Mickey Rooney Married His Late Wife's Best Friend 7 Months After Her Death – The Story Behind His 8 Wives

From a whirlwind marriage to Ava Gardner to an unexpected union with his late wife's best friend, the actor's eight marriages traced a deeply eventful personal journey.

Mickey Rooney established himself as one of Hollywood's most recognizable performers, starring in countless films and television productions across a career that stretched for decades.

Beyond the silver screen, however, his personal life proved far more turbulent, with eight marriages that included brief romances, growing families, heartbreaking loss, and one relationship that began just months after tragedy struck.

1. A Brief First Marriage to Ava Gardner

Rooney's first trip down the aisle came in 1942 when, at 22 years old, he married fellow MGM contract player Ava Gardner. At the time, she was a 20-year-old actress still building her career, while Rooney had already become one of the studio's biggest stars.

Their marriage lasted only a year before Gardner filed for divorce, citing mental cruelty. Reports linked the breakdown of the relationship to the actor's alleged infidelity and gambling.

2. A Family Began with Betty Jane Phillips

Just one year later, while serving in the military in Alabama, Rooney met Betty Jane Phillips. The couple married in 1944, and Phillips later pursued a music career under the stage name B. J. Baker.

Together they welcomed two sons, Mickey Jr., who lived from 1945 to 2022, and Tim, who lived from 1947 to 2006. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1949, and Phillips later died in 2002 at 74.

3. Another Son with Martha Vickers

Later in 1949, Rooney married model and actress Martha Vickers, who was originally from Michigan. During their marriage, they welcomed a son, Teddy, who died in 2016 at 66. The marriage lasted until 1951, and, two decades later, Vickers died of esophageal cancer at 46.

4. Six Years with Elaine Devry

Rooney tied the knot with actress Elaine Devry, born Elaine Mahnken, in 1952 when she was 22 years old and he was 32. The California native had finalized her divorce from her high school sweetheart, Dan Ducich, earlier that year after his conviction on multiple robbery charges.

As for her marriage to Rooney, it lasted six years before ending in divorce in 1958. Devry later passed away in 2023 at 93.

5. Love, Family, and Tragedy with Barbara Ann Thomason

Rooney later said "I do" to model and actress Barbara Ann Thomason in 1958. Seventeen years younger than the actor, Thomason became the mother of four of his children: Kelly Ann, Kerry, Michael, and Kimmy Sue.

Sadly, their marriage came to a devastating end in 1966 when Thomason was murdered at 29 by stuntman and actor Milos Milos, who later took his own life.

Milos, who worked as a bodyguard for none other than Alain Delon, had reportedly been involved in an affair with Thomason before the fatal incident.

6. A Marriage to His Late Wife's Best Friend

Only seven months after Thomason's passing, Rooney married her best friend, Marge Lane. Unlike several of his previous wives, Lane remained out of the public eye. Their marriage proved to be his shortest, lasting only 100 days before ending in divorce in 1967.

7. Starting Over with Carolyn Hockett

Rooney said "I do" to Carolyn Hockett in May 1969 during a ceremony at the Las Vegas County Courthouse Wedding Chapel. He was 48 years old, while Hockett was 25.

Like Lane, Hockett largely stayed away from public life. During their marriage, the couple welcomed two children: a daughter, Jonelle, in 1970, and a son, Jimmy. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1975.

8. His Longest Marriage Came Last

After seven marriages of varying lengths, Rooney found his longest-lasting relationship with actress Jan Chamberlin. The pair married in 1978 after being introduced by Rooney's son, Mickey Jr., who was a professional country musician.

The actor was 58 years old when they married, while Chamberlin was 40. Their relationship experienced its own challenges over the years, but it endured for 34 years, lasting longer than his previous seven marriages combined.

Through the marriage, Rooney also became stepfather to Chamberlin's two sons, Christopher and Mark, from her first marriage to Lynn A. Aber.

The couple eventually separated in 2012, ending what would become the final chapter of Rooney's married life. He passed away two years later, while Chamberlin, now 87, remains his last surviving spouse.

Ultimately, Mickey Rooney's eight marriages reflected a personal life that was every bit as eventful as his decades-long Hollywood career.

From his brief union with Ava Gardner and the families he built with several wives to the heartbreaking loss of Barbara Ann Thomason and his unexpected marriage to her best friend, each relationship marked a distinct chapter in his life.

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