Andy Hardy

From 1937 to 1958 MGM produced 16 Andy Hardy films starring Mickey Rooney.


 * 1) A Family Affair (1937)
 * 2) You're Only Young Once (1937)
 * 3) Judge Hardy's Children (1938)
 * 4) Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938)
 * 5) Out West with the Hardys (1938)
 * 6) The Hardys Ride High (1939)
 * 7) Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939)
 * 8) Judge Hardy and Son (1939)
 * 9) Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940)
 * 10) Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941)
 * 11) Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941)
 * 12) The Courtship of Andy Hardy (1942)
 * 13) Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942)
 * 14) Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944)
 * 15) Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946)
 * 16) Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958)


 * Early Installment Weirdness: The series format wasn't really nailed down until the fourth film, Love Finds Andy Hardy, so the first three have some unusual aspects in retrospect. Also, most of the recurring characters apart from Andy himself were recast for the second film.
 * Everytown, America: Andy's hometown, Carvel.
 * Happily Married: Andy's parents.
 * Non-Actor Vehicle: Swimmer Esther Williams started a screen career with a major supporting part in Andy Hardy's Double Life.
 * Retroactive Recognition: Because of MGM's habit of introducing new performers in Andy Hardy movies, some stars had early roles in these films:
 * Love Finds Andy Hardy: Cynthia Potter, one of the girls that Andy dates, is played by then-unknown Lana Turner.
 * Andy Hardy's Private Secretary: The titular secretary, Kathryn Land, is played by Kathryn Grayson in her first screen role. Four years later, she played the female lead in Anchors Aweigh alongside Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly.
 * Work Off the Debt: In the Warner Brothers classic short, Hollywood Steps Out, Andy gets into trouble, and as usual has to ask his dad for help. Since they can't pay the bill, Andy and dad end up washing dishes to the rhythm of the music being played by the band.