Mickey Rooney has left his modest estate to one of his stepsons.
The late actor – who passed away on Sunday (06.04.14) aged 93 from natural causes and complications due to diabetes – signed his will on March 11 and called for his stepson and full-time carer Mark Aber and his wife Charlene to be the sole beneficiaries of his estate, which is valued at only $18,000.
Despite starting his iconic acting career aged just 18 months, the star claimed he had lost most of his fortune because of elder abuse and financial mismanagement by another one of his stepsons, according to USA Today.
Mickey’s will also disinherited his eight surviving children and his estranged wife of 35 years, Janice Rooney. The ‘Night at the Museum’ actor argued that Jan receiving his Social Security benefits and some of his pension earnings would be adequate compensation, and said that his children were in a better financial position than himself.
His attorney Michael Augustine also revealed Mickey had no intention of quitting show business and had been looking forward to upcoming film roles at the time of his death.
The ‘Andy Hardy’ star, who was one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors in the 30s and 40s, asked Michael to act as sole executor of his will and insisted he didn’t want his relatives handling his final affairs.
Plans are still being made for Mickey’s funeral and a possible public tribute, the attorney confirmed, revealing that the actor had recently expressed his desire to be buried in a veteran’s cemetery.
Meanwhile, the New York Daily News is reporting that Janice and her son Chris Aber – who Mickey also sued in 2011 for supposed mistreatment – were trying to remove the actor’s remains from Forest Lawn mortuary "against the decedent’s express wishes."
A hearing has been set for Friday (11.04.14) and the superstar’s body will stay on the premises in the meantime.
Mickey Rooney leaves entire estate to stepson
