Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr.
started out as a professional boxer in the 1960s. In 1969 he fought former
champion Luis "El Feo" Rodriquez and suffered a serious concussion. After
several more concussions, doctors advised Mickey find another career.
He was working as a bouncer at a transvestite club when he auditioned for
and won the part of the arsonist in Body Heat (1981). Then he
appeared in Diner (1982) in which Pauline Kael singled him out from
his costars writing "He has a sweet, pure smile that surprises you. He seems
to be acting to you, and to no one else." He next starred in Rumble Fish
(1983) for which he also received raves and critics started
calling him the next James Dean.
Unfortunately, Mickey maintained his combative boxing persona in working
with several of his directors and costars which eventually sent his
promising career on a downward slope. In the erotic sadomasochistic
9 ½ Weeks
(1986), he seduces a married Kim Basinger and eats food off her naked body.
In 1991, Mickey decided to leave acting and
return to a professional boxer explaining that “I had to go back to boxing
because I was self-destructing. I had no respect for myself being an actor.
So I went back to a profession which really humbled me.” His soon sustained
a broken nose, toe, ribs, a split tongue, and a compressed cheekbone
resulting plastic surgery which left him somewhat unrecognizable. in 1995,
doctors warned him that he was incurring irreversible brain damage, and he
permanently retired from boxing.
Mickey resumed acting career hit a few speed
bumps including the atrocious less-than-well-received sequel to 9½ Weeks,
and several direct-to-video movies. But his attitude problems
continued and walked off the set of straight-to-video movie Luck of
the Draw because the producers wouldn't let his pet Chihuahua appear
with him in a scene.
But his losing streak ended when he landed
the lead role in Sin City (2005),for which he won several
awards including one from the Chicago Film Critics Association. To prepare
for his part in the The Wrestler (2008)
Mickey trained under former WWE wrestler
Afa the Wild Samoan
for his portrayal of a past-his-prime wrestler, and won a 2009
Golden Globe award, a BAFTA award, and a nomination for an Academy Award,
Mickey gave his beloved dogs credit during his Golden Globe Best Actor
acceptance speech, stating : "I'd like to thank all my dogs. The ones that
are here, the ones that aren't here anymore because sometimes when a man's
alone, that's all you got is your dog. And they've meant the world to me.
So to celebrate Mickey's birthday, let's recall an earlier
time when he still had his good looks and watch Angel Heart in which
he plays detective Harry
Angel who is hired to find
a man called Johnny Favourite, and make our favorite Angel's Heart Cookies. |