Labeling Mickey Rooney a “legend” of the screen feels something of an understatement. Though he reached the height of his fame relatively early in his career, Rooney maintained an acting career for almost nine decades–an unparalleled record that is unlikely to be matched any time soon.

He began performing when he was still in diapers, and continued acting up until his death yesterday at the age of ninety-three. Over the years, the actor enjoyed some of the highest highs (the popular Andy Hardy series of films, which helped make him the biggest box-office draw in Hollywood for three years straight) and endured some of the lowest lows (his universally panned “yellowface” performance in 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s), but Rooney never lost his love for being in front of the camera, and he never gave less than everything he had in every role he ever took. Over his long career, he was nominated for…