Celebrities Who Went Broke After Achieving Fame and Fortune

Few child stars ever shined brighter. By 1939, Mickey Rooney was Hollywood’s top box office draw, thanks to his popular Andy Hardy films. His career lasted almost 90 years and earned him a fortune. But he married eight times and loved betting on horse races.

Expensive divorces and gambling ate through his millions, and Rooney declared bankruptcy in 1962. He bounced back with a smash Broadway show and an honorary Oscar. Sadly, in old age he told Congress that family members had taken control of his money. He died in 2014 with very little left.