Fun Facts about Judy Garland

While researching Judy Garland, I've come across some pretty random facts, so I decided to compile them from these respected websites!

From FunTrivia.com:

• Judy Garland earned a star on the Walk of Fame in 1960.
• Judy and Mickey Rooney (a common co-star) first filmed together in the movie "Thoroughbreds Don't Cry".
• Judy's nickname was "Baby".
• She was married FIVE times.

 From destinationhollywood.com

• She was in a show as a child called "The Gumm Sisters Kiddie Show".
• Vaudevillian George Jesell encouraged the Gumm sisters to change their last name to Garland.
• Mickey Rooney and Judy made TEN movies together.
• Garland's role in "The Wizard of Oz" was originally cast for Shirley Timple.
• Daughters Liza and Lorna are respectable singers in their own right.

 From picking.com

• Judy was less than 5ft. tall!
• Became incredibly famous at 17 as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" (breakout role)

Judy Garland and LGBT

Judy Garland is known for many things.... her voice, her classic beauty, her unshakable place in the entertainment industry for years to come... and an icon for lesbians and gays?
   While many people may not be familiar with this side of Judy, many gay men saw her as one of the most iconic gay figures in the public eye in the mid-20th century. Garland herself was not gay; however, according to about.com, a "gay" magazine, The Advocate, called Garland the "Elvis of homosexuals". While there is much speculation as to why she was such an important figure for this group of men, through most of my research I have found the most common reason to be that she was forced to always portray an air of strength- please keep in mind this woman was in the limelight from the age of TWO! Homosexual men were no where near as accepted back then as they are today- they too had to put on an air of strength, even when judged harshly by the media, and the rest of society.
   I think that these homosexual men associated with her struggles, and through this "bond" she became an icon for them.

Meet Me in St. Louis

    In Meet Me in St. Louis, Judy Garland plays Esther Smith, a lovestruck teen in St. Louis in the early 20th century. Esther's father, Alonzo Smith, plans to move the family due to work, devasting all five of the children. Esther had fallen hopelessly in love with a boy named John, who didn't realize she existed until about halfway through the movie. However, after one of many "altercations" involving Esther's flair for the dramatic, his feelings end up being mutual. The movie is a little sappy and unrealistic but the music is symbolic of the time period.
   Esther sings many songs in the film, including "The Boy Next Door", "Over the Banister", and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". The film is a type of old-school musical, and most of the music has a type of orchestra undertone.
   I was inspired to watch the movie after seeing it in "Sex and the City: The Movie". I soon realized that it was a musical with Judy Garland as the main character, making it perfect for this entry!

The picture below is from a scene in this movie:

(I think this is when she is singing the Trolley Song)

http://missvintagegirl.blogspot.com/

The Wizard of Oz

    Judy Garland plays Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz". Dorothy is a girl who lives with her aunt, uncle, and little dog, Toto. The basis of the movie is that Dorothy and her dog are caught in a tornado and somehow end up in the land of Oz.  Here they have magical experiences, and make new friends including a scarecrow, a tin man, and a cowardly lion.  Dorothy is the main character, and the movie documents her and her friends adventures on the way to see the Wizard of Oz. The movie has heavy themes of good versus evil, as well as some ideas of "escapism", probably stemming from the tragedy of the Great Depression during this time period.
    In the movie, Judy Garland sings many famous orchestral songs, such as "Over the Rainbow" and "Follow the Yellow Brick Road". While some songs are homophonic, with just Garland's voice and an instrument, some others are heterophonic, where many cast members join in, creating a chorus sound.
    I remember seeing the film for the first time on VHS with my parents; one of the best parts about the movie were the songs (my absolute favorite being "Over the Rainbow"). While I know many people have seen this movie, I felt like I would be cheating Judy Garland if I didn't address it!

http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2008/11/wizard-of-oz-cg-remake-coming-in-2010/

Judy Garland- Overview

According to John Fricke of judygarland.net, Judy Garland was actually born as Frances Ethel Gumm in mid-1922 in Missouri; both of Gumm's parents were musically inclined, as well as her other sisters, and they became known as a show called "The Gumm Sisters". Fricke goes into detail about Garland's rise to fame, and her on-again, off-again relationship with MGM; Garland was featured in multiple musical films such as "Meet Me in St. Louis", "Ziegfeld Girl", "Babes on Broadway", and "The Clock". She also recorded many songs that have been re-recorded and re-produced today! Fricke goes on to tell her latter life accomplishments, and the many awards she won for outstanding performances in not only films and recordings, but also TV shows. Garland died due to an apparent accidental overdose at the saddening age of only 47.
  While Garland's life was tragically cut short, she was the mother to Liza Minnelli, who turned out to be one of the biggest stars of her time. I can only imagine what else she would have achieved if she were to be alive today!

http://quotespics70icons.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html

 http://www.collider.com/entertainment/news/article.asp/aid/10773/tcid/1

 http://www.idreamofhollywood.com/judy-garland-icon-legend-genius-and-always-alone/

Judy Garland

I decided to do my tribute project on Judy Garland. I chose Ms. Garland not only because she is the star of one of my favorite all time movies (The Wizard of Oz!) but also because she has one of the most beautiful, influential voices of all time. The music of her time period is classic, and has inspired me to delve a little deeper into Judy and her accomplishments. The purpose of this blog is to evaluate major works that Judy Garland produced, participated in, was influenced by, etc. I intend to research movies, songs, and Judy's life history in general in order to find out more about this amazing woman!