In April of this year the world lost Mickey Rooney, an entertainer whose career spanned an unbelievable nine decades.  Born in Brooklyn New York on September 23, 1920, Rooney was on the Vaudeville stage almost before he could talk and appeared in his first movie at the age of six.  From there the movies became his life.  With sidesteps into radio and television Mickey Rooney maintained an enviable relationship with audiences for nearly the entire span of his life.

“The audience and I are friends.  They allowed me to grow up with them.  I’ve let them down several times.  They’ve let me down several times.  But we’re all family.”

Mickey Rooney would have celebrated his 94^th birthday this September and in tribute getTV is dedicating a substantial portion of the month’s programming to him.  Aurora of Once Upon a Screen (@CitizenScreen), Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club (@Paula_Guthat) and I, Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled (@IrishJayHawk66) are thrilled to join forces with getTV for their first ever blogathon collaboration to celebrate Rooney’s career with The getTV Mickey Rooney Blogathon running the entire month of September.

In case you’re not familiar, here’s all About getTV…

getTV is a digital subchannel available over the air and on local cable systems dedicated to showcasing Hollywood’s legendary movies. The network, operated by Sony Pictures Television Networks, launched in February 2014.  It features Academy Award® winning films and other epic classics titles. getTV distribution is close to covering nearly 70 percent of all U.S. television households across 65 markets, including 40 of the top 50 designated market areas (DMAs). The network is broadcast by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Univision Television Group and Cox Media Group owned stations and others. For information, visit getTV and connect with the network on Facebook and Twitter @getTV.

getTV’s programming in September will include a Labor Day Marathon dedicated to Mickey Rooney as well as themed double features every Thursday at 7 PM EST, as follows:

Thursday, September 4 – Nautical Musicals

Richard Quine’s SOUND OFF, 1952: 7:00 PM ET; 10:40 PM ET

Richard Quine’s ALL ASHORE, 1953: 8:50 PM ET; 12:30 AM ET

Thursday, September 11 – Crime Tales

Peter Godfrey’s HE’S A COCKEYED WONDER, 1950: 7:00 PM ET; 10:40 PM ET

Richard Quine’s DRIVE A CROOKED ROAD, 1954:  8:45 PM ET; 12:25 AM ET

Thursday, September 18 – Military Comedy

Don Taylor’s EVERYTHING’S DUCKY, 1961:  7:00 PM ET; 11:10 PM ET

Richard Quine’s OPERATION MAD BALL, 1957: 8:50 PM ET; 1:00 AM ET

Thursday, September 25 – Young and Older Mickey

Roy William Neill’s BLIND DATE, 1934:  7:00 PM ET; 12:20 AM ET

Carl Reiner’s THE COMIC, 1969: 8:35 PM ET; 12:20 AM ET

You can access the entire getTV schedule here and check to see if getTV is available in your area here.

The getTV Mickey Rooney Blogathon

If you’d like to submit a blog post (or several) dedicated to Mickey Rooney – on his life, career, television work or a particular film – you can do so by submitting the entry to any one of the event hosts throughout the month of September. 

Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled and Twitter @IrishJayHawk66

Aurora of Once Upon a Screen and Twitter @CitizenScreen

Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club and Twitter @Paula_Guthat

We ask only that you please do the following:

• Leave us a comment or send us a Tweet with your preferred Rooney topic
• Let us know when you post your entry so we can promote it
• Please copy @getTV on all tweets related to this event
• Include the blogathon banner provided by getTV in your post as well as the following statement:

“This post is part of The getTV Mickey Rooney Blogathon hosted by Once Upon a Screen, Outspoken & Freckled and Paula’s Cinema Club taking place throughout the month of September.  Please visit the getTV schedule for details on Rooney screenings throughout the month and any of the host sites for a complete list of entries.”

• Have fun!

Thank you!

Participants

OPERATION MAD BALL – Once Upon a Screen

THE BLACK STALLION – Outspoken & Freckled

NATIONAL VELVET – Minoo for Classic Movie Hub

PULP – Paula’s Cinema Club

ALL ASHORE – Vintage Cameo

Rooney at Disney: PETE’S DRAGON (1977) & THE FOX AND THE HOUND (1981) – The Great Katharine Hepburn Blog

HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI –  Blog of the Darned

“Andy Hardy” vs. 1950’s PICTURES – Critica Retro