'I Always Look Forward'
By Richard Ferrara
Special to the Naples Daily News
Everybody knows Mickey Rooney. He's been around for a long, long time.
From the early days of Tinseltown to the present, the 81-year-old Hollywood veteran has lived the life of a consummate performer, appearing in more than 300 films, plays and television shows. A walking incarnation of showbiz history, Rooney was nearly born under the spotlight. Since he first graced the movie screen as a tot in the film "Not To Be Trusted," Mickey Rooney hasn't stopped entertaining. His film repertoire includes classics like "The Human Comedy," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Breakfast At Tiffany's" and "Babes In Arms" — the last being just one of his several musicals with Judy Garland. Box office results from 1938 to 1940 proclaimed him the No. 1 star in the world. Rooney knew everyone in Hollywood and seemed to be involved in everything.
He was friends with legends like Charlie Chaplin and James Cagney. He devised the stage name "Marilyn Monroe" for Norma Jean Baker. He even purportedly stumbled into Wait Disney's studio while the cartoonist was first drawing his famous mouse, and Rooney became its namesake.
But Rooney no longer concerns himself too much with his days of fame. He is even a little reticent to talk about them. Speaking over the phone from his home in Westlake, Calif., Rooney responded to questions of Hollywood past with, "I don't even think about that. I don't look back, I always look forward."
Rooney, however, is providing audiences with a chance to experience a glimpse of his past in his latest stage production. Mickey and his wife of nearly 30 years, Jan Chamberlin Rooney, are coming to the Philharmonic in Naples on Tuesday to perform their vaudeville-type stage show, "One Man, One Wife."
"It's a trip down memory lane that everyone will enjoy," said Rooney. We put the show together in Australia about four years ago. I do imitations of Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart. There’s music and comedy, some laughs, some memories. It’s a lot of fun."
"I can promise you it won't be boring," laughed Jan Rooney. "Mickey and I sing together, and he sings separately some of the old songs that he's done in motion pictures in years gone by, and some wonderful originals. We're going to show some old, obscure movie clips of Mickey and Judy (Garland) that people probably haven't seen. There are jokes, a little bit of dancing, and we've got an absolutely fantastic band. It's just going to be wonderful.”
The name of the show pokes fun at Mickey's widely known multitude of marriages. His long search for the right woman saw him through seven wives, including stints with glamorous female stars Lana Turner and Ava Gardner.
"I've got news for you, those things pass. You go until you find the right one," he said.
Rooney finally found his lucky eighth in 1978 when he met Jan, a singer and songwriter. Among other TV and film credits, she starred in Robert Altman's "The Party" and appeared with Donny Osmond on "Love Boat.” She and Mickey shared a love of music, theater and animals.
"I think we're two crazy peopie who just kind of found each other. We put up with each other. I think that's what it is," Jan Rooney said.
In "One Man, One Wife," Mickey and Jan make light of his various nuptials. Some may wonder what Jan's real feelings are about Mickey's past relations with such famous women. "Well, it’s kind of flattering, I think. They were glamour girls, weren't they?" she said. "He wasn't with a lot of them very long. Some were when he was younger and he was kind of sowing his oats. Those were the days when you didn't live with people or get to to know them, usually. I guess he just ran off and married some of them.”
Now, Mickey couldn't be happier.
“In the past I've done 300 pictures, but now I just love working with my wife,” he said. His philosophy on life? "Live it. That's all you can do.”
Before they began performing their new show together, Mickey and Jan Rooney worked together only sporadically, appearing together in some television commercials and small stage performances. Their current show marks their longest running work together.
"We're loving every minute of it. Mickey's just full of vim and vigor and it's hard to keep up with him. He runs circles around me, I'm embarrassed to say," Jan Rooney said.
The Rooneys have never been to Naples before, but are looking forward to their short time in town.
"It's very exciting for us to go. We're just thrilled to pieces that we could be playing at such a prestigious, wonderful theater," said Jan.
After the show on Tuesday night, Mickey and Jan will be selling CDs of the music and signing them for fans.
"We're going to have a good time. I hope everyone comes and enjoys the show," added Mickey, ever the showman.