Someone who signs their messages “Gary From Buffalo” sent me this…
Over the past several weeks you’ve described three criticisms of Mickey Rooney performances. This included his role in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, again in Everything’s Ducky and also a guest spot on The Red Skelton Show. The one that really surprised me was Mad World as I thought he was brilliant in that film (along with everyone else).
Considering Mickey’s status as a Hollywood icon, can you articulate what you don’t like about his performances? Is it a professional nuance or just a case of someone rubbing you the wrong way? Or perhaps you once had a negative personal experience with him? Inquiring minds would love to know!
As it turns out, I did have a slightly negative personal experience with Mr. Rooney but it didn’t reflect on him as an actor. I just kinda thought he was outta his mind and reasonable control in his later years. I saw him on panels and giving speeches a few times and he usually reported Show Business History that was clearly not true — but which he seemed to fervently believe. He’d also announce all sorts of forthcoming projects that were never forthcoming and on those panels, he wouldn’t let anyone else talk.
But none of that had anything to do with an opinion I had before I ever saw him misbehave that way. I just thought he was one of those “Hollywood icons” (to use your term) who didn’t deserve to be so labeled. He did a few outstanding dramatic roles but most of the time — and especially in comedies — I thought he wasn’t all that wonderful. In the case of Mad World, I didn’t think he was a great comedian on the level of Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters or the rest of his co-stars. If you liked him in that film, fine. I thought he was a weak link.
So here’s the story of my slightly negative personal encounter with Mr. Rooney…and I should say that I absolutely respect his years of service. I can respect a performer I don’t think is funny. The encounter occurred at one of those Hollywood Collector Shows out in Burbank. This one was in April of 2007 and Mr. Rooney was there to sell and autograph his then-recent autobiography — not to be confused with his first autobiography. He was around long enough to write two — and here, I’ll show you their covers…
I had a copy of the first one and I decided to take it along and see if I could have him sign it instead of signing the new book. Rooney had a little table piled high with the new one and he was accompanied by his eighth and final wife. That’s right: I said eighth. The man was married eight times. He and Wife #8 got hitched n 1978 and at the time of his death in 2014, they were still legally wed although they had separated in 2012 and he was probably on the hunt for #9.
#8 was named Jan and based on what I saw that afternoon, she was very nice and she was taking very good care of a man she clearly loved. The way their booth was set up, you got in line, she’d talk with you and sell you the book and take your money…then she’d pass the book over to Mickey and tell him the name, if any, to inscribe along with his signature. I had a very nice chat with her and then after I paid for the new book, I pulled out my copy of his old book and said, “Since he’s going to sing a book to me, would it be okay if he signed this one?”
Jan was amazed. She’d never seen that book before and she flipped through it and said, “Oh, you must be a real fan of his! He’ll be so happy that you brought this!” Then she turned to her hubby, showed him the book and said, “This gentleman’s name is Mark and he’d like you to sign this book instead!” Mickey was not so happy. He stared in horror at his first book and he yelled, “I’M NOT SIGNING THAT BOOK! I’M ONLY SIGNING MY NEW BOOK!”
I jumped in and said, “That’s fine. He can just sign the new book” but Jan started explaining to him that I’d paid for a book and an autograph…
Mickey cut her off and said, “I’m only signing books that people buy from me!” She said, “But he paid for an autograph. He’s obviously a huge fan of yours and he just wants the autograph in this book!”
Mickey yelled, “THE PRICE TO SIGN THAT BOOK IS ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS! NO, TWO HUNDRED!” I again tried to say it would be fine if he just signed the new one but Jan was determined to get me my autograph where I wanted it. She must have explained it to Mickey five or six times.
Finally, he got it and he signed the first book and he said to me, “You must be a real fan to have this one.” Then he told me he was working on his third autobiography which would be out for Christmas — and of course, it never materialized. He also told me about a documentary about his life which never was made and about a new acting school he was about to open but never did. I never got to ask him anything about Mad World before he turned his attention to the next buyer of his book.
About ten minutes later, I was a few yards about from Mickey Rooney’s table, talking with a friend of mine. Suddenly — and I have no idea what it was about — Mr. Rooney began screaming. It was largely unintelligible but clearly he was furious about something concerning the show, something concerning the person at the head of the line to have a book signed, something about the way everyone was treating him and something about Wife #8. He stormed out of the hall and I’m not sure he ever came back. He hadn’t by the time I left a half-hour later.
Watching him make his screaming exit, my friend said to me, “Well, there goes the shortest and oldest person at this show.” Whereupon I pointed to another table there where Jerry Maren — whose credits included playing a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz — was selling and signing photos. I said, “Wrong on both counts.”
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