Mickey Rooney

Mickey Rooney

Birth : 1920-09-23, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Death : 2014-04-06

History

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor, vaudevillian, comedian, producer, and radio personality. In a career spanning nine decades and continuing until shortly before his death, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the silent film era. At the height of a career that was marked by declines and comebacks, Rooney performed the role of Andy Hardy in a series of 16 films in the 1930s and 1940s that epitomized American family values. A versatile performer, he became a celebrated character actor later in his career. Laurence Olivier once said he considered Rooney "the best there has ever been". Clarence Brown, who directed him in two of his earliest dramatic roles, National Velvet and The Human Comedy, said he was "the closest thing to a genius I ever worked with". Rooney first performed in vaudeville as a child and made his film debut at the age of six. At 14, he played Puck in the play and later the 1935 film adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Critic David Thomson hailed his performance as "one of the cinema's most arresting pieces of magic". In 1938, he co-starred in Boys Town. At 19, he was the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar for his leading role in Babes in Arms, and he was awarded a special Academy Juvenile Award in 1939. At the peak of his career between the ages of 15 and 25, he made 43 films, which made him one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most consistently successful actors and a favorite of MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer. Rooney was the top box-office attraction from 1939 to 1941 and one of the best-paid actors of that era, but his career would never again rise to such heights. Drafted into the Army during World War II, he served nearly two years entertaining over two million troops on stage and radio and was awarded a Bronze Star for performing in combat zones. Returning from the war in 1945, he was too old for juvenile roles but too short to be an adult movie star, and was unable to get as many starring roles. Nevertheless, Rooney's popularity was renewed with well-received supporting roles in films such as Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), and The Black Stallion (1979). In the early 1980s, he returned to Broadway in Sugar Babies and again became a celebrated star. Rooney made hundreds of appearances on TV, including dramas, variety programs, and talk shows, and won an Emmy in 1982 plus a Golden Globe for his role in Bill (1981).

Profile

Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney

Movies

Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
(archive)
A history of anti-Asian racism and yellowface in Hollywood after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.
Sid & Judy
Self (archive footage)
Explore the dramatic career and personal struggles of the talented and tragically short-lived entertainer Judy Garland through rare concert footage, never-heard-before voice recordings and personal photos.
Hollywood : la vie rêvée de Lana Turner
(archive footage)
Portrait of Julia Jean Turner, from her childhood to her rise of fame as Lana Turner, to her last role.
Marilyn and I
Self
The story of the legendary Marilyn Monroe party thrown by jazz legend Ray Anthony in 1952.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Mr. Louis
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is really just as much the story of Gabriel John Utterson, a lawyer and good friend of Dr. Henry Jekyll. More importantly, Utterson is a Victorian Gentleman, who is guided by a chivalry-like code to remain loyal to his friends and maintain his status in society. It is loyalty that drives Utterson to play detective in an effort to protect Jekyll from the malicious and scheming Mr. Hyde. Eventually, Utterson finds himself introduced to a world that he is neither ready to enter nor accept. The story takes place in Victorian-era England, after the Industrial Revolution. Utterson, a lawyer, and true Victorian Gentleman, discovers that his long-time friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, has become involved with a mysterious and dangerous man named Edward Hyde. Jekyll is a tall, handsome man with a very high social status, which he is expected to maintain. Hyde is a complete opposite, short and vulgar, with an unidentifiable deformity.
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
Gus
When the magic powers of The Tablet of Ahkmenrah begin to die out, Larry Daley spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.
The Outrageous Sophie Tucker
Himself
The rags to riches story of Sophie Tucker, an iconic superstar who ruled the worlds of vaudeville, Broadway, radio, television, and Hollywood throughout the 20th century. Before Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Bette Midler, Marilyn Monroe, and Mae West, Sophie Tucker was the first woman to infatuate her audiences with a bold, bawdy and brassy style unlike any other. Using all of "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas" 400-plus recently rediscovered personal scrapbooks, authors Susan and Lloyd Ecker take you on their seven-year journey retracing Tucker's sixty-year career in show business.`
The Voices from Beyond
Johnny O'Hara
A Chicago Police Detective is being investigated by Internal Affairs for misconduct following his confession of ghost sightings.
Driving Me Crazy
Mr. Cohen
Meet Elliot Brown. He is one of Brooklyn's most neurotically sweet and eligible bachelors . . . who also happens to be pushing forty and living with his mother. Not getting any younger, Elliot embarks on a 3000 mile road trip across the country to take a chance on a girl he has never met. His travel companion? Her fun-loving sister. Now, he must face his fears, confront his past and learn to take risks to be the man worthy of her love. Buckle up. It's going to be a crazy drive.
The Muppets
Smalltown Resident
When Kermit the Frog and the Muppets learn that their beloved theater is slated for demolition, a sympathetic human, Gary, and his puppet brother, Walter, swoop in to help the gang put on a show and raise the $10 million they need to save the day.
Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon
Self
See Michael Jackson, one of the most recognizable and popular entertainers of all time, like never before in the feature-length tribute Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Known to millions of fans worldwide for his record-breaking albums, groundbreaking music videos, mesmerizing dance moves and humanitarian efforts, his true story has never really been told...until now. This unprecedented look into the King of Pop's fascinating life includes all-new interviews with his mother Katherine Jackson as well as siblings Tito and Rebbie Jackson, family, friends and music legends such as Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick and many more.
Night Club
Jerry Sherman
Three friends - aided by one of the residents - start a night club in a retirement home, after taking a job there working the night shift to put themselves through USC.
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Self (archive footage)
This documentary focuses on 1939, considered to be Hollywood's greatest year, with film clips and insight into what made the year so special.
The Polio Crusade
Archive Footage (from March of Dimes)
The film interweaves the personal accounts of polio survivors with the story of an ardent crusader who tirelessly fought on their behalf while scientists raced to eradicate this dreaded disease. Based in part on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Polio: An American Story by David Oshinsky, Features interviews with historians, scientists, polio survivors, and the only surviving scientist from the core research team that developed the Salk vaccine, Julius Youngner.
Mr. Yunioshi:  An Asian Perspective
Archive Footage
Mr. Yunioshi: An Asian Perspective provides some insightful commentary of how far we've come concerning Asian characterizations in Hollywood movies from earlier eras
A Miser Brothers' Christmas
Santa Claus (voice)
A Miser Brothers' Christmas is a sequel to the classic 1974 television special The Year Without a Santa Claus. The stop-motion animated special, produced by Warner Brothers Television Animation (owners of the post-1973 Rankin/Bass animated special library) and Toronto-based Cuppa Coffee Studios, premiered as part of ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas on December 13, 2008. Mickey Rooney reprised his role of Santa Claus, which originally debuted in the 1970 special Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, while George S. Irving reprised his role as the Heat Miser. Original music was written by William K. Anderson, with the exception of "Snow Miser/Heat Miser", which was written by Maury Laws and Jules Bass for the 1974 special. Eddie Guzelian (Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch) wrote the story and Dave Barton Thomas directed. The special was nominated for the 2008 Annie Award for Best Animated Television Production.
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History
Himself
The history of Hollywood musical movies, from the very beginning until the 21st century, hosted by Shirley Jones.
Meurtres à l'Empire State Building
Mickey Silver
A tribute and doc-crime-drama celebrating American film noir and the icons of the Hollywood golden age. It recaptures the time and place of New York in the 30's and 40s as well as plays with the codes and references of the genre.
Lost Stallions: The Journey Home
Chief
After the death of his father, troubled teen Jake (Alex Hugh) travels with his mother to Harmony Ranch, a special retreat for families dealing with problems. There, Jake gets to know Troubadour, a young distressed stallion. Ranch owner Chief (Mickey Rooney), works to calm the uneasy horse. Jake witnesses Chief's determination with the stallion, and begins to see the wisdom in the old man life. When Troubadour runs away, Jake makes it his mission to bring the lost stallion home. The ranch hand Grey Wolf (Roger Willie) explains to Jake the Native American legend of Heaven's Pathway, a mountain that towers over Harmony Ranch, said to be a place where wounded souls go to find peace. With this knowledge, Jake sets out with his new friends Nicki (Rachael Handy) and Isaac (Evan Tilson Stroud), two other troubled teens, on a journey to the top of Heaven's Pathway in search of Troubadour.
A Christmas Too Many
Grandpa
Disaster strikes when an aging actress invites her eccentric family to Hollywood for the holidays.
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
Self
Film historians, and survivors from the nearly 30-year struggle to bring sound to motion pictures take the audience from the early failed attempts by scientists and inventors, to the triumph of the talkies.
Night at the Museum
Gus
Chaos reigns at the natural history museum when night watchman Larry Daley accidentally stirs up an ancient curse, awakening Attila the Hun, an army of gladiators, a Tyrannosaurus rex and other exhibits.
Hedy Lamarr: Secrets of a Hollywood Star
"Secrets of a Hollywood Star" is another documentary made after "Calling Hedy Lamarr" in 2006. It features interviews with Hedy's friends in both Europe and Hollywood and her film/studio partners.
The Thirsting
Savy
The Happy Elf
Santa Claus
The Happy Elf is a 3D-animated family holiday special & centres on the lovable character Eubie the Elf, whose quest is to bring Christmas joy to an entire town of naughty children in a gloomy little town called Bluesville. Based on Grammy-winner Harry Connick, Jr.’s original song, The Happy Elf.
The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams
David McCord
Amid the bitter divisiveness of the Civil War, Confederate Capt. Robert Adams (Julian Adams) feels the rift within his soul. Steadfastly loyal to the South, Adams also holds an unshakable love for his Northerner wife, Eveline McCord (Gwendolyn Edwards). Based on the true story of Robert Adams and produced by his descendents, this stirring historical drama -- a film festival favorite -- delves into the themes of honor, patriotism and love.
Judy Garland: By Myself
Himself
As Hollywood biographies go, Judy Garland's story is one of the saddest success stories you'll ever hear. The sanitized studio version of her life presented a smiling kid with the big voice, who, alongside Mickey Rooney, just wanted to put on a show. But drugs, overwork, even psychological abuse at the hands of the studio is now part of the Garland legend. But despite the number of Garland books and documentaries, one account has always been missing -- Garland herself never managed to write a memoir. She did make several attempts at an autobiography, often recording stories on a tape recorder. Judy Garland: By Myself (2004), finally fills in the blanks - using Judy's personal recordings to tell the story in her own words.
Illusion Infinity
Simon / Henry, Sr.
Patricia Paradise, a successful Las Vegas singer, is married to a Vegas Casino Mogul. Having made sacrifices for her career and her husbands business Patricia has postponed her greatest desire to build a family. When her husband dies, she discovers their business is bankrupt and she is left with neither wealth nor family. Devastated by grief and disappointment, she leaves town in the middle of the night and begins a journey of self discovery that changes her life forever.
To Kill a Mockumentary
Max
A group of mockumentary filmmakers has been hired to make a full-scale studio production. The potential for hilarity is high when this low-rent team has access to a big budget -- and some big pressure from the studio bigwigs. Reality has never seemed so unreal.
Broadway's Lost Treasures
Mickey (segment "Sugar Babies")
The golden age of the annual Tony Awards ceremony lasted from 1967 to 1986 — the period during which Alexander H. Cohen and his wife, Hildy Parks, were the producers of the show. This film offers a compilation of performances from Tony Award broadcasts during those years. They are presented with color-corrected footage and digitally re-mastered sound.
The Our Gang Story
Self (archive footage)
Join all you favorites--Spanky, Buckwheat, Alfalfa, Darla, Butch, Froggy and more--in a jam-packed special covering more than twenty years and 200 episodes of Hal Roach's inimitable brand of childhood magic. This fascinating video offers insight into the Gang's personal lives, as rare footage follows each member's career through the joys and misfortunes that went along with being one of America's most beloved kids. See how the series began in 1922 and changed after the first all-talking release in 1929, why Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney never made the Gang, a fifteenth anniversary reunion, and clips from their only feature.
Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure
Sparky (voice)
Lady and Tramp's mischievous pup, Scamp, gets fed up with rules and restrictions imposed on him by life in a family, and longs for a wild and free lifestyle. He runs away from home and into the streets where he joins a pack of stray dogs known as the "Junkyard Dogs." Buster, the pack's leader, takes an instant disliking to the "house-dog" and considers him a rival. Angel, a junkyard pup Scamp's age, longs for the safety and comfort of life in a family and the two become instant companions. Will Scamp choose the wild and free life of a stray or the unconditional love of his family?
Phantom of the Megaplex
Movie Mason
Pete Riley is a 17-year-old who lands a part-time job at a multiplex in his neighbourhood. He and his friends are excited when it's announced that the theatre will play host to the premier of a major motion picture, with a number of Hollywood celebrities in attendance. However, when the big night comes, Pete has to contend with disappearing staff, malfunctioning equipment, and a broken popcorn machine.
The First of May
Boss Ed
Cory (Dan Byrd) is a foster child nobody wants. Carlotta (Academy Award-nominee Julie Harris) is an elderly woman the world has forgotten. Together, they find friendship and family when they join a traveling circus. Also features Mickey Rooney and Joe DiMaggio, in his last screen appearance.
Boys Will Be Boys
Wellington
Two young brothers talk their strict father Lloyd Clauswell into allowing them to babysit themselves for the first time while their parents attend a corporate barbecue...
Babe: Pig in the City
Fugly Floom, the Speechless Man in Hotel
Babe, fresh from his victory in the sheepherding contest, returns to Farmer Hoggett's farm, but after Farmer Hoggett is injured and unable to work, Babe has to go to the big city to save the farm.
Alone. Life Wastes Andy Hardy
(archive footage)
In a deconstruction of classic Hollywood codes, using repetitive single frame images, the re-editing of teenager movies produces an intense Oedipal drama.
Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights
Sage
A young boy is taught to use his imagination by his grandfather who casts him in a great adventure back in time. Using a magic coin, he enters the medieval world of Sinbad, who must rescue a beautiful princess from the clutches of an evil knight.
Michael Kael vs. the World News Company
Griffith
A naive French reporter is sent to an African town to cover a sensational news story, unaware that it has been faked by an international news giant in the hopes of getting the US president re-elected for a third term.
Animals with the Tollkeeper
Tollkeeper
While looking for paradise, a cab driver suddenly falls in love.
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self
Based on the first centenary of the largest exporter of films in the world, that is Hollywood, is the story told by its protagonists, actors and writers and other people who made life in this business, interspersing images of famous movies.
Brothers' Destiny
Father Flanagan
Threatened with separation, two young brothers escape from an orphanage and make a perilous journey from New York to Boys' Town in Nebraska.
Revenge of the Red Baron
Grandpa Spencer
The Red Baron returns in a toy plane to kill the former World War I ace that shot him down.
That's Entertainment! III
Self - Co-Host / Narrator
Some of MGM'S musical stars review the studios history of musicals. From The Hollywood Revue of 1929 to Brigadoon, from the first musical talkies to Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain.
Liberation
Self (archive footage)
Liberation tells the dramatic story of the battle waged on two fronts during World War II - the Allied campaign to liberate Europe and Hitler's genocidal campaign against the Jews. The World War II documentary uses film footage, radio broadcasts, and period music gathered from archives around the world. Interwoven throughout the film are the compelling stories of the Jews of Europe - unforgettable stories of tragedy, courage, resistance, and survival. Liberation begins in 1942, when Adolf Hitler was still at the height of his power and the Allies began envisioning a cross-channel invasion of Europe.
Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart
After many years in prison, a changed robber comes home to see his sons again, one of them brain-damaged. Due to many misfortunate events and terrible tragic misunderstandings, they go on the run, leaving a bloody trail wherever they go.
Outlaws: The Legend of O.B. Taggart
Writer
After many years in prison, a changed robber comes home to see his sons again, one of them brain-damaged. Due to many misfortunate events and terrible tragic misunderstandings, they go on the run, leaving a bloody trail wherever they go.
Making Waves
Gabriel
Up in Heaven, the angelic supervisor Gideon sends the apprentice angel Maya down to Earth to earn her wings by sorting out the lives of a group of friends. When Jim learns that his good friend Bill has gone mad and now believes in an invisible talking bear called Oswald, he agrees to bring their group of friends back together for the first time in 12 years for a yacht trip.
Sweet Justice
Zeke
City councilor Susan takes bribes from Reevers and allows him to deposit his garbage illegally in an old mine. But when she learns that he also dumps toxic wastes which threaten the nearby water purification unit, she wants to cancel their agreement. She asks her ex-husband Steve, a cop, for help, but before he can do anything she's found dead. Her sister Sunny decides to take revenge with help of a couple of friends, who once formed a female martial fighting squad.
The Milky Life
Barry Reilly
Retired billionaire, Rooney, feels his family loves only his money and not him. He plans to live as an adult baby with his wet nurse, Sagebrecht. When thieves break into his mansion and hit him on the head, he starts to grow younger.
Maximum Force
Chief of Police
Three renegade cops team up to take on the corrupt chief of police and a crime lords hatchet-man.
The Legend of Wolf Mountain
Pat Jensen
Three children are kidnapped and taken to the forest by escaped convicts. There they escape but are pursued by the convicts. Forest rangers and police set out to rescue them.
The Magic Voyage
Narrator (voice)
Christopher Columbus decides to go on a journey to prove that the Earth is not flat. His companion is a smart wood worm who's on a quest of his own: to save a beautiful fairy princess from the evil lord Swarm and his insect army.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker
Joe Petto
A young boy sees his father killed by a toy that was anonymously delivered to his house. After that, he is too traumatized to speak, and his mother must deal with both him and the loss of her husband. Meanwhile, a toy maker named Joe Peto builds some suspicious-looking toys, and a mysterious man creeps around both the toy store and the boy's house...but who is responsible for the killer toys?
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Junion
H.D. Dalton is a champion rodeo rider whose career is ruined after being gored by a bull. He returns home to discover things have drastically changed -- the family farm has been abandoned, his old girlfriend Jolie is a now a widowed mother, and his sister Cheryl has put his father in a nursing home.
Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'
Self (archive footage)
A star-studded documentary and tribute to the classic comedy, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.
Home for Christmas
Elmer
Mickey Rooney plays a weary old thief who befriends a young child. Home for Christmas is a 1990 Canadian made film about a young girl (Chantellese Kent) who wants a grandfather for Christmas. She chooses an elderly, homeless ex-con (Mickey Rooney) as her pseudo-grandfather and he teaches her - and her family - the true meaning of Christmas. Somewhat predictable.. but has a good plot twist about half way through that keeps it interesting. A solid, low-key performance by Mickey Rooney as the seemingly broken down homeless man saves this one from drowning in it's own mushiness.
Adventures of the Black Stallion
Henry Dailey
Experience the magic of author Carroll Ballard's timeless tale all over again as screen star Mickey Rooney returns to the role that earned him his fourth Academy Award nomination, and follow the further adventures of the Black Stallion as based on Walter Farley's continuation of the series. Veteran horse trainer Henry Dailey (Rooney) sees boundless potential in young jockey Alec Ramsay (Richard Ian Cox), and as the two prepare to take Black Stallion to France to race in the Prix de Chantilly, an unforeseen tragedy forces Alec's French friend Nicole (Marianne Filali) to abandon the race in favor of caring for her ailing mother. As Alec and Henry prepare for the Prix de Chantilly, their situation is complicated by a series of shady businessmen and devious gamblers who are desperately attempting to fix the race.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
Self (archive footage)
Documentary about the making of the 1939 MGM classic film The Wizard of Oz. Includes interviews of cast and crew members, their families and fans of the film.
Erik the Viking
Erik's Grandfather
Erik the Viking gathers warriors from his village and sets out on a dangerous journey to Valhalla, to ask the gods to end the Age of Ragnorok and allow his people to see sunlight again. A Pythonesque satire of Viking life.
Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland
Flip (voice)
A little boy whose dreams transcend reality is sucked into his own fantasy, which is everything he has dreamed of, until he unleashes an old secret that may not only destroy this perfect dream world but reality itself.
Bluegrass
John Paul Jones
Lightning, the White Stallion
Barney Ingram
When a stolen white stallion escapes his captors, young Stephanie Ward gives him a new home and a new name: Lightning. As she grooms the horse for show-jumping competition, the pair forms an unbreakable bond. But when Stephanie finds herself in need of an expensive operation, and Lightning's original owner tracks him down, Stephanie sets all her hopes on first prize at the Nationals - and on the horse who's become her best friend!
Little Spies
James Turner (The Hermit)
When a runaway stray dog is rescued by the local neighborhood kids, they discover a nearby gang is involved.
There Must Be a Pony
Himself (uncredited)
Marguerite Sydney is a celebrated Hollywood star attempting a comeback after a stay in a mental hospital, as well as trying to re-establish a relationship with her teenage son, and risking a romance with a mysterious stranger.
The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Jack Bergan
After two attempts to kidnap a little girl Mike Hammer is hired to protect her.
The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn
Self
In this tribute to her frequent co-star and longtime love, Katharine Hepburn hosts a behind-the-scenes look at Spencer Tracy's personal and professional life that features intimate personal accounts, interviews and clips from his most acclaimed work on the silver screen.
The Care Bears Movie
Mr. Cherrywood (voice)
The Care Bears have their work cut out for them, because Nicolas, a lonely magician's assistant, is about to fall under the evil influence of a bad spirit who lives in an ancient magic book -- it seems Nicolas will do just about anything for friends. Aside from Nicolas, Kim and Jason are in trouble because they are starting not to trust people after suffering many disappointments.
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archival footage)
William Shatner, Liz Taylor and many more stars blow lines, lose their pants and more in this hilarious collection of movie and TV bloopers.
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Mike Halligan
A man suddenly dies and makes a deal with the Archangel of Heaven to return to Earth for a week until Christmas, to show his grandson what a real white Christmas in New York is like.
Bill: On His Own
Bill Sackter
Bill Sackter struggles to cope after his best friend and guardian, Barry Morrow and his wife Beverly move away. Bill moves into a group home run by Mae Driscoll who teaches him how to read. Bill soon discovers his religious heritage, overcoming the fire that accidentally destroyed his small canteen business, and then travels to California to search for the Morrows.
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Himself (archive footage)
Out-takes (mostly from Warner Bros.), promotional shorts, movie premieres, public service pleas, wardrobe tests, documentary material, and archival footage make up this star-studded voyeuristic look at the Golden age of Hollywood during the 30s, 40, and 50.
Errol Flynn: Portrait of a Swashbuckler
Self
Narrated by actor Christopher Lee, this documentary details the life of timeless Hollywood adventure hero and sex symbol Errol Flynn, who swung his way into the hearts of the world's moviegoers with a sword and an errant grin. Interviews with friends and family balance a collection of clips from classic films such as The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Charge of the Light Brigade and Captain Blood, revealing the man behind the movie star.
Showbiz Goes to War
Archive Footage
While a few Hollywood celebrities such as James Stewart and Clark Gable saw combat during World War II, the majority used their talents to rally the American public through bond sales, morale-boosting USO tours, patriotic war dramas and escapist film fare. Comedian David Steinberg plays host for this star-studded, 90-minute documentary, which looks at the way Tinseltown helped the United States' war effort.
The Emperor of Peru
The Engineer
Two children deal with the arrival of a foster brother, a Cambodian refugee. All three of them discover a hermetic retired railway engineer living in the woods. Then the children find an abandoned locomotive and, with the help of the engineer, bring it back to working order.
Night of 100 Stars
Self
The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event, for which ticket-buyers payed up to $1,000 a seat (tax-deductible as a contribution to the Actors' Fund) was billed as "The Night of 100 Stars" but, actually, around 230 stars took part. And most of the audience of 5,800 had no idea in advance that they were paying to see a TV taping, complete with long waits for set and costume changes, tape rewinding, and the like. Executive producer Alexander Cohen estimated that the 5,800 Radio City Music Hall seats sold out at prices ranging from $25 to $1,000. The show itself cost about $4 million to produce and was expected to yield around $2 million for the new addition to the Actors Fund retirement home in Englewood, N. J. ABC is reputed to have paid more than $5 million for the television rights.
Hollywood’s Children
Self (archive footage)
A documentary about child actors in Hollywood, exploring their history from the early days of film.
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
A collection of bloopers and outtakes from an enormous selection of Hollywood classic productions spanning from the 1930s through the 1980s.
Senior Trip
Self
A group of graduating students from a midwestern high school comes to New York City on a trip to celebrate the impending end of school. The students include: Roger Ellis, an ambitious teen aiming for success in big business; David, an aspiring rock star; Judy Matheson, a stagestruck coed actress wannabe; Denise, a free-spirited girl hoping to obtain a degree of sophistication; Fred, a lotharo looking for any Big City woman to be with; and Jon Lipton, a would-be artist hoping to make it big. Mickey Rooney also appears briefly as himself during the backstage scene at the musical "Sugar Babies."
Bill
Bill Sackter
Bill, an intellectually disabled man, ventures out into the world for the first time, having spent most of his life in a dreary inner city institution. He is taken in by a kind family and learns what it means to love and be loved for the first time in his life.
The Fox and the Hound
Tod (voice)
When a feisty little fox named Tod is adopted into a farm family, he quickly becomes friends with a fun and adorable hound puppy named Copper. Life is full of hilarious adventures until Copper is expected to take on his role as a hunting dog -- and the object of his search is his best friend!
Leave 'Em Laughing
Jack Thum
Real-life clown Jack Thum, along with his devoted wife, Shirlee, cared for dozens of homeless children — 37 of them over the years — in the Chicago area, all of whom come back to visit when they discover he's terminally ill.
Creole
Narrator
A BAFTA award nominated animation.
My Kidnapper, My Love
The Maker
Small-time crook Rooney cons his crippled brother, a street-wise news vendor, into snatching a wealthy, emotionally-disturbed runaway to extort money from her parents, but the brother throws the get-rich-quick scheme awry by falling in love with her.
From Raquel with Love
Himself
Musical Special designed to showcase the minimal talents of Raquel Welch. Highlights include: a scene featuring Welch and Mickey Rooney, portraying a cab driver with seemingly magical abilities; a scene featuring Welch in a subway station performing a medley and dance sequence; a scene wherein Welch attempts to sing “Money Makes the World Go Round”; Raquel performing a version of “We Are Family” in a martial arts training class; Rooney and Welch performing “Heaven on Earth”; Welch performing “Don’t Rain on My Parade” while escaping from a straitjacket; Welch performing “A Quiet Thing”; and Welch and Rooney performing “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.”
The Black Stallion
Henry Dailey
While traveling with his father, young Alec becomes fascinated by a mysterious Arabian stallion that is brought on board and stabled in the ship he is sailing on. When it tragically sinks both he and the horse survive only to be stranded on a deserted island. He befriends it, so when finally rescued both return to his home where they soon meet Henry Dailey, a once successful trainer. Together they begin training the horse to race against the fastest ones in the world.
Arabian Adventure
Daad El Shur
An evil caliph (Christopher Lee) offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to a prince if he can complete a perilous quest for a magical rose. Helped by a young boy and a magic carpet, Prince Hasan (Oliver Tobias), has to overcome genies, fire breathing monsters and treacherous swamps to reach his prize and claim the hand of the Princess Zuleira (Emma Samms).
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
Santa Claus (voice)
Winterbolt is trying to make the North Pole his evil wonderland, and it is up to Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and others to stop him.
Donovan's Kid
Old Bailey
Timothy Donovan, a con-man, returns to San Francisco to see his wife and daughter. Realizing his family is under the control of his wife's domineering uncle, Timothy Donovan teams up with a fellow con-man to free them.
Mickey's 50
Self
"Mickey's 50" is a 90-minute special that aired on The Wonderful World of Disney on November 19, 1978. The special was made to commemorate the 50th birthday of Mickey Mouse and highlights many moments in his career.
The Magic of Lassie
Gus
Lassie is claimed from his family by a "former owner" and then braves a cross country trip to rejoin the ones that love her.
Pete's Dragon
Lampie
Pete, a young orphan, runs away to a Maine fishing town with his best friend a lovable, sometimes invisible dragon named Elliott! When they are taken in by a kind lighthouse keeper, Nora, and her father, Elliott's prank playing lands them in big trouble. Then, when crooked salesmen try to capture Elliott for their own gain, Pete must attempt a daring rescue.
The Domino Principle
Spiventa
Roy Tucker, a Vietnam war veteran with excellent shooting skills, is serving a long prison sentence when a mysterious visitor promises him that he will be released if he agrees to carry out a dangerous assignment.
Find the Lady
Trigger
Two hoodlums, Trigger (Mickey Rooney) & Leo (Dick Emery) are hired by the unscrupulous J.K. (Peter Cook) to kidnap his niece Victoria (Alexandra Bastedo). The daughter of a wealthy businessman has been kidnapped, and the chief of police, under a lot of pressure to find her as soon as possible, assigns officers Kopek (John Candy) and Broom (Lawrence Dane) to track her down and bring her back safe and sound.
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire present more golden moments from the MGM film library, this time including comedy and drama as well as classic musical numbers.
Rachel's Man
Laban
The Biblical love story of Rachel and Jacob is adapted for the screen as Rachel's father forces them to wait seven years before they can marry, but fate intervenes as Rachel's sister sleeps with Jacob and bears him a child.
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
A collection of film clips profiling animal actors.
From Hong Kong with Love
Marty
Bons baisers de Hong Kong (From Hong Kong with Love) is a 1975 French film directed by Yvan Chiffre. It is a parody of James Bond movies featuring Les Charlots with scenes shot in Hong Kong. Mickey Rooney featured in the film as well as Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell, stars of the James Bond films who appeared as M and Moneypenny respectively.
Ace of Hearts
Papa Joe
A writer who has failled profesionally and overcoming an emotional crisis makes a drastic decision during a poker game, he bets his life.
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
Period music, film clips and newsreel footage combined into a visual exploration of the American entertainment industry during the Great Depression.
The Lion Roars Again
Himself (uncredited)
A chronicle of the 1975 International Press Conclave hosted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer over two days in May 1975.
The Intruder
Capt. Jenkins
The lust for gold and the reading of a will brings eleven visitors to a remote island retreat, but an unseen, seemingly unstoppable evil follows to stalk them one by one. The bodies don't stop dropping until the final shattering conclusion. Who - or what - is the intruder? One thing is for certain: it will not stop until it kills them all.
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Santa Claus (voice)
Feeling forgotten by the children of the world, old St. Nick decides to skip his gift-giving journey and take a vacation. Mrs. Claus and two spunky little elves, Jingle and Jangle, set out to see to where all the season's cheer has disappeared. Aided by a magical snowfall, they reawaken the spirit of Christmas in children's hearts and put Santa back in action.
Journey Back to Oz
The Scarecrow (voice)
Revisit the enchanting Land of Oz as Dorothy and Toto return to find the Scarecrow as ruler of the Emerald City. Unfortunately for the new mayor, the wicked Mombi is conspiring to take over the city for herself. With the help of the Tin Woodsman, the Cowardly Lion and other familiar friends, the brave lass from Kansas sets out to save Oz. This animated musical film features an impressive voice cast, including Liza Minnelli and Ethel Merman.
That's Entertainment!
Self - Host / Narrator
Various MGM stars from yesterday present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50 year history.
Thunder County
Gas Station Attendant
Four women escape from a prison and wind up stranded in a swamp with a lecherous redneck after them. Meanwhile, an federal agent tracks a ring of heroin smugglers through the same swamp.
The Godmothers
Writer
Two brothers pose as women to avoid marrying a mobster's ugly daughter.
The Godmothers
Rocky Mastrasso
Two brothers pose as women to avoid marrying a mobster's ugly daughter.
Pulp
Preston Gilbert
A seedy writer of sleazy pulp novels is recruited by a quirky, reclusive ex-actor to help him write his biography at his house in Malta.
Richard
Guardian Angel
A satirical biopic of a fictional US president Richard, who in many ways intentionally resembles the then-current real life U.S. president, Richard Nixon.
Fol-de-Rol
The Executioner / Noah
A filmed version of Sid and Marty Krofft's 1968 live puppet show, set at a medieval fair. The special was a pilot for a weekly series.
Evil Roy Slade
Nelson L. Stool
Orphaned and left in the desert as an infant, Evil Roy Slade (John Astin) grew up alone—save for his teddy bear—and mean. As an adult, he is notorious for being the "meanest villain in the West"—so he's thrown for quite a loop when he falls for sweet schoolteacher Betsy Potter (Pamela Austin). There's also Nelson L. Stool (Mickey Rooney), a railroad tycoon, who, along with his dimwitted nephew Clifford (Henry Gibson), is trying to get revenge on Evil Roy Slade for robbing him.
Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Mickey Rooney (uncredited)
A dog tries to become a canine star with the help of Zsa Zsa Gabor.
The Manipulator
B.J. Lang
An insane Hollywood makeup artist kidnaps a woman and keeps her prisoner in a prop-filled warehouse.
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
Kris Kringle aka Santa Claus (voice)
A postman, S.D. Kluger, decides to answer some of the most common questions about Santa Claus, and tells us about a baby named Kris who is raised by a family of elf toymakers named Kringle. When Kris grows up, he wants to deliver toys to the children of Sombertown. But its Mayor is too mean to let that happen. And to make things worse, the Winter Warlock lives between the Kringles and Sombertown.
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
Indian Tom
A simple-minded blacksmith named Charley, well loved by the townsfolk, saves for a year to send off for a mail-order bride.
80 Steps to Jonah
Wilfred Bashford
Wayne Newton stars as an accused thug hiding out at a camp for blind children.
The Comic
Cockeye
An account of the rise and fall of a silent film comic, Billy Bright. The movie begins with his funeral, as he speaks from beyond the grave in a bitter tone about his fate, and takes us through his fame, as he ruins it with womanizing and drink, and his fall, as a lonely, bitter old man unable to reconcile his life's disappointments. The movie is based loosely on the life of Buster Keaton.
The Extraordinary Seaman
Cook 3 / C W.J. Oglethorpe
Marooned sailors discover a World War II ship haunted by its late captain.
Skidoo
George 'Blue Chips' Packard
Ex-gangster Tony Banks is called out of retirement by mob kingpin God to carry out a hit on fellow mobster "Blue Chips" Packard. When Banks demurs, God kidnaps his daughter Darlene on his luxury yacht.
Vienna
Orson Welles talks fantasy and magic in this short Vienna travelogue.
The Devil in Love
Adramelek
Two devils from Hell are sent to Earth to cause trouble. Belfagor and his faithful sidekick Adramalek must start a war between Rome and Florence in 1478.
Ambush Bay
Sgt. Ernest Wartell
A Marine unit on a Japanese-held island in the Philippines tries to hook up with local Filipino guerrillas.
Hollywood My Home Town
Ken Murray narrates his 16mm home movies shot over 35 years in Hollywood.
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
Peachy Keane
When he's stationed in Tahiti, a sailor hires a witch doctor to keep an eye on his girlfriend.
Twenty-Four Hours to Kill
Norman Jones
When a jet airliner with engine trouble lands in Beirut for a twenty-four hour stopover, purser 'Jonesey' fears his life is in danger from a gold-smuggling gang whom he double-crossed on a previous trip. So begins a day of chilling suspense, as he and other crew members find themselves embroiled in a desperate race to get out of the country alive!
The Secret Invasion
Terence Scanlon
During World War II, convicts are recruited by the Allies for an extremely hazardous mission.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Ding 'Dingy' Bell
A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Army
Mountain Rivera is a veteran heavyweight and near-champion who suddenly finds himself washed up in the only trade he knows—prizefighting. Yet, threatened by gangsters for welshing on a gambling debt, Mountain’s opportunistic manager, Maish Rennick, schemes to get the ex-boxer into a phony wrestling match to make some quick money. Although he and his loyal trainer, Army, oppose the degrading proposition, the disillusioned Mountain begins to wonder if he has any options left.
Everything's Ducky
Kermit 'Beetle' McKay
Everything's Ducky is a 1961 film directed by Don Taylor and starring Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, and Jackie Cooper. Two sailors sneak a talking duck aboard their ship. Complications ensue. The duck waddles all over the ship until he escapes.
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Mr. Yunioshi
Holly Golightly is an eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. But when young writer Paul Varjak moves into her apartment building, her past threatens to get in their way.
Who Killed Julie Greer?
Mike Zampini
Amos Burke is an L.A. cop who's inherited millions and usually arrives at crime scenes in a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce. Investigating the death of actress Julie Greer, he finds lots of suspects - but the killer's identity surprises him.
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
Johnny Burke
Gambler Arnold Rothstein marries an actress, avenges his buddy and meets an underworld fate.
Platinum High School
Steven Conway
At an exclusive military academy on Sabre Island, rich young delinquents think money puts them above the law. Enter Steve Conway - there to investigate the death of his son, who he had been told died in an accident.
The Private Lives of Adam and Eve
Director
A modern couple dream that they are Adam and Eve.
The Private Lives of Adam and Eve
Nick Lewis / The Devil
A modern couple dream that they are Adam and Eve.
The Big Operator
Little Joe Braun
A power-mad union boss resorts to murder to eliminate witnesses scheduled to testify against him. The eclectic cast includes Mickey Rooney, Mamie Van Doren, Mel Torme, Jay North, Vampira, Charles Chaplin Jr., Jackie Coogan and Norman Grabowski.
The Last Mile
'Killer' John Mears
Jail house tensions mount as a killer's execution approaches.
Andy Hardy Comes Home
Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy, now a grown man with a wife and children, returns to his hometown on a business trip and finds himself getting mixed up in local politics.
A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed
Gus Harris
Two bunglers (Tom Ewell, Mickey Rooney) rob a bank and buy a racehorse, then try to rob another bank.
Baby Face Nelson
Lester M. 'Baby Face Nelson' Gillis
Famed Depression-era gangster “Baby Face Nelson” (Mickey Rooney) robs and kills while accompanied by his beautiful moll (Carolyn Jones).
Pinocchio
Pinocchio
Pinocchio is a 1957 TV musical broadcast shown live on NBC, directed and choreographed by Hanya Holm. This version features songs by Alec Wilder.
The Comedian
Sammy Hogarth
Sammy Hogarth, a vaudeville comedian who now has his own TV show, is a ruthless egomaniac who demands instant obedience from his staff and heaps abuse on those in lesser positions than his. His most vituperative behavior, however, is reserved for his weak-willed brother, Lester, whom Sammy has hired as his assistant but whom he really uses as his whipping boy.
Operation Mad Ball
MSgt. Yancy Skibo
In this wacky military spoof, Lemmon plays a terminally bored Army private waging a war of wits as he tries to throw a party under the nose of his obnoxious commanding officer.
Magnificent Roughnecks
Frank Sommers
Two oilmen coax a cook, an oilwoman and a gusher in South America.
Francis in the Haunted House
David Prescott
A Ha-Ha-Haunted House Has Got 'Em! ...and it's every ghost for himself!
The Bold and the Brave
Willie Dooley
An assortment of American types come together in the Italian campaign of 1944.
The Twinkle In God's Eye
Rev. William Macklin II
A new parson arrives in the mining town of Lodestone and attempts to build a church. Western.
The Atomic Kid
Barnaby 'Blix' Waterberry
A uranium prospector is eating a peanut butter sandwich in the desert where atom bomb tests are being done. He becomes radioactive, and helps the FBI break up an enemy spy ring.
The Atomic Kid
Producer
A uranium prospector is eating a peanut butter sandwich in the desert where atom bomb tests are being done. He becomes radioactive, and helps the FBI break up an enemy spy ring.
The Bridges at Toko-Ri
Mike Forney
A naval aviator is assigned to bomb a group of heavily defended bridges during the Korean War.
Drive a Crooked Road
Eddie Shannon
A mechanic gets caught up with the mob when he falls for a gangster's girlfriend.
A Slight Case of Larceny
Augustus "Geechy" Cheevers
Two nitwits decide to open a gas station.
Screen Snapshots: Mickey Rooney, Then and Now
Himself
Mickey Rooney, plugging his latest Columbia film, stops by Ralph Staub's editing room and film vault, and the two of them watch clips from Rooney's films, dating back as far as the Mickey McGuire comedies.
All Ashore
Francis 'Moby' Dickerson
Three sailors finally get some shore leave, and go in search of fun and girls.
Off Limits
Herbert Tuttle
Wally Hogan has things going his way. He is the manager-trainer of Bullet Bradley, a fighter who has just won the lightweight championship. However, life suddenly takes a not-so-happy turn when Bullet gets drafted.
Sound Off
Mike Donnelly
An obnoxious nightclub comedian at Ciro's is drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. At his arrival at his basic training he meets a WAC Lieutenant and romantically pursues her. His activities irritate his drill sergeant and the entire army when he goes Absent without Official Leave for her. He is imprisoned and sentenced to thirty days hard labour that turns him into a soldier. At the end of the film he is shipped overseas to join the Special Services.
The Strip
Stanley Maxton
Drummer Stanley Maxton moves to Los Angeles with dreams of opening his own club, but falls in with a gangster and a nightclub dancer and ends up accused of murder.
My Outlaw Brother
Executive Producer
Danny, a greenhorn from New York comes to the Mexican border in search for his older brother whom he has always looked up to. A Texas Ranger charged with bringing in, El Tigre and his gang of bandits, takes Danny under his wing.
My Outlaw Brother
J. Dennis 'Denny' O'Moore
Danny, a greenhorn from New York comes to the Mexican border in search for his older brother whom he has always looked up to. A Texas Ranger charged with bringing in, El Tigre and his gang of bandits, takes Danny under his wing.
My True Story
Director
Ann Martin (Helen Walker) is serving time as a jewel thief. She is paroled and determined to stay clean. She quickly finds out that she was paroled by an old, vicious boss that has picked her for a job. It is dangerous for her to say yes or no.
The Fireball
Johnny Casar
Johnny Casar runs away from the orphanage to start a successful career as a roller skater and after setbacks learns to curb his ruthlessness and ambition.
Quicksand
Daniel 'Dan' Brady
Young auto mechanic Dan Brady takes $20 from a cash register at work to go on a date with blonde femme fatale Vera Novak. Brady intends to put the money back before it is missed, but the garage's bookkeeper shows up earlier than scheduled. As Brady scrambles to cover evidence of his petty theft, he fast finds himself drawn into an ever worsening "quicksand" of crime.
He's a Cockeyed Wonder
Freddie Frisby
An orange packer (Mickey Rooney) foils robbers with magic and wins the boss's (William Demarest) daughter (Terry Moore).
The Big Wheel
Billy Coy
The ambitious son of an accomplished race driver struggles to outrun his father's legacy and achieve his own successes.
Words and Music
Lorenz Hart
Encomium to Larry Hart (1895-1943), seen through the fictive eyes of his song-writing partner, Richard Rodgers (1902-1979): from their first meeting, through lean years and their breakthrough, to their successes on Broadway, London, and Hollywood. We see the fruits of Hart and Rodgers' collaboration - elaborately staged numbers from their plays, characters' visits to night clubs, and impromptu performances at parties. We also see Larry's scattered approach to life, his failed love with Peggy McNeil, his unhappiness, and Richard's successful wooing of Dorothy Feiner.
Summer Holiday
Richard Miller
Danville, Connecticut at the turn of the century. Young Richard Miller lives in a middle-class neighborhood with his family. He is in love with the girl next-door, Muriel, but her father isn't too happy with their puppy-love, since Richard always share his revolutionary ideas with her.
Killer McCoy
Tommy McCoy / Killer McCoy
Tommy McCoy grew up poor and scrappy. As a young man he discovers that he can fight with his powerful right arm. He becomes successful at boxing, however he has an alcoholic father.
Love Laughs at Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy goes to college after serving in the war and finds his sweetheart is engaged to someone else.
Mickey the Great
Mickey McGuire
A group of young actresses reminisces about their days as part of a gang of kids, headed by Mickey McGuire. Their memories take the form of clips from episodes of the long running Mickey McGuire series of short comedies.
National Velvet
Michael 'Mi' Taylor
Mi Taylor is a young wanderer and opportunist who finds himself in the quiet English countryside home of the Brown family. The youngest daughter, Velvet, has a passion for horses and when she wins the spirited steed Pie in a town lottery, Mi is encouraged to train the horse.
Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble
Andy Hardy
Andy is going to Wainwright College as did his father. He sees a pretty blonde on the train and he is alternately winked at or slapped every time he sees her. Andy is clueless. On the train Andy meets Kay and Dr. Standish who are both headed for Wainwright. Andy likes Kay, but Dr. Standish also seems to take an interest in her. Things are going well at College with Kay, but the blonde is nice one minute and ignores Andy the next. When Andy finds out that the blonde is really identical twins, he tries to help them out with their father but gets caught at their rooming house after midnight.
Girl Crazy
Danny Churchill, Jr.
Rich kid Danny Churchill has a taste for wine, women and song, but not for higher education. So his father ships him to an all-male college out West where there's not supposed to be a female for miles. But before Danny arrives, he spies a pair of legs extending out from under a stalled roadster. They belong to the Dean's granddaughter, Ginger Gray, who is more interested in keeping the financially strapped college open than falling for Danny's romantic line. At least at first...
Show-Business at War
Self
A multi-studio effort to show the newsreel audience the progress of the Hollywood war effort.
The Human Comedy
Homer Macauley
Teenager Homer Macauley stays at home in small-town Ithaca to support his family while his older brother Marcus prepares to go to war.
Thousands Cheer
Himself - Emcee at the Show
Acrobat Eddie Marsh is in the army now. His first act is to become friendly with Kathryn Jones, the colonel's pretty daughter. Their romance hits a few snags, including disapproval from her father. Eddie's also plagued by fear of having an accident during his family's trapeze act in the army variety show, which also features a gallery of MGM stars.
Andy Hardy's Double Life
Andy Hardy
Andy is about to head off to college but he's got a few things to take care of before leaving. For starters, he must try and sell his junk car for $20 to pay for a bill and he must convince his father not to go with him to college. Worst of all is that Polly wants to make up but her best friend decides to give Andy a test.
A Yank at Eton
Timothy Dennis
An American playboy is sent to a British boarding school to learn discipline.
The Courtship of Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy
While Judge Hardy handles a couple's divorce, Andy takes a shine to their shy daughter.
Personalities
Andy Hardy (screen test footage) (uncredited)
In this "Romance of Celluloid", MGM showcases performers whose careers are just starting. Excerpts from their recently released films are included. The narrator says that moviegoers will have to decide whether these fledgling actors and actresses have that certain quality that made superstars out of MGM players Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Lana Turner.
Babes on Broadway
Tommy Williams
Penny Morris and Tommy Williams are both starstruck young teens but nobody seems to give them any chance to perform. Instead, they decide to put up their own show to collect money for a summer camp for the kids.
Life Begins for Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy
With his high school graduation behind him, Andy Hardy decides that as an adult, it's time to start living his life. Judge Hardy had hoped that his son would go to college and study law, but Andy isn't sure that's what he wants to do so he heads off to New York City to find a job. Too proud to accept any help from Betsy Booth, Andy finds that living on his own isn't so easy. With perseverance he eventually finds a job and even gets to date the pretty receptionist in his office. He also has to face several of life's lessons leading him to conclude that he may still have a bit of growing up to do.
Men of Boys Town
Whitey Marsh
Father Flanagan raises funds, helps a disabled boy, and saves an older boy from reform school.
Andy Hardy's Private Secretary
Andy Hardy
All set to graduate from high school , Andy Hardy flunks his English exam -- in spite of the fact that Aunt Milly is his teacher, and that the Judge has gone to all the trouble of getting him his very own private secretary.
Rodeo Dough
Mickey Rooney
After a trip to Hollywood, two young ladies attempt to hitchhike home but end up at a star filled rodeo.
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Self
This short documentary, presented and directed by MGM sound engineer Douglas Shearer, goes behind the scenes to look at how the sound portion of a talking picture is created.
Strike Up the Band
Jimmy Connors
Jimmy and Mary get a group of kids together to play in a school orchestra. A huge contest between schools is coming up and they have a hard time raising money to go to Chicago for the contest.
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Self
This 1940 presentation features highlights of earlier (1928 onward) Oscar ceremonies including Shirley Temple and Walt Disney, plus acceptance speeches for films released in 1939 with recipients and presenters including Vivien Leigh, Judy Garland, Hattie McDaniel, Fay Bainter, Mickey Rooney, Thomas Mitchell, Sinclair Lewis, and more, with host Bob Hope.
Andy Hardy Meets Debutante
Andy Hardy
Judge Hardy takes his family to New York City, where Andy quickly falls in love with a socialite. He finds the high society life too expensive, and eventually decides that he liked it better back home.
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Self
This short promotes the premise that movies often create a demand for the fashions seen in them. It starts with a vignette in rural America. A mother and daughter go to town to buy a new dress. In the dress shop window is a designer dress worn by Joan Crawford in a recent movie. We then go to Hollywood and visit Adrian, MGM's chief of costume design, and see how multiple copies of a single clothing pattern are produced. The film ends with short segments of several MGM features.
Young Tom Edison
Thomas Alva 'Tom' Edison
Inventor Thomas Edison's boyhood is chronicled and shows him as a lad whose early inventions and scientific experiments usually end up causing disastrous results. As a result, the towns folk all think Tom is crazy, and creating a strained relationship between Tom and his father. Tom's only solace is his understanding mother who believes he's headed to do great things.
Andy Hardy's Dilemma: A Lesson in Mathematics... and Other Things
Andy Hardy
Andy wants to buy a new car so he goes into the judge's home office where his father is about to write a $200 check to charity. He asks his dad for the $200 and they go used car shopping.
Judge Hardy and Son
Andy Hardy
Judge Hardy guides Andy through problems with girls, money and an essay contest.
Babes in Arms
Mickey Moran
Mickey Moran, son of two vaudeville veterans, decides to put up his own vaudeville show with his girlfriend Patsy Barton. But child actress Rosalie wants to make a comeback and replace Patsy both professionally and as Mickey's girl.
Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever
Andy Hardy
Young Andy develops a crush on his drama teacher. When his play is chosen as the school's annual production, Andy seizes the opportunity to spend as much time as possible with his pretty teacher. Meanwhile, Judge Hardy has his own problems when he gets conned into forming a phony aluminum corporation.
From the Ends of the Earth
Self
An MGM short showing how materials are shipped by boat 'From the Ends of the Earth' to Hollywood. Featuring footage from the MGM films being made at the time. Such as The Women, Thunder Afloat, Siren of the Tropics, Ninotchka, Northwest Passage, and At the Circus.
The Hardys Ride High
Andy Hardy
Sixth of the Judge Hardy series. Judge James K. Hardy is brought the fabulous news from attorney George Irving, that he could be the heir to 2 million dollars. In order to claim the inheritance, he and his family must leave for Detroit. The disinherited heir Philip 'Phil' Westcott, adopted son of the deceased relative, has to leave the fabulous mansion Detroit. But the playboy Phil ain't going down without a fight. He decides on a charm offensive. First with Polly Benedict and foremost Andrew 'Andy' Hardy, the son of Judge Hardy.
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
Mickey Rooney
Ice skating is the theme; at the Tropical Ice Garden, in Westwood Hills, are seen a flock of skating stars including Irene Dare and Phyllis Ann Thomoson, as well as Hollywood luminaries such as Franklyn Pangborn, Norma Shearer, Rita Hayworth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Purcell and Ann Sheridan.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry Finn, a rambunctious boy adventurer chafing under the bonds of civilization, escapes his humdrum world and his selfish, plotting father by sailing a raft down the Mississippi River.
Loews Christmas Greeting (The Hardy Family)
Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy and the rest of the Hardy family wake up Christmas morning to gifts and give a holiday greeting to viewers.
Out West with the Hardys
Andy Hardy
Judge Hardy goes to his friend's Arizona ranch to help her in a legal dispute, and he takes his family with him.
Stablemates
Mickey
A boozy former veterinarian and a teenage orphan team together with dreams of entering a broken-down horse in the big race.
Boys Town
Whitey Marsh
Devout but iron-willed Father Flanagan leads a community called Boys Town, a different sort of juvenile detention facility where, instead of being treated as underage criminals, the boys are shepherded into making themselves better people. But hard-nosed petty thief and pool shark Whitey Marsh, the impulsive and violent younger brother of an imprisoned murderer, might be too much for the good father's tough-love system.
Love Finds Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy becomes entangled with three different girls all at the same time.
Lord Jeff
Terry O'Mulvaney
Spoiled child Geoffrey Bramer teams up with a pair of small time crooks to pose as an aristocrat and steal jewelry from exclusive shops. During a a caper, Geoffrey is caught and is sentenced to a reformatory where young men are trained to be sailors. He is befriended by model in-mate Terry O'Mulvaney but soon starts to get them both in trouble.
Hollywood Handicap
Himself
A group of stable hands is given a race horse when its owner retires from the business. They raise money to run the horse in the Hollywood Derby at Santa Anita race track. Many Hollywood personalities attend the event.
Hold That Kiss
Chick Evans
Two young people meet at a wedding and begin dating, each thinking the other is extremely wealthy. Comedy.
Judge Hardy's Children
Andy Hardy
Judge Hardy takes a business trip to Washington, DC, where Andy promptly falls for the French ambassador's daughter.
Another Romance of Celluloid
Self (uncredited)
This second entry in MGM's "Romance of Film" series documents how celluloid movie film is processed and features behind-the-scenes glimpses of current MGM productions.
Love Is a Headache
Mike O'Toole
A press agent for a Broadway actress whose career is going downhill, attempts to get her some publicity by having her adopt two orphans, without her knowledge.
March of Dimes
Mickey
Judy and Mickey make a plea for folks to send in money to help fight polio.
You're Only Young Once
Andy Hardy
Andy Hardy and his sister find romance during a family vacation in Catalina.
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry
Timmie Donovan
Cricket West is a hopeful actress with a plan and a pair of vocal chords that bring down the house. Along with her eccentric aunt, she plays host to the local jockeys, whose leader is the cocky but highly skilled Timmie Donovan. A young English gentleman comes to town convincing Donovan to ride his horse in a high stakes race.
Live, Love and Learn
Jerry Crump
A starving, uncompromising artist and an heiress fall in love on first sight and immediately get married. She loves his outrageous behaviour, his strange room-mate and the best apartment poverty can buy.
Hoosier Schoolboy
Shockey Carter
A schoolteacher comes to a new town and finds herself caught up in the town's problems and disputes.
Captains Courageous
Dan Troop
Harvey, the arrogant and spoiled son of an indulgent absentee-father, falls overboard from a transatlantic steamship and is rescued by a fishing vessel on the Grand Banks. Harvey fails to persuade them to take him ashore, nor convince the crew of his wealth. The captain offers him a low-paid job, until they return to port, as part of the crew that turns him into a mature, considerate young man.
Slave Ship
Swifty
Action-filled drama about a ship captain, ashamed of his background in the slave trade, forced against his will to again transport human cargo.
A Family Affair
Andy Hardy
Judge Hardy faces problems at work and at home. Powerful men in town are upset with his decisions and want to see him impeached; his daughters, Joan and Marion, have romantic problems; and his son, Andy discovers Polly Benedict. As usual, Judge Hardy is concerned with everyone in the family and lends wisdom and calmness to all.
Cinema Circus
Himself
Actor Lee Tracy presides as ringmaster over a show that combines the best elements of cinema with the circus, what he calls a Cinema Circus. Tracy introduces a number of professional circus acts, plus a cavalcade of movie stars who have side shows under the open air big tent. There is as much action in the audience as Tracy identifies a number of movie stars watching the proceedings incognito, having their own fun in the stands, and sometimes interacting with the circus acts.
The Devil Is a Sissy
'Gig' Stevens
A well-bred young English lad living in lower Manhattan tries to gain acceptance from his not-so-well-bred peers at school.
Down the Stretch
Snapper Sinclair
A jockey tries to overcome the reputation of his father, who once threw a race.
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Dick Tipton
An American boy turns out to be the heir of a wealthy British earl. He is sent to live with the irritable and unsentimental aristocrat, his grandfather.
Riffraff
Jimmy
Fisherman Dutch marries cannery worker Hattie. After he is kicked out of his union and fired from his job he leaves Hattie who steals money for him and goes to jail. He gets a new job, foils a plot to dynamite the ship, and promises to wait for Hattie.
A Dream Comes True
Puck (archive footage) (uncredited)
A promotional short to hype the production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935).
Ah, Wilderness!
Tommy Miller
At the turn of the century, a young man graduates high school and realizes the joys and sorrows of growing up, with some loving help and guidance from his wise father. A tender, coming-of-age story, with a wonderful look at a long-gone, but fondly remembered, small town America.
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle
Mickey Rooney (uncredited)
Various Hollywood performers put on a pirate-themed variety show on Catalina Island, with a number of amiable stars in the audience.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Puck
A film adaptation by Max Reinhardt of his popular stage productions of Shakespeare's comedy. Four young people escape Athens to a forest where the king and queen of the fairies are quarreling, while meanwhile a troupe of amateur actors rehearses a play. When the fairy Puck uses a magic flower to make people fall in love, the whole thing becomes a little bit confused...
The Healer
Jimmy
A young doctor running a health farm for polio victims is dazzled by a pretty and wealthy society girl, to the detriment of his patients and the woman who really loves him.
Reckless
Eddie
A theatrical star, born on the wrong side of the tracks, marries a drunken blue-blood millionaire.
The County Chairman
Freckles
Based on George Ade's play which, in part, was based on an incident in a 1902 election in Wyoming, with women's-right-to-vote playing a large role. Here, Jim Hackler, local party-boss in a Wyoming county, has to decide to do what's right and lose the election, or what's wrong and win it.
Death on the Diamond
Mickey
Pop Clark is about to lose his baseball team, unless they can win the pennant so he can pay off debts. He hires ace player Larry Kelly to ensure the victory. As well as rival teams, mobsters are trying to prevent the wins, and as the pennant race nears the end, Pop's star players begin to be killed, on and off the field. Can Larry romance Pop's daughter, win enough games, and still have time to stop a murderer before he strikes more than three times?
Chained
Boy Shipboard Swimmer (uncredited)
Richard, a millionaire in love with his secretary, Diane, is dispirited when his wife refuses to divorce him. Concerned that Diane will now lose interest, Richard offers her an all-expense-paid cruise to Argentina so that she can think it over. While traveling, however, Diane falls in love with fellow traveler Mike. She resolves to come clean to Richard, but upon return she becomes conflicted when she finds out he was able to get divorced after all.
Hide-Out
William 'Willie' Miller
Wounded criminal Lucky Wilson takes refuge in a small Connecticut farm. He falls in love with the farmer's daughter who at first is unaware of his criminal record. Lucky is fully prepared to shoot his way out when the cops come calling, but he is softened by the daughter's affections.
Blind Date
Freddie Taylor
A young woman is torn between a wealthy suitor who wants her body and the honest young man who wants what's best for her.
Half a Sinner
Willie Clark
A con man poses as a hillbilly preacher.
Mickey's Medicine Man
Mickey McGuire
The final Mickey McGuire comedy finds Mickey and the gang putting together a medicine show in order to help out Hambone's Uncle Nemo.
Love Birds
Gladwyn Tootle
ZaSu Pitts and Slim Summerville meet when both are sold deeds to an abandoned ranch in the California desert. Their lonely lives become much more crowded when a drifter discovers gold on the property—though all he’s found is Slim’s missing filling. (adapted from MoMA capsule)
Manhattan Melodrama
Blackie as a Boy
The friendship between two orphans endures even though they grow up on opposite sides of the law and fall in love with the same woman.
I Like it That Way
Messenger Boy
A telephone operator gives up her job to try to be a nightclub singer.
Mickey's Rescue
Mickey McGuire
When Billy get adopted by a rich couple, Mickey and the gang spring into action to bring their pal back home.
Beloved
Tommy, a Violin Student
Story about four generations in a family of musicians.
Mickey's Minstrels
Mickey McGuire
In order to pay back Stinky Davis, Mickey becomes an organ grinder, and later put on a minstrel show.
Mickey's Covered Wagon
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang go prospecting, but find themselves in a haunted house.
The World Changes
Otto Peterson as a Child
Generational saga tracing the events in the lives of the midwest pioneering Nordholm family, as seen through the eyes of businessman Orin Nordholm Jr., who ages from a youth to an elderly grandfather.
The Chief
Willie
The dim-witted son of a heroic fire chief tries to follow in his late father's footsteps, only to become the unknowing pawn of corrupt politicians.
Mickey's Tent Show
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang put on their own circus, but Stinky Davis and his pals constantly try to disrupt it.
Mickey's Touchdown
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang get ready for a big game of football. But Stinky Davis has a few tricks up his sleeve to stop the gang from winning. Special guest star USC coach Howard Jones.
Broadway to Hollywood
Ted Hackett III as Child
In this through-the-years saga about a show business family, the fame of husband and wife vaudeville headliners of the 1880s is eclipsed by their son.
The Big Chance
Arthur Wilson
Gangsters try to get a boxer to throw an important fight.
The Life of Jimmy Dolan
Freckles (uncredited)
Champion boxer Jimmy Dolan has cultivated a wholesome image for himself, but he's a boozer and womanizer behind the scenes. Intoxicated at a party, he punches a reporter who threatens to expose his hypocrisy, and accidentally kills him. Dolan panics and skips town, winding up on a farm that serves as a home for disabled children run by kindhearted Peggy. As the cynical Dolan falls for Peggy, he begins to change his ways.
The Big Cage
Jimmy O'Hara
A circus on the verge of bankruptcy decides to save itself by staging a animal act with lions and tigers for the first time.
Mickey's Race
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and his gang of children enter a mule in a racing contest.
Mickey's Ape Man
Mickey McGuire
Mickey, Stinky, and Billy all try to compete in an Ape Man contest.
Officer Thirteen
Buddy Malone
A motorcycle policeman's partner is deliberately run off the road and killed by a member of a syndicate that controls the gambling--and much of the justice system--in his town. When the killer is freed because of perjured testimony and the corrupt legal system, the dead officer's partner quits the force and vows to bring the killer to justice.
Fast Companions
Midge
A crooked jockey tries to reform.
My Pal, the King
King Charles V
The king of a European country, who is a child, meets the cowboy star of a traveling circus.
High Speed
Buddy Whipple (uncredited)
A policeman, working on a case against a local mobster and his gang, slips on some race-car-driver overalls and goggles and, in addition to stopping the mobsters in their tracks, wins a few races and the love of the daughter of the racetrack owner.
Sin's Pay Day
Chubby Dennis
A woman married to a defense lawyer leaves him when he refuses to stop defending criminals she believes are guilty.
The Beast of the City
Mickey Fitzpatrick (uncredited)
Police Chief Jim Fitzpatrick is after gangster Sam Belmonte. He uses his corrupt brother Ed to watch over Daisy who was associated with Belmonte.
The Fisherman
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (voice)
Oswald and his girlfriend start out on a fishing trip and end up on an island with all kinds of crazy stuff going on.
The Hare Mail
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (voice)
A cat and his granddaughter have been robbed of their money. It's up to Oswald to get it back.
Mickey's Thrill Hunters
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang wind up in Harold Lloyd territory, when the kids work as window washers on a dangerous skyscraper.
Hot Feet
Oswald (voice) (uncredited)
Mickey's Wildcats
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang come across a baby. Billy Barty plays a dual role.
Radio Rhythm
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (voice)
Oswald is running a one-rabbit radio station, and all the other animals are listening in on their forest radios. Oswald does the announcing, acting and other programming jobs.
Mickey's Rebellion
Mickey McGuire
A.k.a. "Mickey's Revolution". Needing to raise money for their caddy friend, Mickey and the gang put on a show.
Mickey's Stampede
Mickey McGuire
A sound remake of "Mickey's Eleven", in which the gang play yet another game of football against Stinky Davis.
Mickey's Warriors
Mickey McGuire
A high society lady tries to bring peace between the Mickey's Scorpions and Stinky Davis' gang.
Mickey's Luck
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang become fire fighters. Features ridiculous stunts (including a car getting hit by a train, and Spencer Bell sharing a scene with a live lion).
The Voice of Hollywood No. 8
This time it's Ben Turpin as the nominal announcer, and several well known performers appear, including Myrna Loy. Madge Bellamy sings "The Last Rose of Summer" in a very sweet voice, and there are a couple of canned gag sequences.
Mickey's Champs
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the kids befriend a couple of tramps. But when the tramps are accused of stealing, Mickey and Hambone find themselves trying to expose who they think is the real crook: a doctor in a spooky house.
Mickey's Big Moment
Mickey McGuire
The film finds Mickey and Hambone trying to dig up some dirt on Stinky Davis' father.
Mickey's Mix-Up
Mickey McGuire
An early sound short, where Mickey and the gang put on another show.
Mickey's Surprise
Mickey McGuire
Rooney's second sound film. In it, we find Mickey and the gang putting on their own school performance.
Mickey's Northwest Mounted
Mickey McGuire
One of the last silent shorts in the series. Stinky invites Mickey and company to his rodeo. Plenty of lassoing, horse riding, and even a head-butting contest between Hambone and a goat!
Mickey's Brown Derby
Mickey McGuire
A Mickey McGuire comedy short starring Mickey Rooney.
Mickey's Explorers
Mickey McGuire
A.K.A. "Mickey's Brigade". Mickey and the gang try to become explorers, "like Columbus and all them guys".
Mickey's Great Idea
Mickey McGuire
The gang build their own airplane, and Mickey and Hambone go for a high-flying adventure when the plane supposedly starts to work.
Mickey's Big Game Hunt
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang go game hunting, and come across a live lion. No, seriously, we see eight year old Rooney share a scene with a real lion.
Mickey the Detective
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang play detective. Later, the dog gets stuck with a professor's time bomb.
Mickey's Movies
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang decide to make their own movie. Guest starring Hannah Washington (a poor man's Farina of the 1920's).
Mickey's Wild West
Mickey McGuire
Mickey Rooney and his gang play cowboys and indians out in the wild life.
Mickey's Little Eva
Mickey McGuire
Mickey in School
Mickey McGuire
It's the first day back at school for Mickey and the gang, which means plenty of pain for the schoolteacher. But things really heat up when a fire breaks out in the schoolhouse.
Mickey's Battle
Mickey McGuire
Mickey's Eleven
Mickey McGuire
Mickey and the gang play a game of football against Stinky Davis.
Mickey's Pals
Mickey McGuire
The second short from the "Mickey McGuire" film series. The series was based on Fontaine Fox's popular comic strip "Toonerville Trolley". "Mickey McGuire" was a popular rival to Hal Roach's Our Gang series. Perhaps the most notable note about the series is that it launched Mickey Rooney's film career. The film follows Mickey McGuire (Rooney) and his pals as they start a "Pet Xchange".
Mickey's Circus
Mickey McGuire
Orchids and Ermine
Mickey McGuire
Set in New York City, flapper Pink Watson works a telephone operator at a cement factory who dreams of marrying rich. Her constant daydreaming of wealth annoys her fellow workers, and ruins the heart of one of her worshiping colleagues.