In real life Mickey Rooney had a much more interesting sex life than did his onscreen persona (Andy Hardy). He had worked as a child actor before getting his big break playing the younger version of Clark Gable's gangster in Manhattan Melodrama. The highest-paid teenager in the land loved his celebrity. Phil Silvers, Sidney Miller, Jackie Cooper and Rooney used to hang out together. One day, Silvers suggested they call out for a hooker. Waiting for her arrival, the boys made a bet. Whoever lasted longest would get a free ride.

The girl arrived and went into the bedroom. One after another, Miller, Silvers and Cooper went in--and each emerged in three minutes flat. Rooney went in last. Twenty minutes passed; the three outside heard all sorts of assorted shrieks. Rooney finally emerged, acknowledged his victory and left. When the hooker came out, Silvers asked, "Was Mickey really in the saddle 20 minutes?"

"Are you kidding? Four minutes of f--king and 16 minutes of imitations."

Rooney was famous for his impersonations of Gable, Lionel Barrymore, even Mae West--and like many another youth in America, he tried to entertain his bedmates with the best lines and moves of his Hollywood heroes.