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Mickey Rourke filmography and biography

Date of birth : 16 September 1952, Schenectady, New York, USA

Mickey Rourke biography

Mickey Rourke was born Phillip Andre Rourke, Jr., in Schenectady, New York in 1952. When he was 6 years old, his parents, Ann and Phillip divorced. A year later, his mother married Eugene Addis, a Miami Beach police officer, and moved to Miami Shores, Florida. After graduating from Horace Mann Junior High School, Rourke's family moved to a house located on 47th Street and Praire Avenue in Miami Beach. In 1969, Mickey attended Miami Beach Senior High School, where he played second-string first baseman on the school's baseball team under coach Skip Berkman, and acted in a school play, "The Serpent" directed by legendary "Teacher To The Stars," Jay W. Jensen. In 1971, he graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School, and after working for a short time as a bus boy at the famed Forge Restaurant on Miami Beach, Rourke moved back to New York to seek out a career in acting. Rourke's teenage years were more aimed towards sports than acting. He took up self-defense training at the Boys Club of Miami. It was there he learned boxing skills, and decided on an amateur career. At the age of 12, Rourke won his first boxing match as a 118-pound bantamweight defeating Javier Villanueva. Some of his early matches were fought as Andre Rourke. He continued his boxing training at the famed 5th Street Gym on Miami Beach, Florida; joining the Police Athletic League boxing program. In 1969, Rourke, now weighing 140lbs., sparred with former World Welterweight Champion Luis Rodriguez. Rodriguez was the number one rated middleweight boxer in the world, and was training for his match with world champion Nino Benvenuti. Rourke claims to have received a concussion in this sparring match. In 1971, at the Florida Golden Gloves, he received another concussion from a boxing match. He was told by doctors to take a year off and rest, but Rourke decided to retire from the ring in 1972. From 1964 to 1972, Rourke compiled an amateur boxing record of 20 wins, 17 by knockout and 6 defeats. He was stopped once, disqualified 3 times, and lost 2 decisions. At one point, he reportedly scored 12 consecutive first round knockouts. As an amateur, Rourke had been friendly with pro-boxer Tommy Torino. When Rourke decided to return to boxing as a professional, Torino promoted some of Rourke's fights. Rourke was trained by former pro-boxer Freddie Roach at Miami Beach's 5th Street Gym and the Outlaw Boxing Club Gym in Los Angeles. Rourke made $250 for his pro debut, but by the end of his 2nd year of boxing, he earned a million dollars. Rourke appeared on the cover of World Boxing Magazine in June 1994. He sparred with world champions James Toney, John David Jackson, and Tommy Morrison. Rourke wanted to have 16 professional fights and then fight for a world title. However, he retired after 8 bouts and never got his desired title fight. His boxing career resulted in severe facial injuries which required a number of operations to repair his damaged face. Rourke went back to acting, but worked in relative obscurity until he won a Golden Globe Award for his role as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in The Wrestler (2008). He was also nominated for Best Actor, as well, but lost.

Mickey Rourke trivia

- Has at least seven tatoos including a tiger head with Chinese symbolson his left shoulder, a bulls skull on his right bicep, and a shamrock on his left forearm.
- Became a professional boxer in 1991 but retired in 1995.
- Is a motorcycle enthusiast.
- Kim Basinger once called him "The Human Ashtray".
- Filmed a role in The Thin Red Line (1998), that eventually got cut. He gets thanked in the credits.
- (July 1994) Arrested by the LAPD and charged with spousal abuse.
- Used to own a gym in West Hollywood called Shapiro.
- Has an younger sister named Patty, a younger half-brother named Joey Rourke, and six step-siblings.
- (August 1999) Walked off the set of Luck of the Draw (2000) when the producers refused to let him include his pet chihuahua in the movie.
- (19 April 1999) Was rushed to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in L.A. His reps said it was for an allergic reaction to cough syrup he was taking to battle the flu. Rourke was released a few hours later.
- Grew up in the tough Miami area known as Liberty City.
- Was first offered the role of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop (1984). It was eventually passed on to Sylvester Stallone, and, after many script revisions, Eddie Murphy (I).
- Was trained by Sandra Seacat.
- Made his professional boxing debut on May 23, 1991 in Florida by winning a 4 round decision over Steve Powell.
- Retired from boxing undefeated after boxing a draw with "Irish" Sean Gibbons in Davie, Florida in 1994.
- As an amateur boxer, put together a knockout streak of 12 straight.
- Sparred with world champions James Toney and Carlos Monzón.
- On June 3, 1992 he knocked-out Darrell Miller in one round in Japan.
- On Nov. 20, 1993, he knocked-out Thomas McCoy in 3 rounds in Germany.
- On Dec. 12, 1993 he knocked-out Terry Jesmer in Spain in 4 rounds.
- Used to co-own a very tiny soda fountain/ice cream/magazine stand in Beverly Hills with his hairdresser pal Giuseppe Franco (II) called Mickey & Joey's.
- As a boxer, his nickname was "El Marielito".
- Visited former World Middleweight Boxing Champion Carlos Monzón while Monzón was in prison for murder in Argentina. The two reportedly boxed an exhibition.
- Was considered for the role of Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
- Has admitted in interviews that he only did Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) for the money.
- Was originally cast as "Stuntman Mike" in Death Proof (2007).
- Turned down Bruce Willis' role in Pulp Fiction (1994) to write and star in F.T.W. (1994).
- Was considered for a role in Inglourious Basterds (2009).
- Is a good friend of French singer and painter Tristan, who designed, among other things, the "tiger jacket" Rourke wears in Homeboy (1988).
- In its obituary of poet Charles Bukowski, the screenwriter of Barfly (1987), "The New York Post" used a photo of Rourke as Henry Chinaski in the film instead of a photo of the poet himself.
- Was offered a role in Revolver (2005/I), but turned it down to do Domino (2005).
- Was great friends with Bullet (1996) co-star and rapper Tupac Shakur.
- Has turned down lead roles in Highlander (1986), The Untouchables (1987) and Rain Man (1988).
- Irish American.
- On the Waterfront (1954) director Elia Kazan said that Rourke's student audition was the best audition piece he'd seen in 30 years.
- Injuries he received as a boxer include a split tongue and a compressed cheekbone. Surgeons rebuilt his nose with cartilage from his ear. His balance also suffers to this day if he is tired or drinks alcohol.
- Other movies he is alleged to have turned down include 48 Hrs. (1982), Platoon (1986), Top Gun (1986) and Tombstone (1993).
- In October 2001, he paid half a million pounds for a house in County Wicklow in Ireland.
- On October 16, 2004, his younger brother, Joey Rourke (born June 25, 1954) died of lung cancer. He was 50 years old. Mickey credited his brother Joey with preventing him from committing suicide in 1998.
- In a 2008 interview with rottentomatoes.com, Rourke said his five favorite films were The Deer Hunter (1978), The Godfather (1972) & The Godfather: Part II (1974), Lonely Are the Brave (1962), On the Waterfront (1954) and Gilda (1946).
- Ex-brother-in-law of Ian Feuer and Jordan Otis.
- Engaged to Russian model Anastasiya Makarenko [December 8, 2009].
- Himself from Miami, turned down the role of Det. Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice (1984), which went to his co-star in "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man" Don Johnson (I). The role was also offered to Nick Nolte, Jeff Bridges (I) and Tom Berenger.

Mickey Rourke filmography