Mickey Rooney's 8 Marriages, From Ava Gardner to Jan Chamberlin

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Mickey Rooney, the iconic actor known for his prolific career spanning nine decades, was married a total of eight times. His first marriage was to fellow Hollywood star Ava Gardner in 1942, which lasted just one year. Rooney went on to marry seven more women, including models, actresses, and a singer, with his final and longest marriage being to Jan Chamberlin, which lasted 34 years until their separation in 2012, two years before his death.

Why it matters

Rooney's multiple marriages were a source of fascination and commentary throughout his long career. His personal life was often as dramatic as the roles he played on screen, reflecting the changing social norms and expectations around marriage and celebrity in Hollywood over the course of the 20th century.

The details

Rooney's first wife was Ava Gardner, whom he married in 1942 when she was just 20 years old. They divorced a year later, with Gardner citing mental cruelty. Rooney went on to marry seven more women, including models, actresses, and a singer. His longest marriage was to Jan Chamberlin, which lasted 34 years until their separation in 2012, two years before his death.

• Rooney married Ava Gardner in 1942.
• Rooney and Gardner divorced in 1943.
• Rooney married Betty Jane Phillips in 1944, and they divorced in 1949.
• Rooney married Martha Vickers in 1949, and she passed away in 1971.
• Rooney married his eighth and final wife, Jan Chamberlin, in 1978.

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