Customer Reviews

The Nine Lives of Mickey Rooney

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Since no one has yet come along and written a comprehensive biography of Rooney, it is unfortunate that this has become a sort of "lost book." For this is a terrific piece of work and, for some periods of Rooney's life, is the authoritative record.

Rooney's life is one that is unparalleled in the history of 20th century performance. This remarkable career is made more interesting by his hyperbolic, troubling, and winning personality. And don't get me started on all his wives!

Yet all we have in terms of real biographical works are this one, Rooney's first autobiography, I.E., and his second, Life is Too Short. And Rooney -- even though he names names and tells tales -- is not a reliable reporter.

The early part of Rooney's life through his time with MGM is handled decently but there isn't much ground-breaking research. However, this book truly shines in capturing Rooney in the 1950's through this triumph in Sugar Babies in the late 1970's. These were some troubling times for Mickey Rooney and Marx takes us through these with finesse.

We get incredible disclosures from people important in Rooney's life. His 5th wife's wide-eyed and balanced perspective. Roger Kahn's hysterically troubled time trying to craft an autobiography with Rooney. Many reports from friends, managers, insiders. Marx's own experiences working with Rooney on one of his failed sitcoms.

Most importantly, we learn about the performer at work -- Rooney's methods of working on the set and on the stage -- some of them incredibly productive and individual, others sloppy and offhanded.

Rooney is inseparable from performing and this book captures the man in performance and the performance in the man.

The book arrived in the condition stated in the write-up.