Garland never saw her affection for Rooney returned, at least romantically. But the two formed a deep connection that lasted a lifetime — far longer than any of their marriages to other people. Rooney's first marriage, to actress Ava Gardner, barely lasted a year because of his infidelity and love of gambling, according to People magazine. Garland was only 19 years old when she tied the knot with bandleader David Rose, but that union fell apart after a few years (via Town & Country magazine). In all, Rooney was married eight times and Garland walked down the aisle five times.

Rooney once described his relationship to Garland as "more than a love affair," per Closer Weekly. "It was a forever love," he explained. The pair co-starred in 1943's "Girl Crazy" and then shared their final big screen production together in 1948's "Words and Music." Those may have been their last movie moments, but the pair remained close. Rooney made an appearance on Garland's TV variety show in 1963. Rooney's daughter later remembered spending time at Garland's house in the 1960s, with her father and Garland singing together at her piano.

Rooney took Garland's death in 1969 hard. In an interview on CNBC, Rooney said that "There was no love greater in my life than my love for Judy Garland" (via the Buffalo News).

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