11 years after Mickey Rooney's death, prized memorabilia from his estate will be auctioned
On March 30, 250 lots of Rooney's personal items and film memorabilia will be up for bids in an estate sale. The actor, known for starring in the 'Andy Hardy' films, was one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors in the 1930s and '40s. But at the time of his death, his entire estate was valued at $18,000. His stepson and caretaker, Mark Rooney, and Mark's wife were his sole beneficiaries.
Toward the end of his life, the Academy Award-winning actor claimed to be a victim of elder abuse. His stepson Chris Aber allegedly stole $8.5 million from the movie star. Aber agreed to a $2.8-million civil settlement but filed bankruptcy and never paid the judgment. After filing the complaint against his stepson, Rooney appeared before the Senate Special Committee on Aging in 2011 and spoke about elder abuse.
'I felt trapped, scared, used and frustrated,' Rooney told the special Senate committee. 'But above all, when a man feels helpless, it's terrible.'
Real estate broker and personal property liquidator John Mooradian is heading the auction of Rooney's memorabilia collection.
'In the past, there had been hopes of opening a museum dedicated to Mickey Rooney's life and career, but that never panned out. As time has gone by, managing stored memorabilia has proven [to be] cumbersome,' Mooradian said in a statement to The Times.
Much of Mooradian's job was sorting through storage units and deciding what was worth auctioning off. He also said in light of the recent L.A. fires, it's increasingly important to ensure memorabilia is in the hands of collectors instead of in storage in a few locations.
This month's online auction will consist of ephemera from Rooney's life and parts of his onscreen legacy. Fans can purchase his Screen Actors Guild and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences membership cards, scripts from 'Murder, She Wrote' and 'Life Insurance,' original black-and-white photos from his early movies and costumes he wore onstage.
Signed posters from his theatrical performances in 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'Babes on Broadway' and 'Sugar Babies' as well as films 'Off Limits' and 'Boys Town' also are available. Personal items like old paychecks from Paramount, handwritten notes, a smoking pipe and expired credit cards also will be up for grabs.
'We have been asked to make this great collection of memorabilia and personal items available over time to the public and as many Mickey Rooney fans as possible,' Mooradian said.
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