5/18/2007
I know I’m a little late on this, but I was laughing when I saw, during Queen Elizabeth’s recent visit, legendary actor Mickey Rooney violating royal procedure by reaching out and shaking the Queen’s hand! The rule, as I heard it, is that one is not supposed to extend a hand to the Queen, unless she gives permission, or extends her own hand in greeting. Yeah, it’s kind of archaic, and she IS on OUR turf, but, since it’s a traditional thing, why not observe it? The Queen did not seem the least offended by the Mickster’s glad-handing, though- through her whole visit , she seemed like she had a good sense of humor, which was nice to see.
Mickey, however, is a true piece of work-a guy who always seems to have had a scheme, and, in later years, a slightly-too-high opinion of himself. He was indeed a very hot and popular actor from his early years, but, as he aged, he really got- well, weird. Dana Carvey’s old SNL impression of him as “the greatest actor in the woooorld” pretty much summed up his current mental state. I remember seeing him on David Letterman’s show once, and he was getting so worked up by Dave’s usual good-natured ribbing that they had to have his current wife come out to sit with him and calm him down.
As I said, Mickey in recent years always has a business scheme- I think he was in on a national yogurt chain for a while- then, he was trying to start a young actor’s school- so that kids could be like he was at an early age. Then, he was trying to open a chain of fast-food restaurants called “Mickey Rooney’s STAR-B-Q”…any bets one of the offerings was barbequed HAM ?!? You might even remember him doing commercials years ago locally, for stuff like Canfield’s Soda, and one of the local race tracks.
My favorite story that he told that shows how full of …ahem…himself he is, was told on a talk show a few years ago. Mickey was talking about how he was working at a studio as a kid, and wandered over to where Walt Disney was working. Mickey said he hopped up on “Uncle Walt’s” lap, and asked what he was drawing- and Walt showed him this new mouse character. Walt said he was trying to find a name for him- and young Mickey suggested-“why not name him after me- Mickey Mouse?” And, sure enough, said Mickey, Walt thought it was a brilliant idea and did so- so Mickey was actually named by and for Mickey Rooney.
…except for the fact that it’s bull. Any and all Disney scholars will tell you that wasn’t the case, that Walt was sold on calling the mouse “Mortimer”- and that his wife decided it should be called Mickey. It’s even kind of doubtful that young Mickey Rooney was laboring at a studio where Walt would have been working on animation.
It’s kind of amazing to me that an actor who truly had a long and pretty big career would now, just for attention, make up some idiotic story to try to bring some attention to himself one more time. Heck, he did that without lying by over-stepping royal protocol! Now- did he ever tell you how, years ago, Morley Safer asked him what they should use for a last name for their new commentator on “Sixty Minutes”- a guy named “Andy…” ?!?
Mickey, however, is a true piece of work-a guy who always seems to have had a scheme, and, in later years, a slightly-too-high opinion of himself. He was indeed a very hot and popular actor from his early years, but, as he aged, he really got- well, weird. Dana Carvey’s old SNL impression of him as “the greatest actor in the woooorld” pretty much summed up his current mental state. I remember seeing him on David Letterman’s show once, and he was getting so worked up by Dave’s usual good-natured ribbing that they had to have his current wife come out to sit with him and calm him down.
As I said, Mickey in recent years always has a business scheme- I think he was in on a national yogurt chain for a while- then, he was trying to start a young actor’s school- so that kids could be like he was at an early age. Then, he was trying to open a chain of fast-food restaurants called “Mickey Rooney’s STAR-B-Q”…any bets one of the offerings was barbequed HAM ?!? You might even remember him doing commercials years ago locally, for stuff like Canfield’s Soda, and one of the local race tracks.
My favorite story that he told that shows how full of …ahem…himself he is, was told on a talk show a few years ago. Mickey was talking about how he was working at a studio as a kid, and wandered over to where Walt Disney was working. Mickey said he hopped up on “Uncle Walt’s” lap, and asked what he was drawing- and Walt showed him this new mouse character. Walt said he was trying to find a name for him- and young Mickey suggested-“why not name him after me- Mickey Mouse?” And, sure enough, said Mickey, Walt thought it was a brilliant idea and did so- so Mickey was actually named by and for Mickey Rooney.
…except for the fact that it’s bull. Any and all Disney scholars will tell you that wasn’t the case, that Walt was sold on calling the mouse “Mortimer”- and that his wife decided it should be called Mickey. It’s even kind of doubtful that young Mickey Rooney was laboring at a studio where Walt would have been working on animation.
It’s kind of amazing to me that an actor who truly had a long and pretty big career would now, just for attention, make up some idiotic story to try to bring some attention to himself one more time. Heck, he did that without lying by over-stepping royal protocol! Now- did he ever tell you how, years ago, Morley Safer asked him what they should use for a last name for their new commentator on “Sixty Minutes”- a guy named “Andy…” ?!?
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