Judy Garland
Born Frances Ethel Gumm on
June 10, 1922
in Grand Rapids, MN
Died
June 22, 1969
of sleeping pill overdose in London, United Kingdom
Judy Garland's life was as dramatic as any of the roles she played on screen. Best known as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," the big-hearted Midwestern gal catapulted to fame as a teenager in the 1930s, starring in dozens of films, singing on countless records and, in the process, logging five marriages, four divorces, three children, one abortion and a barbiturate addiction that led to an overdose and her premature death at the age of 47. Putting on a happy face for the public even as her personal life fell to pieces, Garland was an emotionally complicated character — a big talent who lived an even bigger life. A top box-office film star of the 1940s, Garland established all-time personal appearance records in the '50s and nominated for an Academy Award in the '60s. She was Hollywood's queen of the comeback. When her career — and usually her personal life — hit rock bottom, she would stage a spectacular comeback and again hit the bigtime. She played her most iconic role, Dorothy, at the age of 17. In the 1939 film she sang the song that became her trademark: "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow." It was estimated that her films made more than $100 million. Most were big-budget musicals of the '40s, although she won critical esteem for acting ability in later years. Among her starring roles were "Broadway Melody of 1938" (1937), "Babes in Arms" (1939), "Babes on Broadway" (1941), "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944), "A Star is Born" (1954) and "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961). Garland, who tried to commit suicide several times throughout her life, died of an accidental overdose of sleeping pills in her London apartment.
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Points of interest
Academy Awards
| Year | Category | Work | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Special Award | Win | |
| 1954 | Best Actress | A Star Is Born | Nomination |
| 1961 | Best Supporting Actress | Judgment at Nuremberg | Nomination |
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Five thoughts about Judy Garland
In the early sixties when I was a young woman living at Tahoe, my mother and I had reservations for a dinner show at Harrahs where Judy Garland was to appear, we were going because my mother was having surgery the next day and would be out of commission for a couple of weeks. We arrived at Harrahs and were seated only to be told that Ms. Garland would not be appearing that night as she was ill. Oh, how disappointed I was! The next day I visited the hospital, and asked my mother how she was feeling, she had been out of surgery for several hours, she said fine, with the exception of this awful woman in the room next to hers who was screaming at everyone who came near. Guess who? Yep, Judy Garland! The nurses had their hands full with her and her demands to be "released from this dump". It seems that Ms. Garland had been brought in the day before unconsious from alcohol. She spent hours on the phone with "her people" threatening to fire everyone if they didn't get her out of the "hell hole" (Carson City).
What an eye opener for me....Dorothy had a mouth that would make a longshore blush!
I was born at the Carson-Tahoe Hospitol July 1962. Judy Garland was admitted to the hospitol at the same time. The Nurse told my Mother that Judy Garland was a patient in the hospital, due to a suicide attempt. She stated that Judy was a sad and very tortured soul.
Thanks for those two uplifting stories! JK- Judy did have her issues but she sure brought a lot of joy and happiness to many people. She was known as a very caring and giving soul. I am sure when she was suffering such as the times referenced above- that was not the real Judy and not who Judy would have wanted people to see. She had a life that most of us would not have been able to handle for one year let alone 47.
Judy Garland was pushed into making too many films. She was a major talent and brilliant in film. Growing up I loved her in the Wizard of Oz. It hurt to hear of her passing, in 1969. I had seen her on some talk shows, don't remember which ones, and it was clear the joy of life had long left Judy. What the studios did to her should have been criminal. They wore her out and it is tragic.
Greatest actress ever!
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