Mickey was surprised to learn that I was kin to Elvis, and I, in turn, was surprised to learn that Mickey's late son, Tim, was a student of karate with Elvis while E was living in California. Tim and Elvis became friendly and Tim often visited when Elvis was living on Hillcrest Drive. As it turned out, both Elvis and Mickey had brief affairs with a stripper named Tempest Storm.

Sadly, Tim Rooney died following a five year battle with dermatomyositis on September 24, 2006. His career as a child actor included films and TV shows, but only after a miraculous recovery from childhood polio, which had left him paralyzed for two years. He and older brother, Mickey Rooney Jr., were two of Disney's original Mouseketeers in TV's original "The Mickey Mouse Club."

My last meeting with Mickey before he passed was quite sad because he was not well and he was struggling. When I mentioned to Mickey that Elvis was a fan of both he and Judy Garland, whom Mickey could barely speak of without tearing up, his blue eyes lit up. Then a question came up: did Elvis and Judy ever perform together? Mickey didn't know, but the only answer seems to be that Judy requested to have Elvis appear on her show, the Judy Garland show. Elvis would have wanted to since, according to Jack Paar, Elvis said that Judy Garland was the "greatest entertainer in the world." However, something occurred to halt the idea and that something was Col. Tom Parker. When the "colonel" learned that the guest star fee was only fifty thousand dollars, he refused the offer. Elvis was a fan of Judy. He always enjoyed the "Wizard of Oz" and loved the song, "Over the Rainbow," which he sang in private only, and though he never recorded it professionally, he recorded a playful rendition in private. His reason for not recording the much-beloved song was because, like many, he believed the song always and forever belonged to Judy Garland.

The only instance where Elvis and Judy ever met was when his limosene pulled up next to the Judy's car.

It is a fact that Elvis did meet with Judy's fifth and final husband, Mickey Deems, when Deems managed the then famous New York Discoteque, "Jillys." Elvis promised something to Deems in the way of memorabilia for a museum he (Deems) was opening, and gladly contributed a pair of Mardi Gras Mask cufflinks to the entreprenuer. Viewing these same cufflinks in a friend's private collection was a thrilling moment for me.

As for Mickey Rooney, tempting him with an Elvis' family recipe for potato salad, which I am sure he looked forward to trying, was a joy, and Mickey didn't forget! Here is an excerpt from an email he had sent to me:

"SORRY I HAVE TO RUN..WILL CATCH UP ASAP WE WILL BE BACK SOMETIME IN JANUARY. PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH.
P.S. WOULD STILL LOVE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE ELVIS RECIPES!! YUMMY!! THANKS SO MUCH. HAVE A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS XXOO" - by Barbara Lee

Mickey Rooney, a legend and once the king of Hollywood, is gone now. May his soul be at peace. His sweet daughter, Kelly, became a dear friend. Life works in strange ways."