By Strength Oldschool
Within Muscle Builder Magazine (January, Vol. 7, No. 6 issue), on page 31, there is a photo of Barbara Thomason looking young, happy and full of life, congratulating a bodybuilder after winning a Physique contest. The name struck me some how and after doing a quick Google search, I remembered why.
Barbara Thomason (1937 - 1966)
Life was moving in a positive direction for Barbara Ann Thomason after winning the Miss Muscle Beach contest in 1954. At 5ft 3 and a 110 lbs, the High School student was turning heads and winning numerous other beauty contests such as; Miss Huntington Beach, Miss Van Ness, Miss Bay Beach, Miss Southwest Los Angeles, among others.
She later found success in Hollywood and in 1955, performing under the name Carolyn Mitchell, she made her acting debut on the television show Crossroads. She would also star in some movies before pausing her career to be with Actor Mickey Rooney who was 17 years older!
Over the next six years Thomason would give birth to four children. Unfortunately over this period of time, Rooney would have numerous affairs. For the record, Thomason was Rooney's 5th wife!
Thomason would later have her own affair with a Yugoslavian actor named Milos Milosevic (1941 - 1966), who performed under the name Milos Milos. Milosevic also worked as a Stunt Double and Bodyguard.
Rooney would later find out about his wife's affair and move out and file for a divorce. Sadly, on January 31, 1966, Thomason and Milosevic were found dead together on the bathroom floor of Rooney and Thomason's house. Thomason was shot under the chin while Milosevic was shot in the temple. It appeared that Milosevic had killed Thomason then committed suicide. Murder weapon was a gun which Rooney had purchased back in 1964.
During the murder, Rooney was in St. John's Hospital recovering from an intestinal infection he'd picked up in the Philippines.
More detailed information on Thomason and her tragic murder can be read here.
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Strength Oldschool