MICKEY Rooney must be the only surviving member of the MGM elite who still has his boots on.
And the man who turns 87 on Sunday looks like he has a lot of wear left in those soles.
It was an unusual experience seeing one of the studio system's last living icons on the Southport Theatre stage.
When the diminutive man in a tuxedo garnished with war medals strode on stage to mammoth applause, it was easier to picture a time when his role in the Hardy family series of cinematic shorts were lapped up by a world still waiting for the TV revolution, plonking him right at the top of the box office firmament.
Nobody can argue that Rooney was blessed with a brilliant singing voice. However, his impassioned recital of lyrics to the backing of a live musical trio managed to get the message across. You could hear the experience behind every word.
Mickey Rooney is something of a national hero in the States, not just for his movie exploits, but his wartime bravery also.
This is where the show loses something on the Atlantic trade wind. When Rooney talked about his multiple marriages and career lows of the '60s and '70s, it prompted unwelcome giggles from the audience which he clearly wasn't happy about, and the pauses after announcements of an industry gong or two coming his way didn't always illicit the expected Oprah-style wave of whoops and cheers.
There was the expected musical tribute to Judy Garland, and mention of his first marriage to Ava Gardner, but Rooney - understandably - was far more interested in talking about his present circumstances.
The show is punctuated with clips from his many movies. Surprisingly, the big hitters such as National Velvet and Breakfast at Tiffany's didn't get much of a look-in; the former as the briefest of clips, and the latter not shown at all. An acknowledgement that his show was taking place in the same borough as the setting for the National Velvet race would have been welcome, but the well-scripted show didn't allow much room for improvisation.
Jan Rooney, the eighth lady to take the actor's surname and an established singer and actress, opened the second half alone. Although an unknown in the UK, she has an incredible voice and a far easier rapport with the audience. The difference between performing for a camera and a paying crowd was evident.
The anecdotes were more self deprecating here, and it was easier to warm to Jan, who must have worked a lot longer than her husband to get on the first rung of the showbiz ladder, and doesn't seem to have forgotten it.
When the two came together on stage, Mrs Rooney made sure things didn't get too schmaltzy, although Mickey was miffed once again when his speech about telling your loved ones how much you care about them was greeted with more giggles.
As an opportunity to see a Hollywood legend live on stage in your own back yard, it was well worth the ticket price, as there aren't many like Mickey still doing the rounds.
But as a top evening of entertainment, I'm not so sure. Fewer song and dance numbers, more talk of Judy and Liz, plus a question-and-answer session with the audience, and this really would have been an evening with Hollywood royalty.
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