by Kimberly Loeffler
France (Baby) Gumm made her debut in showbusiness at age two on December 24, 1924. She sang seven choruses of "Jingle Bells". In 1926 the Gumm family moved from cold Minnesota to sunny California. Every theatre "Baby" sang in, the audience went wild. She was the most talked about child in the town. In 1929 Frances Gumm and her elder sisters made their movie debut in a 10 minute musical called "The Big Revue".
As Vuadville began to die out the act called themselves, "The Garland Sisters" after the had been anounced on stage as "The Glum Sisters". That same year, 1932, Frances became Judy Garland. Soon after the older sisters left the act, forcing Judy to go solo. After singing in Chicago Judy was brought to MGM. She was immediately signed to a film contract.
In 1935 she and another young girl made a screen-test together called "Every Sunday". The other girl, Deanna Durbin, who later became a star was fired from MGM in order to keep Judy. Decca records signed Judy to a recording contract in the Fall, but her first records were never released.
After being heard on the radio for the first time she became a major radio personallity. And it also gave the 13 year old a chance to appear in movies. In 1936, not yet 14, 20th century Fox asked MGM if they would let her appear in "Pigskin Parade". She was such a huge hit in the picture, MGM never allowed her to work for another movie studio as long as she was theirs.
In October of 1936 Judy was about to become the greatest thing that happened to the movies. MGM cast her in her first picture for that studio. The film was called "Broadway Melody of 1938". She introduced her first of many hit songs, "Dear Mr. Gable". Now a major star, MGM signed her to record for them. At both Decca and MGM records she recorded hundreds of songs. However, the MGM recordings were not released untill the 1970's.
Throughout the 1930's Judy starred in a string of hit movies like "Thoroughbred's Don't Cry", her first film with long time playmate Mickey Rooney, "Everybody Sing", "Listen Darling", and "Love Finds Andy Hardy". In November of 1938 Judy at 16 was cast as 11 year old Dorothy in "The Wizard Of Oz". "Over The Rainbow" would be her theme song forever.
In 1939 she was cast again with Mickey Rooney in "Babes In Arms," their first musical as a romantic screen team. They developed a strong admiration for each other that lasted a lifetime. Their admiration and love however wasn't strong enough for marriage. At the same time she met her future husband, Bandleader David Rose. He arranged for the musical "Little Nellie Kelly" the film in which she got her first screen kiss.
In 1941 Judy had transformed herself into the most popular pinup girl (next to Betty Grable). Judy was no longer a redhead, instead she was a blonde and sexy. Just the way she had always wanted to be. In June, at 19, she married David Rose and became pregnant. Sadness entered her life when Judy was forced to terminate the pregnancy after four months, although that was not what she wanted. Judy would never be the same again.
In 1942 her marriage to Dave ended after an affair she had woth actor Tyrone Power. She teamed for the first time with Gene Kelly in "For Me and My Gal," and got top billing in "Presenting Lily Mars". She made her last film with Mickey Rooney in 1943. "Girl Crazy" was their biggest film. In June of 1944 her divorce was official. From November 1943 to November 1944, Judy worked tirelessly on one of her greatest films ever, "Meet me in St. Louis". During it's 12 month making she and the director of the picture, Vincente Minnelli, met and fell in love.
After the release of her first all dramatic film "The Clock" in April 1945, Judy and Vincente decided to get married and on June 15, 1945 they were wed. In July of 1945 Judy announced to MGM that she was pregnant. She starred in a western called "The Harvey Girls" and was given small parts in "Ziegfeld Follies of 1946" and "Till The Clouds Roll By". Three months after she completed "Till The Clouds Roll By" her daughter Liza Minneli was born.
In early 1947 Judy returned to MGM for "The Pirate" but the Judy who came back was different. She was out of control and abusing drugs more than ever before. She was depressed after the difficult completion of her film. MGM admitted her into a mental hospital late that year. During this period she was costing the studio millions. In 1948 she was released from the hospital happy and glowing and was thrilled to be working with Fred Astaire in "Easter Parade". But again Judy was out of control and developed a dislike for MGM and her husband.
She turned to alcohol for mental and emotional battles with herself and bitter memories of her rough childhood. In 1949 she starred with Van Johnson in "The Good Old Summertime" in which three year old Liza made her debut in films. It was the first time since Judy's problems began that the picture was completed on time. She was all set to make "Annie Get Your Gun" when she had a nervous breakdown and was suspended. She managed to complete scenes, sit for photos and record the soundtrack. It became apparant that Judy was too ill to continue and the film was never finished.
In 1950 after a short vacation from movies she made "Summer Stock" with Gene Kelly. That same year she met producer Sid Luft. And after MGM fired Judy she made a suicide attempt. She filed for divorce from Minnelli in 1951. On October 16, 1951 Judy became a concert performer when she made an unforgettable appearance at the Palace in New York. In June 1952 she and Sid Luft were married and their daugher, who would become a singer, Lorna was born in November
In 1954 Sid Luft helped a pregnant Judy make "A Star Is Born" her greatest dramatic role. After it's release in September offers for Television concerts came in. Garland turned everyone down. In early 1955 she signed with capitol records and cut her first album "Miss Showbusiness". Capitol were the first who respected Garland as both a singer and a person. In March her only son Joey was born and Judy made her first concert on television in September 1955.
The offers for movies stopped coming since the failure of "A Star Is Born". Warner Brothers and other studios were afraid to take a chance with Judy. She was forced to go on the road with her husband and children to sing in casino's, theatres and nightclubs across the counrty.
In 1959 Judy was near death from Liver disease and drug abuse. She decided to travel and not work much untill her health improved. In 1960 she did a European tour starting in London where she bought a house. At the end of the year she wound up the tour in Holland and recorded 3 albums. Then, in 1961 the most memorable Garland event took place.
On April 23, 1961 Judy gave a two hour and thirty minute concert at Carnegie Hall. She was healthy, Happy and in incredible voice. She made only one film that year, "Judgement at Nuremburg" About the World War II trials of 1948. The film gave her two Academy Awards as best supporting actress and her Carnegie Hall performance went double platinum and became the number one album of 1962. It has never been out of print since.
In 1962 she signed a television contract with CBS for weekly specials. During the filming of her only cartoon "Gay Purr-ee" and dramatic film "A Child Is Waiting" the test episode of "The Judy Garland Show" aired with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. This was the only one of her shows to be filmed in color. More concerts like "Judy Garland Live!" and her final film the dramatic "I Could Go On Singing" were released. It was here 40th film in 38 years of showbusiness. In March 1963 another episode of "The Judy Garland Show" aired with Phil Silvers and Robert Goulet. CBS bow knew they could succesfully feature Judy Garland on a series.
On September 29, 1963 "The Judy Garland Show" went before the camera's. Garland was difficult as usual, but an incredible person to work with. She made thirty episodes between September 1963 and March 1964. The last show did not air untill March if 1965. The guests on her show were Barbara Streisand, Tony Bennett, Mickey Rooney, Jerry Van Dyke, her Children, and Ethel Merman among others. The series won ten emmies as the best musical variety of the year, winning over the acclaimed Bonanza!. Since her show had ended it was back to concerts with her daughters Liza and Lorna and television appearances on Ed Sullivan and Hollywood Palace.
1964 saw the end of her longest but most troubled marriage. That same year Liza, at 18 and already starting her addiction to drugs, married actor Peter Allen. They divorced in 1969. Judy at 43 soon married actor Mark Herron. Their marriage was over by 1966. In 1967 she met Mickey Deans. She continued concerts in poor health, as long as there were fans she would work. The work often drained her to the point where she couldn't get out of bed.
Her children left home and she was alone, deepeer into drinking and drugs. The end was soon in sight. She decided not to take part in the film "Valley Of The Dolls" during it's first weeks of rehearsal. The film was about hollywood stars hooked on drugs. It hit too close to home. She had been an addict since 1937 when she was 15. On March 22, 1969, the same night she gave her 1100th concert in London, Judy and Mickey Deans were married. Deans would be her 5th and last husband.
He often tried to get Judy to retire from show business because it wore her out and drained her so much. On June 10, 1969 Judy turned 47. Her 45 year career was about to end as Judy's liver had deteriorated to the point where she was dying. On June 22, 1969 at 3:00 a.m. Judy Garland died. It was a sad ending to the saddest life one of the most beloved entertainers of the world. Her children and friends have both sad and happy memories of Judy as an abused child of her mother to the Queen of Musicals...her career was A Magnificent Judy at Her Show Stopping Best!
Since her passing there have always been tributes to her. The most important takes place each year in Grand Rapids, Minnesota every June. "The Judy Garland Festival" her daughter Lorna and son Joe attend the festival to honor their mother. There's Judy's house and a museum in honor of her. There's even a Judy Garland gift shop, "Judy Garland Cllectors' Exchange Store" and in the old school where she attended a child sells collectibles of Judy.
There are Wizard of Oz tributes. Lines from her movies are quoted, even her songs are still being performed including "The Man That Got Away", "The Trolley Song" and "Over The Rainbow". Her recordings are available, her motion pictures and several movie posters are being re-issued. There are even "Judy Garland Fan Clubs" in England, America and over the internet.
Judy is gone but not forgotten. As Frank Sinatra once said, "The rest of us will be forgotten...Never Judy".
There's No Place Like Home
