Mickey Rooney's Eight Marriages: From #1 Box Office Star to $18,000 at Death
He was the #1 movie star in America, married 8 times, and died with $18,000 to his name
Key Facts
What Happened
Mickey Rooney was the biggest movie star in the world at the end of the 1930s — the number one box office draw in America for two consecutive years (1939-1940), ahead of Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and every other Hollywood legend. He was 5 feet 2 inches tall, explosively talented, and catastrophically bad at marriage. He married eight times, and each marriage contributed to the steady erosion of a fortune estimated at over $12 million in his prime — the equivalent of over $100 million today.
His first wife was Ava Gardner, married in 1942 when he was 21 and she was 19 — before she became one of the most beautiful women in film history. She divorced him after little more than a year because of his relentless infidelity. Betty Jane Phillips gave him two sons but could not tolerate his gambling. Martha Vickers, Elaine Devry, and Marge Lane came and went. His fifth wife, Barbara Ann Thomason, was murdered by her lover Milos Milosevic in a murder-suicide in 1966 — one of the most shocking Hollywood tragedies of the era.
By the 1960s, Rooney's fortune was gone — consumed by multiple divorce settlements, alimony payments, gambling debts, and the lifestyle of a man who could not stop spending. He declared bankruptcy in 1962. His later marriages to Carolyn Hockett and Jan Chamberlin were quieter affairs, but the financial pattern continued. In his final decades, Rooney was dependent on others for basic financial management.
In 2011, at age 90, Rooney testified before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging about elder financial abuse. 'My money was taken and misused,' he told senators. 'When I asked for information, I was told that I couldn't have any of my own information. I was literally left powerless.' He had obtained a restraining order against his stepson Chris Aber for financial exploitation. Rooney died in April 2014 with just $18,000 to his name — a devastating end for a man who had once been the highest-paid entertainer in the world. His story is the ultimate cautionary tale about financial mismanagement, serial divorce, and elder abuse.
Legal Breakdown: Spousal Support
Cumulative Financial Devastation of Serial Divorce
Each of Rooney's eight divorces extracted financial settlements, alimony obligations, and legal fees. Unlike Elizabeth Taylor or Zsa Zsa Gabor, who managed to grow wealthier through marriage, Rooney's pattern was purely destructive. Serial divorce without prenuptial agreements or financial planning can reduce even enormous wealth to nothing. Each subsequent marriage started with fewer assets and often more obligations than the last.
Elder Financial Abuse
Rooney's congressional testimony brought national attention to elder financial abuse — the exploitation of elderly individuals by family members, caregivers, or fiduciaries. Approximately 1 in 10 Americans over 60 experiences some form of elder abuse. Financial exploitation is the most common type. Warning signs include unexplained bank withdrawals, sudden changes to wills or powers of attorney, and isolation from friends and other family members. All 50 states now have elder abuse statutes.
Bankruptcy and Divorce Obligations
Rooney declared bankruptcy in 1962, but bankruptcy does not discharge most divorce-related obligations. Alimony, child support, and property settlement obligations generally survive bankruptcy under federal law. This means that even when a serial divorcer hits financial bottom, the obligations from previous marriages continue to accumulate. This legal reality makes financial planning before and during each marriage absolutely critical.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →Serial divorce without financial protection (prenuptial agreements, asset segregation) can reduce any fortune to zero. Each marriage requires a fresh financial plan.
- →Elder financial abuse is real, common, and devastating. If you are elderly and suspect someone is misusing your finances, contact Adult Protective Services or a trusted attorney immediately.
- →Bankruptcy does not eliminate alimony or child support obligations. These survive even personal financial collapse.
- →Gambling, substance abuse, and compulsive spending are often as destructive to marriage as infidelity. Address these issues before they consume your assets and your relationships.
Going Through a Divorce?
Get confidential guidance tailored to your situation — free, private, and available 24/7.
Related Cases
Johnny Carson & Joanna Holland
United States · 1985
His Tonight Show salary became the centerpiece of a bitter divorce that earned him the nickname 'Alimony King'
Alimony & SupportTom Cruise & Nicole Kidman
United States · 2001
Filed on the 11th year of marriage — just before California's 10-year rule would have triggered permanent alimony
Alimony & SupportScottie Pippen & Larsa Pippen
United States · 2016–2021
A 24-year marriage, a 6-year divorce, and then she dated Michael Jordan's son.
Alimony & SupportWas this helpful? Help us keep it free.
divorce911.ai is funded entirely by donations. Every dollar keeps the AI assistant and 1,700+ guides free for people in crisis.
Know someone going through a divorce? This could help them.
This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.