Andy Rooney Leaves Behind $9 Million Fortune To Kids

USA Today is reporting that Andy Rooney, the legendary “60 Minutes” commentator who was best known for his curmudgeonly complaining, had 9 million reasons to be cheerful.

A will filed in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court reveals the CBS veteran — who died in November at age 92 — left behind $8 million in stocks, bonds and cash and $1 million in property.

The estate — described by USA Today as a “wonderful old Victornia home” chock full of Americana, modern art and memorabilia gathered during Rooney’s nearly 30 year career behind the camera’s at CBS — will be split simply among his four children, Brian Rooney of California; Emily Rooney of Boston; Martha Fishel of Chevy Chase, Md.; and Ellen Rooney of London.

While Rooney’s children plan on keeping some of the antiques and paintings their late father left behind, the remaining items will be auctioned off at the Andy Rooney estate sale which is currently underway.

Andy’s son, television correspondent Brian Rooney certainly had no trouble believing the wealth his father had amassed however, telling the New York Daily News that Andy valued the art of saving and rarely spent or fritted away anything earned.

“Some years he made more money than others. When he made it, he stashed it away. He could have had a $50 million estate if he’d paid attention to it,” Rooney commented of his father, adding that he rarely paid for extra services.

“He was not a guy to pay for services,” he said, “[for example] dinner with Dad meant we’d get in his car and drive 30 blocks to the restaurant. If he couldn’t get (street) parking there, we’d go to a restaurant where he could park.”

For more information on the Andy Rooney estate sale, go here.