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Barbara Ann Rooney (Carolyn Mitchell)

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Beauty Contestant

The Resume

    (January 25, 1937-January 31, 1966)
    Born in Phoenix, Arizona
    Barbara Ann Thomason
    Former pinup model, aspiring actress
    Fifth wife of Mickey Rooney (m. 1958)
    Winner of 17 straight beauty contests throughout Southern California
    Acted in 'Cry Baby Killer' and 'Drag Strip Riot'; guest starred on an episode of 'Crossroads'
    Found dead, in Rooney's home, by a gunshot wound lying next to her lover, Milos Milos; later was ruled a murder-suicide by police (Jan. 31, 1966)

Why she might be annoying:

    Her titles included Miss Muscle Beach and Miss Surf Festival.
    Outlets variously refer to her by her stage name (Carolyn), her birth name (Barbara), and her modeling name (Tara Thomas), which is confusing.
    When her (eventual) husband received his first Honorary Oscar, when she was barely two years old.
    She had an adulterous affair with Rooney while he was still married to Elaine Devry. When she learned of it, Devry filed for divorce.
    By the time the proceedings had concluded, she was six months pregnant with Rooney's first daughter.
    Reports vary as to what role she played in the breakup of Rooney's fourth marriage, but she allegedly threatened suicide if he didn't file for a divorce.
    The two had actually gotten married prior to the divorce settlement,during a secret trip to Mexico, (although they were officially married at a Los Angeles church a year later).
    She cheated on Mickey with a Yugoslavian actor the two had met overseas, Milos Milosevic, whom Mickey had incidentally chosen to bring back to the States with him (a decision he'd later regret).
    She took part in a publicity stunt in which Rooney had to resuscitate her by dropping her into a swimming pool after she (allegedly) took an overdose of sleeping pills.

Why she might not be annoying:

    She was a dead ringer for Jayne Mansfield.
    She worked as a dance instructor with Arthur Murray.
    Her second - and last - film project was opposite a young Jack Nicholson in 1958's 'Cry Baby Killer.'
    Mickey Rooney cheated on her right, left, and sideways.
    Her husband was constantly in debt over the course of their marriage.
    The details of her murder were eerily similar to Dorothy Stratten's, in 1980.
    She would later admit to cheating on Mickey with Milos as an act of spite, as a response to his own infidelities.
    She had initially made plans to divorce Mickey and marry Milos, but they had moved toward reconciliation in the last few months of her life.
    She had gone so far as to promise Mickey that she would never even see Milos again, in a conversation recorded by a detective.
    The tape was eventually heard by an incensed Milos who, In a jealous rage, got hold of Mickey's .38 caliber revolver and shot her through the jaw, before turning it on himself.
    Mickey Rooney would rarely comment on the pain her death caused him, but wrote in his autobiography: ‘I died when she did.’
    Of Rooney’s eight wives, she was married to him for the second longest period of time (and bore him four kids – the most of all his wives).

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 81.82% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying