Whatever you may think of Mickey Rooney, in terms of his womanizing, gambling, drinking and outrageous lifestyle, you have to admit that he was talented. In fact, he was loaded with talent. He could sing and dance, crack jokes, play the drums and the piano, do voice imitations, and more.

Born Joseph Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1929, Rooney was the only child of show biz parents. He naturally took to the limelight, upstaging his father before he was two years old during a burlesque show. From that moment on, it appears he was hooked on performing. He literally spent the remaining years of his life, up until the last few months, performing in some medium or other, whether it be on the Broadway stage, in films or on TV. He needed the money but probably would have worked anyway, because he never seemed to be happy unless he was on stage.

"Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes have done their homework.... If you’re looking for the definitive book on Mickey Rooney, this is it."

“I lived like a rock star. I had all I ever wanted, from Lana Turner and Joan Crawford to every starlet in Hollywood, and then some… I screwed up my life. I pissed away millions. I was #1, the biggest star in the world.” That’s how Rooney summed up his life. He earned millions throughout his lifetime but died nearly a pauper, with less than $20,000 in his estate. It is asked several times throughout the text: What happened to his fortune? I think that question is answered quite well here, though others may disagree.

Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes have done their homework. They tell the story of Rooney’s life in the context of the times in which he lived, beginning in the years leading up to the Great Depression and ending more than a decade after the start of the 21st century. In addition to the actual biography, there is a foreword by Roger Kahn, an introduction courtesy of Jeanine Basinger, a prologue, an afterword from Paul Petersen, acknowledgements, and an appendix with an extensive list of Rooney’s films, TV series and stage appearances.

If you’re looking for the definitive book on Mickey Rooney, this is it. It’s not what you would call light reading, as the text is over 500 pages long, and the writing tends to be a bit dry. Still, if you’re a fan, you certainly will not want to miss THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MICKEY ROONEY.