Remembering Mickey Rooney

The Iconic Actor Gave Us Eight Decades of Entertainment

By Chris Sabga

Mickey Rooney had an extraordinary career in film and television that spanned a staggering 88 years – from 1926 to 2014. That kind of staying power is rare in any profession, but especially in Hollywood. To go through all of Rooney's highlights would be an impossibility – his body of work numbers in the hundreds.

The first time I saw Mickey Rooney, I loved him instantly. It was in a 1984 made-for-TV Christmas movie called "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear." He played a grandfather who died but came back from Heaven to share one last holiday with his grandson in New York City. It is still my favorite Christmas film of all time.

Four decades earlier, a teenage Mickey Rooney shared the screen with Spencer Tracey in 1938's "Boys Town." Tracey portrayed a priest who established a home for wayward kids – one of whom was Rooney. It's a classic. (The sequel – "Men of Boys Town" – is pretty good, too.)

One of his most famous roles came six years later, in 1944, when he and Elizabeth Taylor starred together in "National Velvet." To illustrate his staying power, he was still a star – or became one again – seventeen years after that when he appeared in 1961's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Audrey Hepburn. Of course, like every other actor, Rooney had his ups and downs – especially in those years – but he always worked steadily.

His bucktoothed Japanese character from "Tiffany's" is considered controversial by today's standards. The actor expressed regret in a 2008 interview with The Sacramento Bee: "It breaks my heart. Blake Edwards, who directed the picture, wanted me to do it because he was a comedy director. They hired me to do this overboard, and we had fun doing it." In the 1993 biopic, "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story," the famed martial artist (played by Jason Scott Lee, no relation) becomes increasingly upset as he watches Rooney's caricatured portrayal. Rooney, to his credit, "wouldn't have done it" if he had known people would take offense.

His career continued on: "Reqium for a Heavyweight" (1962), "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963), "The Black Stallion" (1979), and too many others to name – with roles both major and minor.

A true silver screen surprise and one I highly recommend: the little-seen 1999 film "The First of May" about a runaway boy and an old lady (Dan Byrd and the late Julie Harris, respectively) who escape together to join the circus. Rooney wasn't the star, but his gruff portrayal as a grizzled circus owner was a welcome presence. It's a beautiful, touching movie that's well worth seeking out.

I wasn't particularly fond of "Night at the Museum" – the 2006 Ben Stiller comedy – but Mickey Rooney (along with fellow screen veterans Dick Van Dyke and Bill Cobbs) absolutely stole the show. By then, Rooney was an old pro who could make the most of every moment, no matter how big or small – and he did just that in "Museum."

Mickey Rooney has truly done it all: holiday movies (the aforementioned "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear"), horror flicks ("Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker"), family films ("The Muppets," "Pete's Dragon," "The Black Stallion"), TV appearances ("The Golden Girls" and "Full House"), and even voice-acting ("The Fox and the Hound"). And then, of course, there are the revered classics that made him a household name ("National Velvet," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Boys Town," and many more).

Multiple generations – including today's kids and teens – have been exposed to Rooney's incredible work. That was the magic of Mickey.

Silver Screen Surprises Christmas Grab Bag

Jews Hate Hanukkah, Santa Kidnaps Kids, and Other Christmas Lessons

By Chris Sabga

I admit it: I am a sucker for Christmas movies. No matter how cheery or cheesy they are, I just can't get enough!

Everyone knows the classics of Christmas cinema, but here are a few you may not have heard of...

Switchmas: A young boy, Ira Finkelstein, hates being Jewish and wishes his family could celebrate Christmas instead. Well, okay, he only hates being Jewish during Christmas season. Either way, he's obsessed with Christmas trees and Jingle Bells. He dreams of a White Christmas, but he's a California kid who has never even seen snow. To make matters even worse, his parents want to ship him off to Florida – also bereft of the sticky white sludge – because they'll be too busy with work to celebrate Hanukkah. At the airport, poor Ira meets another boy who lives in a snowy climate and would love to spend Christmas in the sun. So, you guessed it, they switch places This well-worn device is actually more logical here than usual because both kids' relatives haven't seen them in years. One of the grandparents is played by the incredible Elliott Gould, who makes the most of every movie and role he's in. In this case, he's the best Jewish grandpa ever. "Switchmas" is hardly great art, and it may not ever make anyone's top ten list of Christmas movies, but it's a fun flick with a nice message. The highlight: finding out who really wrote all of those famous Christmas movies and songs. My mind was blown by the revelation!

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale: Santa Claus is a jolly fat man who climbs down chimneys, wolfs down cookies, sucks down milk, and throws down gifts for all the good little boys and girls in the world. Someone forgot to let the folks in Finland know that. There, Santa is an ancient evil who kidnaps and kills little kids. As dark and depressing as that may sound, "Rare Exports" is actually a delightful little film. It's one of the most original – and twisted – Christmas movies I've had the pleasure of celebrating the yuletide with.

The Heart of Christmas: Is there such a thing as Tragedy Porn? Because "The Heart of Christmas" is it. I honestly can't comment on the merits of the script or the quality of the performances. I just don't know. All I do know is that the true story of Dax Locke, a toddler struck by cancer, makes for one of the most gut-wrenching films I have ever seen. Your heart is made of stone if you can get through this without wiping your eyes. Is it emotional manipulation at its finest? Probably. But it works.

The Sons of Mistletoe: A small town foster home for boys has been sold by a big city executive (played by "Touched by an Angel's" Roma Downey). The man running it (portrayed by the warm George Newbern) actually grew up there himself. Featuring touching performances and a sweet story, this is one of the nicest, gentlest holiday movies you'll come across. Despite being a staple at any Walmart or K-Mart bargain bin, "The Sons of Mistletoe" is worth far more than the asking price.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear: I hesitate to even mention this all but forgotten Christmas TV movie from 1984 because it's still not officially available on DVD, Blu-Ray, or streaming – and even VHS copies fetch a premium price. But if you were around back then, you undoubtedly remember this heartwarming holiday classic starring Mickey Rooney and Scott Grimes about a grandfather who comes back from Heaven to spend one last Christmas with his grandson in New York City. It is still my favorite Christmas movie of all time.