Kammala wannan magana: A 1937, Rooney ya sami mafi kyawun lissafin kuɗi a matsayin Shockey Carter a cikin "Hoosier Schoolboy", amma rawar da ya taka a matsayin ɗan wasan kwaikwayo mai ban mamaki ya zo ne a cikin "Boys Town" na 1938 da Spencer Tracy a matsayin Uba Flanagan, wanda ke gudanar da gida don yara marasa gida da marasa gida. Rooney mai shekaru 18 da Deanna Durbin mai shekaru 17 sun sami lambar yabo ta musamman ta Academy Award a cikin
1939, don "babbar gudummawa wajen kawowa ga allon ruhu da kuma mutumcin matasa". Wayne ya bayyana daya daga cikin "mafi shahararrun al'amuran" a cikin fim din, inda Rooney matashi mai wuya yake wasa da karta tare da sigari a bakinsa, hat dinsa ya tashi, kuma ƙafafunsa suna kan tebur. "Tracy ta kama shi a kafa, ta jefar da sigari, kuma ta tura shi cikin kujera. 'Wannan ya fi kyau,' in ji shi ga Mickey". Louis B. Mayer ya ce "Boys Town" shi ne fim din da ya fi so a lokacin da yake aiki a MGM.