# Explain Mickey Rooney's Sex Appeal Please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350 "2013-07-24T02:07:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/1 "2013-07-24T02:07:57Z")
I am a hetero male age 50 but that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize a good-looking man when I see one (Cary Grant, Robert Redford, Rudolph Valentino, Denzel Washington, et al). WHERE does Mickey Rooney fit into all this!? That man has been with several hotties from classic Hollywood but he does NOT have the standard stud looks and persona that typified such men. How did he do it? And for that matter, yes or no, did he ever have an affair with Judy Garland? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/2 "2013-07-24T02:28:24Z")
My best guess is that when he was younger, he had “boyish” charms, and was able to win over certain women who were looking for that sort of thing. But bear in mind that seven of his eight marriages ended in divorce. And I don’t even want to think of him and Judy Garland . . . who seemed to have a thing for gay men. Oh, and I shouldn’t have to point out that not everyone is attracted to your list of hot men. In fact, not everyone puts physical looks ahead of other considerations. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/3 "2013-07-24T02:29:08Z")
He was a teen idol, one of the first. They didn’t know back then that teen idols turn into short fat bald guys. ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/4 "2013-07-24T02:33:25Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > My best guess is that when he was younger, he had “boyish” charms, and was able to win over certain women who were looking for that sort of thing. But bear in mind that seven of his eight marriages ended in divorce. > > And I don’t even want to think of him and Judy Garland . . . who seemed to have a thing for gay men. > > Oh, and I shouldn’t have to point out that not everyone is attracted to your list of hot men. In fact, not everyone puts physical looks ahead of other considerations. Agreed that not everyone would be attracted to my list; my point was to list a diverse group of men that Mickey Rooney STILL would not seem to be a part of. I could have added Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Benicio Del Toro as well and I don’t believe Mickey Rooney would belong on that list either. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/5 "2013-07-24T02:35:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > He was a teen idol, one of the first. They didn’t know back then that teen idols turn into short fat bald guys. Shaun Cassidy definitely hasn’t aged well. ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/6 "2013-07-24T02:55:50Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Shaun Cassidy definitely hasn’t aged well. You’re correct but I could understand why my sister (and countless other girls) had a crush on him and Bobby Sherman but NOT Mickey Rooney! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/7 "2013-07-24T03:36:02Z")
Women like guys who are funny and smart, and who listen to them when they talk. Why else would Ava Gardner give him the time of day, or Sophia Loren adore fat, bald Carlo Ponti? You guys have a lot to learn. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/8 "2013-07-24T03:42:00Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > But bear in mind that seven of his eight marriages ended in divorce. If only he had been sexier…☹ ---
**Author:** ![colander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@colander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colander)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/9 "2013-07-24T04:48:14Z")
> [@Hottius\_Maximus](#): > > You’re correct but I could understand why my sister (and countless other girls) had a crush on him and Bobby Sherman but NOT Mickey Rooney! Wouldn’t it be easiest to get an answer about this from your sister? ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/10 "2013-07-24T06:44:01Z")
> [@Hottius\_Maximus](#): > > Explain Mickey Rooney’s Sex Appeal Please Money, charm, money, humor, money, fame, and… more money. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/11 "2013-07-24T07:00:05Z")
he’s got punching bag appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/12 "2013-07-24T07:16:23Z")
> [@simple\_homer](#): > > Money, charm, money, humor, money, fame, and… more money. Exactly. The OP seems to be asking how a rich and famous guy can get laid. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/13 "2013-07-24T12:11:44Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > But bear in mind that seven of his eight marriages ended in divorce. So he’s like the male version of Elizabeth Taylor? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/14 "2013-07-24T12:19:20Z")
Maybe it’s the name “Mickey”. I mean, how else would you explain Mickey Rourke, Mickey Rooney, Mickey Mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/15 "2013-07-24T12:30:32Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Maybe it’s the name “Mickey”. I mean, how else would you explain Mickey Rourke, Mickey Rooney, Mickey Mouse. [Oh, Mickey, you’re so fine…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFrmapGCuhs) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/16 "2013-07-24T12:44:23Z")
Because, believe it or not, some women don’t choose men for appearance alone. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/17 "2013-07-24T13:19:49Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > But bear in mind that seven of his eight marriages ended in divorce. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > If only he had been sexier…☹ Or Mormon. Yeah, that’s right, a polygamy joke. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/18 "2013-07-24T13:27:23Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Because, believe it or not, some women don’t choose men for appearance alone. But they do divorce for it. Technically, in his defense, only six of his wives divorced him- the seventh was murdered by her boyfriend, though it is a technicality in that she and Rooney were separated and moving towards divorce at the time. He separated from his current wife in recent years over his allegations that her son was guilty of elder abuse and an embezzler, but they haven’t divorced. When they sold their home they split the money and he moved in with one of his kids and she moved in with her’s. Since he’s been married to her for almost 40 years and was broke when he married her, anything they have is marital property so she probably deserves anything she gets in a settlement or his will. In his younger days I can see how he might have had a Michael J. Fox ca. 1980s or Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley appeal. Fox had a huge female fan base in spite of being short and scrawny, as did/does Grint in spite of not having a great face or body. I think just being on camera probably magnifies a person’s sexiness and desirability; it adds a sort of faerie glamour to their appearance because you’ve seen their face 20 feet high. They’re Olympians, and Olympians are just better looking than mortals. John Goodman ranges between obese and morbidly obese and is a famous major hard living partier, but even at his fattest when he was on Roseanne he had a huge female fan base. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/19 "2013-07-24T13:48:31Z")
I didn’t know that he was running a Mickey Rooney Sex Appeal. I hope he gets some. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350/20 "2013-07-24T13:55:23Z")
Back in the 30’s-40’s, when he was making all those Andy Hardy movies, you have to remember they were VERY popular movies, and he was the star. People just loved him in those movies. He was kinda cute, had a lot of charm and personality - he was a teen idol. There was no TV, no internet, going to see the latest Andy Hardy movie starring that swell actor Mickey Rooney was a ‘must’ for all those girls and young women. Why wouldn’t he be seen as a teen idol? He also was seen as a modern young man (when not getting into comical scrapes) compared with his dowdy old-fashioned parents who were born in another century. No open rebellion or disrespect (due to the edicts of the studio), but old Judge Hardy and Mother sat on the front porch drinking lemonade while Mickey Rooney drove off in his new fangled jalopy…As for later in his life, that kind of thing just carried over, and he kept busy busy busy all his working life. Not a modern teen any more, but people remembered his Andy Hardy movies fondly. He was a huge star and never faded away. (plus rich and famous and knew everyone in the industry - that helped!) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-mickey-rooneys-sex-appeal-please/664350.md?page=2)