Former child star and Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney has died at the age of 93, according to US police.
The news was first reported by Variety , with the actor thought to have been suffering with illness for some time.
Rooney’s acting career began as part of his parents’ vaudeville act, aged just 18 months, and went on to span a staggering eight decades, including four Oscar nominations and two wins of the special achievement variety.
Described by Sir Laurence Olivier as the greatest film actor America ever produced, Rooney appeared in Orchids And Ermine , his first movie role, at the tender age of six, and by 1939, had established himself as the biggest draw in the US film industry.
By 1965, he already had 200 film credits to his name, with his body of work having racked up more than $3bn at the global box office.
Married eight times, with Hollywood bombshell Ava Gardner among his many wives, Rooney’s motto was to “never retire but inspire”, and indeed, the star continued to work well into his 80s.
All at Total Film would like to pass on our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of a genuine screen icon.
