Judy Garland

Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American film actress considered by many to be one of the greatest singing stars of Hollywood's Golden Era of musical film. She was known for her intense acting and for her strong, husky voice.

Child star

Born Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, on the 10th of June, 1922, Judy Garland began life as part of a family of vaudeville players. In one of her earliest performances, her parents and her two older sisters were performing in a Christmas show. Frances took to the stage and stole the show with a rendition of Jingle Bells at the young age of two and a half years old. The family soon thereafter moved to Lancaster, California and the Gumm Sisters began work on stage and in short films. Frances was soon to be known as Baby Gumm.

Related Topics:
Grand Rapids, Minnesota - Vaudeville - Jingle Bells - Lancaster, California

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1934, the Gumm Sisters were performing in Chicago with George Jessel. Jessel encouraged the group to choose a more appealing name. They settled on the Garland Sisters, and young Frances picked the name Judy.

Related Topics:
1934 - Chicago - George Jessel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1935, at the age of 13, Garland was signed by Louis B. Mayer to a contract with MGM, allegedly without a screen test. In fact, she actually had done a test for the studio several months earlier. Garland's first notice by studio executives came after singing "You Made Me Love You" to Clark Gable at a birthday party held by the studio for the King of Hollywood. Her rendition proved so popular that MGM placed Garland and the song in their all-star extravaganza Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937).

Related Topics:
1935 - Louis B. Mayer - MGM - Clark Gable - Broadway Melody of 1938 - 1937

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After a string of unsuccessful films, she landed the role of "Dorothy" in the MGM film The Wizard of Oz (1939), and has been associated ever since with the song "Over the Rainbow". After Oz, Garland became one of MGM's most bankable stars, proving particularly popular when teamed with Mickey Rooney in a string of "let's put on a show!" musicals. The duo first appeared together in the 1937 b-movie Thoroughbreds Don't Cry. They became a sensation and they teamed up again in Love Finds Andy Hardy, and then soon after in Babes in Arms. Garland eventually would star with Rooney in nine films.

Related Topics:
The Wizard of Oz - 1939 - Over the Rainbow - Mickey Rooney - Love Finds Andy Hardy - Babes in Arms

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To keep up with the frenetic pace of making one movie after another, Garland, Rooney, and other young performers were constantly given amphetamines, as well as barbiturates to take before bedtime. This constant dose of drugs would lead to addiction and a lifelong struggle for Garland as well as her eventual demise. In her later life, she would resent the hectic work and she felt that her youth was stolen from her by MGM. She was plagued with self-doubt throughout her life and needed constant reassurance that she was talented, despite her ability to fill concert halls with fans eager to hear her, high critical praise, and several awards.

Related Topics:
Amphetamines - Barbiturates

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~