A shekara ta 1937, Rooney ya yi fim dinsa na farko tare da Judy Garland da "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry". Garland da Rooney sun zama abokai na kusa yayin da suka yi fim a fina-finai na gaba kuma suka zama ƙungiyar waƙa da rawa mai nasara. Masu sauraro sun yi farin cikin ganin yadda "tauraron taurari biyu ya nuna cewa suna son juna sosai". Tare da uku na "Andy Hardy" fina-finai, inda ta nuna wani yarinya janyo hankalin Andy, suka bayyana tare a cikin wani kirtani na nasara musicals, ciki har da zuwa-na-shekara m "Babes a Arms" (1939). Domin aikinsa a matsayin Mickey Moran,
An zabi Mickey Rooney mai shekaru 19 don Kyautar Kwalejin don Kyauta Mafi Kyawun Actor a cikin Babban Matsayi, ya zama na biyu mafi ƙanƙanta na Kyauta Mafi Kyawun Actor. A lokacin hira a cikin fim din 1992 na fim din "MGM: Lokacin da Lion Roars", Rooney ya bayyana abokantakarsu: