I discovered Andy Hardy in the '50s when I was around the same age as the perennial teen was supposed to be in the '40s, when most of the Andy Hardy films came out. I say, "supposed to be," because Mickey Rooney, the actor who played him, was actually older than his character in most of the films, and toward the end of its 16-entry run (1937-58), a lot older. But I didn't know that at the time or care. I loved Andy. Many of the scrapes and life lessons he went through were like mine. To this day the boy in me longs to be Andy Hardy and live his idyllic life in Carville, U.S.A. After all, he had Judy Garland for a girlfriend and a kindly old judge for a dad. Even Mayberry RFD wasn't as idyllic as that!
Andy Hardy
I discovered Andy Hardy in the '50s when I was around the same age as the perennial teen was supposed to be in the '40s, when most of the Andy Hardy films came out. I say, "supposed to be," because Mickey Rooney, the actor who played him, was actually older than his character in most of the films, and toward the end of its 16-entry run (1937-58), a lot older. But I didn't know that at the time or care. I loved Andy. Many of the scrapes and life lessons he went through were like mine. To this day the boy in me longs to be Andy Hardy and live his idyllic life in Carville, U.S.A. After all, he had Judy Garland for a girlfriend and a kindly old judge for a dad. Even Mayberry RFD wasn't as idyllic as that!
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I absolutely Adore the Andy Hardy series as well!! Yes, although he was quite different in age for much of it, he certainly never lost his youth, did he? This was my first real experience with Judy Garland and teen acting since I was never much into the teen scenes of today. And I certianly wouldn't mind having such a clever dad either. All in all its a great outlet for those growing up years. I'm currently looking for the Carville Street lot that I believe is still vacant somewhere lost in Hollywood...
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