- Name: Judy Garland
- Date of Birth: June 10, 1922
- Place of Birth: Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA
Mini-bio:
Entertainer Judy Garland was both one of the greatest and one of the most tragic figures in American show business. The daughter of a pushy stage mother, Garland and her sisters were forced into a vau... read more
Judy Garland Wiki Profile
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Early LifeJudy Garland was born on the 10th June 1922. By the age of 2 Judy - or 'Baby Gumm' as she was known - was already performing with her two older sisters in small theatres. In 1935, at the age of 12, Garland was signed to a contract with MGM, allegedly without a screen test (in fact, she actually had done a test for the studio several months earlier). The test was a small film with Deanna Durbin. The studio didn't know which talented girl they should sign, so they decided over Judy and Fox signed Deanna, who also became a huge star. The screen test was called "Every Sunday" where Judy enormous voice was already magnificent. MGMAfter signing her, MGM didn't really know what to do with her. What can we do with a little girl who sings like a grown woman? Garland's first notice by studio executives came after singing an arrangement of "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). After a string of minor roles, at the age of 16 she landed the role of "Dorothy" (that was initially meant for Shirley Temple) in the MGM film The Wizard of Oz (1939), and has been associated ever since with the song "Over the Rainbow." She received an honorary Academy Award for her performance in the film. After Oz, Garland became one of MGM's most bankable stars, proving particularly popular when teamed with her longtime friend 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. In 1944, Garland starred in the musical, Meet Me In St Louis. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, Garland began to find herself falling for Minnelli as the filming progressed. Meet Me In St Louis remains one of Garland's most popular films. On March 12 1946 daughter Liza May Minnelli was born to Garland and Minnelli. Easter Parade was released in the year 1948, at the same time Garland had just finished 'The Pirate' co-starring Gene Kelly. 'The Pirate was received as an average success, however 'Easter Parade' was a box office hit. The musical saw Fred Astaire team up with Garland for the first and last time. Summer Stock was Garland's last film for MGM. The film had a average storyline and musical numbers and the director decided there be a big finale to give the film an edge. Garland came back to the set and performed the 'Get Happy' that was the edge the film needed, many of the reviews exclaimed Summer Stock was worth watching just to see the 'Get Happy' performance. The Concert YearsAfter 15 years, Garland was released from the studio but gained renewed success through record-breaking concert appearances, including a critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall concert, a well-regarded but short-lived television series and a return to film acting beginning with A Star is Born (1954). Despite her professional triumphs, Garland battled personal problems throughout her life. Insecure about her appearance, her feelings were compounded by film executives who told her she was unattractive and overweight. Plied with drugs to control her weight and increase her productivity, Garland endured a decades-long struggle with addiction. Garland was plagued by financial instability, often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, and her first four of five marriages ended in divorce. She attempted suicide on a number of occasions. DeathJudy Garland moved to a small cottage in Chelsea, London with new husband Mickey Deans. Accept a one-off trip to New York Garland kept out of the public eye for the next few months. Early in the morning of Monday, June 22nd Judy Garland was found dead by her husband. Garland died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of forty-seven, leaving children Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft and Joey Luft. In 1997, Garland was posthumously awarded The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and several of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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