Judy Garland
Source: The Cabaret Room
Toto
Garland's pet dog in 'The Wizard of Oz'
Source: Follow the Piper
Born Frances Ethel Gumm on 10 June 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, actress Judy Garland was both a highly beloved and tragic figure in American entertainment. Though she would become a multimillionaire, her health would suffer from alcohol and drugs. Garland's parents owned a movie and vaudeville theater where she gave her first performance at age two, together with her two older sisters, Dorothy and Mary Jane. The family moved to Lancaster, California, in 1926 to run another theater. Her mother, Ethel, had intentions of making her daughters film stars when she enrolled them as the Gumm Sisters ("Jimmie," "Suzy" and "Baby") in dance school in 1928. They there joined the Meglin Kiddies dance troupe to appear in their first film, 'The Big Revue', in 1929. Having worked the vaudeville circuit for a few years with their mother as manager, the Gumm Sisters became the brief-existing Garland Sisters in 1934. Garland changed her name from Frances to Judy before that trio dismantled in 1935 (Mary Jane getting married). Garland then signed her first contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) that year. Judy issued her first recordings at age thirteen. She recorded her first two titles on 27 November 1935, 'No Other One' and 'All Is Well', but neither were released. 'Stompin' at the Savoy' with 'Swing Mr. Charlie' flip side went down on 12 June 1936 toward Decca 848.
'Stompin' at the Savoy' Judy Garland backed by Bob Crosby Orchestra
Garland's first recording to issue
12 June 1936 in NYC Matrix 61165 Decca 848
Trumpet: Yank Lawson / Rubin "Zeke" Zarchy
Trombone: Ward Silloway / Warren Smith
Clarinet and/or alto sax: Matty Matlock / Noni Bernardi / Gil Rodin
Clarinet and/or tenor sax: Deane Kincaide / Eddie Miller
Guitar: Nappy Lamare Piano: Bob Zurke
Upright bass: Bob Haggart Drums: Ray Bauduc
Composition: Edgar Sampson 1934
'Swing Mr. Charlie' Judy Garland backed by Bob Crosby Orchestra
Garland's second recording to issue
12 June 1936 in NYC Matrix 61166 Decca 848
Trumpet: Yank Lawson / Rubin "Zeke" Zarchy
Trombone: Ward Silloway / Warren Smith
Clarinet and/or alto sax: Matty Matlock / Noni Bernardi / Gil Rodin
Clarinet and/or tenor sax: Deane Kincaide / Eddie Miller
Guitar: Nappy Lamare Piano: Bob Zurke
Upright bass: Bob Haggart Drums: Ray Bauduc
Composition: Joseph Russell Robinson / Irving Taylor / Harry Brooks
In 1937 Judy began to appear in films with Mickey Rooney. Making ten movies together, their first was 'Thoroughbreds Don't Cry' released in December of 1937. Their last would be 'Words and Music' in 1948. Per MGM, 'Thoroughbreds Don't Cry' earned $731,000 globally, $20,000 short of what it cost to produce. But in 1938 Garland was cast in the wholly remarkable film that made her name, 'The Wizard of Oz', that released to theaters in 1939. Of note among films to follow was her appearance with dancer, Gene Kelly, in the musical, 'Me and My Gal', in 1942.
'Got a Pair of New Shoes' Judy Garland w Mickey Rooney and Ronald Sinclair
From the film 'Thoroughbreds Don't Cry' released 3 Dec 1937
Music: Nacio Herb Brown Lyrics: Arthur Freed
'Over the Rainbow' Judy Garland w Toto
Recorded 7 Oct 1938 for the film 'Wizard of Ox' released 25 Aug 1939
Music: Harold Arlen Lyrics: Yip Harburg
Judy's disc recording of 'Over the Rainbow' from 'The Wizard of Oz' went down on 28 July 1939 toward issue on Decca 2672 with backing by the Victor Young Orchestra to reach #5 on the popularity charts [TsorT]. That was Garland's best-selling recording. Other Top Ten releases by Garland were 'I'm Nobody's Baby' at #3 in 1940, 'For Me and My Gal' with Gene Kelly in January 1943, 'The Trolley Song' at #4 in November 1944 and 'On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe' at #9 in September 1945.
''Wild About Harry' Judy Garland backed by the Victor Young Orchestra
29 July 1939 in Los Angeles Matrix DLA 1851 Brunswick 02969 (UK)
Guitar: Perry Botkin Drums: Spike Jones
Music: Eubie Blake Lyrics: Noble Sissle For the 1921 Broadway show 'Shuffle Along'
'I'm Nobody's Baby' Judy Garland w Mickey Rooney
From the 4th Garland/Rooney film 'Andy Hardy Meets Debutante' released 5 July 1940
Composition: Benny Davis / Lester Santly / Milton Ager 1921
'On the Sunny Side of the Street' Judy Garland backed by the David Rose Orchestra
3 April 1942 in Los Angeles Matrix: DLA 2970 Decca 18524
Music: Jimmy McHugh Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
'For Me and My Gal' Judy Garland w Gene Kelly
From the film 'For Me and My Gal' released 21 Oct 1942
Composition: George W. Meyer / Edgar Leslie / E. Ray Goetz
'The Trolley Song' Judy Garland
From the film 'Meet Me In St. Louis' released 22 Nov 1944
Composition: Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane 1944
'The Boy Next Door' Judy Garland
From the film 'Meet Me In St. Louis' released 22 Nov 1944
Composition: Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane 1944
On 15 June of 1945 Garland married Italian stage and film director, Vincente Minnelli, to result in the birth of popular singer, Liza Minnelli, in March 1946. Garland experienced a nervous breakdown in 1947 while filming 'The Pirate' [IMDb] with Gene Kelly. Though she completed the movie, she was suspended (and replaced) from three others in 1948, 1949 and 1950 due largely to depression with a suicidal lean atop alcohol and pill abuse. Notable, however, was her appearance with Fred Astaire in the film musical, 'Easter Parade', in 1948 [IMDb].
'Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe' Judy Garland
From the film 'Harvey Girls' released 29 April 1946
Music: Harry Warren Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
'I've Got You Under My Skin' Judy Garland
19 Feb 1947 'Philco Radio Time'
Composition: Cole Porter 1936
'Mack the Black' Judy Garland w Gene Kelly
From the film 'The Pirate' released 20 May 1948
Composition: Cole Porter
'You Can Do No Wrong' Judy Garland w Gene Kelly
From the film 'The Pirate' released 20 May 1948
Composition: Cole Porter
'Be a Clown' Judy Garland w Gene Kelly
From the film 'The Pirate' released 20 May 1948
Composition: Cole Porter
'I Love a Piano' Judy Garland w Fred Astaire
From the film 'Easter Parade' released 30 June 1948
Composition: Irving Berlin
'When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam'' Judy Garland w Fred Astaire
From the film 'Easter Parade' released 30 June 1948
Composition: Irving Berlin
'A Couple of Swells' Judy Garland w Fred Astaire
From the film 'Easter Parade' released 30 June 1948
Composition: Irving Berlin
'Easter Parade' Judy Garland w Fred Astaire
From the film 'Easter Parade' released 30 June 1948
Composition: Irving Berlin
In 1951 Garland traded Hollywood for Broadway, performing at the Palace Theatre and awarded a Special (honorary) Tony. Back in Hollywood in 1954, she filmed that year's remake of 'A Star Is Born', now for Warner Brothers. Garland began appearing in television specials for the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in 1955. In 1956 she became the highest paid Las Vegas entertainer at the time, appearing at the New Frontier Hotel for $55,000 per week. Her recorded appearance at Carnegie Hall in 1961 resulted in the gold double-record album, 'Judy at Carnegie Hall', which kept the No. 1 spot on the charts for 13 weeks. It was also 1961 when Garland began hosting her own television show, the first of three, called 'The Judy Garland Show'. 'Judy at Carnegie Hall', per above, won the Album of the Year Grammy Award in 1962. In 1964 she appeared with her daughter, Liza, then eighteen years of age, at the London Palladium, that recorded for issue on 'Judy Garland & Liza Minnelli – Live at the London Palladium' per Capitol HÖR ZU – SHZE 406 in 1965.
'The Man That Got Away' Judy Garland
From the film 'A Star Is Born' released 29 Sep 1954
Composition: Gershwin Brothers
'Day In Day Out' Judy Garland
19 May 1958 See the 1958 album 'Judy In Love' on Capitol Records ST 1036
Music: Rube Bloom Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
'Alone Together' Judy Garland
23 April 1961 See the 1958 album 'Judy at Carnegie Hall' on Capitol Records WBO 1569
Composition: Arthur Schwartz / Howard Dietz
'Smile' Judy Garland
8 Nov 1964 at the London Palladium
See the album 'Judy Garland & Liza Minnelli – Live at the London Palladium' on HÖR ZU – SHZE 406 / 1965
Music: Charlie Chaplin for the 1936 film 'Modern Times'
Lyrics: John Turner / Geoffrey Parsons 1954
Garland's tour to Australia in latter 1964 was less than favorable. The show in Melbourne opened an hour late, resulting in a heckling audience that booed her offstage before completing her performance. In 1967 Garland was fired and replaced yet again for missing rehearsals, this time by 20th Century Fox while filming 'Valley of the Dolls'. As before, she headed for the Palace Theatre on Broadway. Garland last performed on television on 19 January 1969, filling in for Lena Horne on 'Sunday Night at the Palladium'. She gave her final concert performance 25 March of 1969 in Copenhagen.
Live in Copenhagen Judy Garland
25 March 1969 at the Falkoner Centret in Copenhagen, Denmark
HD TV Joe Marchese Judy Garland News
Garland had had three children and was married to her fifth husband, Mickey Deans, when she died at age 47 of an accidental overdose of barbiturates on 22 June of 1969 in London. She was moved for burial to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles [obit].
Sources & References for Judy Garland:
Nancy Pear (Musician Guide)
William Ruhlmann (All Music)
VF History (notes)
Audio of Garland: Internet Archive
Awards / Honors: Wikipedia
Concert Performances: Setlist (1942-69) Wikipedia (1943-69)
Documentaries:
The End of the Rainbow (2019)
Judy Garland: Beyond the Rainbow (A&E Biography / 1997)
Judy Garland's Difficult Early Years (Graeme Yorston / 2024)
Property of MGM (Randy Schmidt / AMS Pictures / 2025)
Sid & Judy (Stephen Kijak / 2019)
What Happened to Judy Garland? - The Later Years (Graeme Yorston / 2024)
Family: Children Children Parents
Filmographies: All Movie IMDb TCM Wikipedia
Iconography: Wikimedia Commons
Interviews:
26 Aug 1965 (Young Broadcasting)
March 1967 (with Barbara Walters)
7 May 1967 (Jack Paar Show)
24 June 1968 (Johnny Carson's Tonight Show)
Aug 1968 (Mike Douglas Show / Part 1)
Aug 1968 (Mike Douglas Show / Part 2)
26 March 1969 (Hans Vangkilde for Radio Denmark / final interview)
Radio Performances: Wikipedia (1940-53)
Recordings: Catalogs:
45 Worlds Discogs Music Brainz RYM SHS Wikipedia
Recordings: Sessionographies:
DAHR (1935-47) Tom Lord Jazzography: leading 3 of 5 sessions 1937-1944)
Television Performances: Wikipedia (1955-69)
Further Reading:
Christine Liwag Dixon (The Tragic, Real-Life Story of Judy Garland / updated 2025)
Aljean Harmetz (Judy Garland Auction Fetches $250,000 / 1978)
James Kaplan (Over the Rainbow, and Then Some! / 2011)
Stevie Phillips (Judy Garland: the diva, the drugs and the damage / Garland's manager 1961-65 / 2015)
Cameron Shipp (The Struggles of Judy Garland / 2017)
Bibliography:
Gerald Clarke (Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland / Random House / 2000)
Scott Schechter (Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend / Cooper Square Press / 2002)
David Shipman (The Secret Life of an American Legend / Hyperion / 1993)
Other Profiles: Active Musician Biography Hollywood's Golden Age
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