Bros.’ adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Andy Hardy and Hollywood Fame
In 1937, Rooney landed his most lucrative role as Andy Hardy in the MGM comedy “A Family Affair.” The film’s success led to 13 additional Andy Hardy movies from 1937 to 1946. Also in 1937, Rooney starred in his first film with Judy Garland, “Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry.” The two became close friends and appeared together in three Andy Hardy movies and a series of popular musicals. In 1939’s “Babes in Arms,” Rooney received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. As a dramatic screen actor, Rooney’s breakthrough was in the 1938 biographical drama “Boys Town,” starring Spencer Tracy. Due to the popularity of his movies, Rooney became the biggest box-office star between 1939 and 1941.
Personal Life
Mickey Rooney was married eight times. His first marriage was to actress Ava Gardner in 1942, but they divorced the following year. In 1944, Rooney married Betty Jane Phillips, with whom he had two sons before their divorce after World War II. His third marriage was to actress Martha Vickers in 1949, and they had one son before divorcing in 1951. Rooney’s fourth marriage was to actress Elaine Mahnken, lasting from 1952 to 1958. Then, Rooney wed actress and model Barbara Ann Thomason. In 1966, while Rooney was shooting the film “Ambush Bay” in the Philippines, Thomason was murdered by stuntman Milos Milos, who subsequently killed himself. Following this, Rooney wed Thomason’s best friend, Marge Lane, in a marriage that only lasted 100 days. He was subsequently betrothed to Carolyn Hockett from 1969 to 1975. Finally, in 1978, Mickey wed his eighth wife, Jan Chamberlin. Although they separated in 2012, their marriage lasted until Rooney’s passing in 2014. Overall, Mickey had nine children, two stepchildren, 19 grandchildren, and many more great-grandchildren.
