There have been many great Movie Stars over the past several years & when their contribution has been great, they are missed when they leave. Judy Garland, as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, represented every little girl growing up in America. Her adventures to the Land of Oz reflected the adventures of growing up in small town USA.
Judy Garland was born June 10, 1922 & her real name was Frances Gumm. She was married for a time to Vincente Minnelli & has 2 daughters, Liza Minelli & Lorna Luft. She died at an early age on the 22nd of June 1969, but left us her legacy which lives on forever.
Signed to a contract by MGM at the age of 13, she sang "Dear Mr. Gable" in Broadway Melody, 1938.
The Wizard of Oz was a household name & "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", as sung by Judy Garland, became the them song.
In the 1940's, Meet Me In St-Louis, The Clock, & Easter Parade with Fred Astaire increased her popularity.
In the late 1940's her addiction to drugs was becoming more & more apparent & her activities changed. Still producing films but hospitalized a few times in early 1950's.
But wherever she sang her singing always brought down the house. Her role in "A Star Is Born" is believed by many to be her own personal story. Judy Garland went on to perform at New York's Carnegie Hall & she won an Oscar nomination as the Best Supporting Actress in Judgment at Nuremberg.
We all have different Judy Garland memories that we cherish, that is, those of us who are old enough to have known her. Today you can still rent a copy of The Wizard of Oz & many of Judy Garlands old black & white movies are available.
Judy Garland died in 1969 accidentally taking an overdose of sleeping pills. The world lost a great Movie Star that day!
But Dorothy & her friends, The Tin Man, the Lion, & of course, The Wizard of Oz, will live on forever!
lobozmishmask 2009-01-12 05:53:28