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.

Untimely death

The shortcomings of her childhood years became more apparent as Garland struggled to overcome various personal problems, including weight gain, heavy drinking, and drug addiction. Her children are Liza Minnelli (now a legendary singer and actress in her own right), Lorna Luft (also an acclaimed singer), and Joey Luft (a scenic photographer). Of Garland's five marriages, the first four marriages all ended in divorce. She died in 1969, at the age of 47, in London, from an accidental overdose of barbiturates. Garland was interred in the Ferncliff Cemetery, in Hartsdale, New York.

Related Topics:
Weight gain - Heavy drinking - Drug addiction - Liza Minnelli - Lorna Luft - Joey Luft - Divorce - 1969 - London - Overdose - Barbiturate - Ferncliff Cemetery - Hartsdale, New York

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Legacy in gay rights

A gay icon, Garland always had a large base of fans in the gay community. Her funeral in Manhattan resulted in an outpouring of New York City fans, with more than 20,000 coming to view her body, including 12,000 gay men. Five days after her death, mourning gay fans fought back against police during a routine police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, which set off several days of "gay liberation" riots. Garland's death is often noted as a cause of one of the key events of the modern gay rights movement. See also Friends of Dorothy.

Related Topics:
Gay icon - Gay community - Manhattan - New York City - Gay men - Stonewall Inn - Gay bar - Greenwich Village - Gay rights - Friends of Dorothy

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According to a book by David Shipman, Judy Garland: The Secret Life of an American Legend she was bisexual herself (as was her own father), and had various same sex relationships; with her (female) secretary Betty Asher, with vocal arranger/author Kay Thompson, with singer extraordinaire Ethel Merman, and with acting legend Katharine Hepburn. However, Shipman's tale has not been corroborated, and much of his scholarship has been questioned.

Related Topics:
Kay Thompson - Ethel Merman - Katharine Hepburn

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