Comedy Stars on Suspense, Day 20: Mickey Rooney!

Today's Suspense episode is "The Lie" (April 28, 1949) starring Mickey Rooney! This was the first of 3 appearances on Suspense by Mickey Rooney. Rooney (much like Jackie Kelk and Jackie Cooper) was a child star trying to move past his squeaky-clean image; on the one hand, it never really worked out for him (Rooney was just too darn beloved for his Andy Hardy movies); on the other hand, the man always had work.

Rooney portrays a young good-for-nothing who's just been kicked out of college. Returning home, he finds his despised stepmother is dead and assumes his father killed her. He frames himself for the crime to spare his father-- but he might have been hasty in his assumptions!

The story is adapted from Cornell Woolrich's "Alibi of the Lying Son" from 1937. Rooney was very good in this episode, managing at portraying a character who on the one hand, is a privileged jerk and on the other, is a loving son.

Tomorrow: Jack Carson!