Dana Carvey has fond and vibrant recollections of his co-star, Mickey Rooney, from their time together on the sitcom One of the Boys. Carvey, known for his work on Saturday Night Live, recently shared an intriguing story on his podcast, Fly on the Wall, with fellow comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short. He revealed an incident where Rooney teasingly flaunted bundles of cash on set, provoking Carvey. This occurred during the short-lived run of the NBC series in 1982, prior to the actors’ strike. At that time, Rooney was not only making a fortune from the sitcom, but also starring in the Broadway production of Sugar Babies, which further contributed to his wealth. Carvey recalled how Rooney, who had struggled financially for many years, carried around $5,000 in cash and playfully placed it under Carvey’s face while jesting, “Do you think I can afford lunch?” Mickey Rooney passed away in 2014 at the age of 93, but Carvey emphasized that even in his 60s, Rooney exuded an incredible amount of energy. Carvey shared Rooney’s daily declaration as he walked down the hallway, proclaiming himself the “number one star in the world.” Despite being bitter about his career, Rooney lived to the age of 95, proving that bitterness does not take a toll on one’s longevity.
The sitcom, One of the Boys, revolved around Rooney’s character, an energetic grandfather who moves in with his college-aged grandson, portrayed by Carvey. The show, which also featured Nathan Lane, Scatman Crothers, Francine Beers, and Meg Ryan, had a short-lived run, lasting just one season. Carvey has described Rooney as the “craziest person” he has ever encountered, even claiming on the Jimmy Kimmel Show that the late actor once brandished a gun on set. Despite Rooney’s unpredictable behavior, Carvey acknowledged his brilliance as an actor. “I mean, he was brilliant, but he had a .38 revolver and he’d wave it around,” Carvey explained. Rooney’s catchphrase during that time was, “They’re not gonna get me. They come for me, I’ll plug ’em!”
If you want to hear more about Carvey’s fascinating experiences working with Mickey Rooney, you can listen to the podcast above. For additional information, Emlyn Travis contributed to this report. Don’t forget to sign up for Entertainment Weekly’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date with the latest breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.