Andy Hardy was the lead character in a series of very successful MGM films depicting life in the fictional American town of Carvel. The series made Mickey Rooney, in the role of Andy Hardy, a star and consisted of over a dozen movies.

Andy Hardy's life didn't start out as a series but in what was supposed to be a one-shot movie called A Family Affair. This first film presented a slice of Americana centering on Judge Hardy and his family, with Andy being only a supporting character. The Judge and Mrs. Hardy are wise, honest and patient and expect their children to act with forethought and compassion. Things get dicey for this exemplary brood when the Judge prevents a large construction project from going forward, seemingly losing jobs for the townspeople. Played by Lionel Barrymore, the Judge is steadfast in his beliefs and his position is vindicated when he discovers that the project would ruin the town, not help it. Everyone cheers him on and Andy realizes he has the best role model.

The other movies in the series replaced much of the cast (except for Rooney) and shifted focus from the whole family to Andy and his romantic misadventures, like You're Only Young Once. In that film, Andy and his sister Marian take time out of tormenting each other to find love while vacationing in Catalina Island. Determined to romance every girl in the country, Andy gets entangled with a diplomat's daughter while accompanying his father on a trip to Washington D.C. in Judge Hardy's Children.

Many of the Andy Hardy movies served as launching pads for young would-be stars under contract to MGM. In Love Finds Andy Hardy, Andy cavorts with Judy Garland and Lana Turner, who were both at the beginning of their careers. Garland appeared in two more movies in the series, Life Begins for Andy Hardy and Andy Hardy Meets Debutante.

Throughout the series, Andy remained a little flighty and a little impulsive especially where girls and money were concerned. He usually got into some minor trouble but after a good talk with his father, Andy saw the error of his ways and always did the right thing in the end. The goodness of the Hardy family and the generous, tolerant nature of the citizens of Carvel remains an enduring symbol of the idealized American dream.