Judy Garland | Hollywood Yesterday

Do you happen to have an “obscure” movie that you just love body, mind, and soul? One that the average person feels either so-so about or, worse yet, thinks it’s about as bad as it gets?!?

If you do… I think we could be great friends because many of my favorite movies fall in this category. Judy Garland and Gene Kelly star in one such movie – The Pirate. I just love this upbeat, joyful, and unapologetically fun musical.

Okay – since I’m always totally honest with you, I’m going to trust you with another little bit of truth. I like it even better than Singin’ in the Rain or Easter Parade.

Boom! That is some heavy truth there, but it is what it is. There is something magical about the chemistry between Judy Garland and Gene Kelly – a chemistry that is palpable as far as I’m concerned. I, personally, think he sparked more with Judy than any other actress, dancer, or singer.

One of the reasons I love The Pirate so much is the simple fact that Judy Garland is in it. I’m a huge fan, so if she’s there, I’m already on board. But it goes beyond Judy. It’s just a fun, enjoyable movie – very colorful and festive. Exactly how a musical should be!

I’m also drawn to the fact that Gene Kelly seems to enjoy this role (or co-starring with Judy Garland… maybe both?) immensely. He’s having fun with the role and “having fun with…” isn’t something we tend to associate with the intense perfectionist that was Gene Kelly.

Is it over the top? You bet.

Is it far-reaching? Oh, absolutely.

Are there a few moments so corny you can almost smell the butter? You know it.

But…. would I watch it 7 days out of 8 and grin like the Cheshire cat from start to end each and every time. A thousand times yes.

Not only is The Pirate one of my favorite musicals, Judy Garland’s Mack the Black is one of my favorite musical numbers. If I had the task of “introducing” the great Judy Garland to someone and wanted, desperately, to prove to them why I love her so much – this would probably be the number I’d lead with. She shows, with song, dance, and those glorious expressions… that she was and is one of the greatest performers of all time.

Showmanship? The lady oozed it and it was a beautiful thing.

I hope you’ll catch The Pirate as soon as possible. In the video below, Judy sings Mack the Black. I understand that the circumstances won’t make a BIT of sense to you if you haven’t seen the movie – but it doesn’t need to. All you need to do is watch this beautiful lady in her element.

She was one if a billion, wasn’t she?

Frances Ethel Gumm was born on June 10, 1922 in Minnesota. She was the youngest daughter of vaudevillians Ethel Marion (Milne) and Francis Avent Gumm. Frances would, of course, go on to take the world by storm as Judy Garland.

Below are some fast facts about a truly remarkable actress, singer, and woman.

I strive (always) to focus only on the positive when it comes to my beloved Old Hollywood Actors and Actresses, however, I feel that there are times when understanding their battles helps us understand them more. People often cast stones at these stars without fully realizing what they often went through. This is CERTAINLY the case with Judy Garland. According to her biography on the A&E channel, in her early acting career (when she was very, very young) producers were sending her to SIX different doctors for prescription drugs – all without these doctors knowing about the others. She meant money for these people and they used her in the worst possible way. The fact that, in spite of all the demons she was battling, she was able to perform at such a high level will always blow me away.
Her iconic “Over The Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz (1939) claimed the #1 spot on June 22, 2004, in The American Film Institute’s list of “The 100 Years of The Greatest Songs”.
She performed with her sisters at the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago on the infamous midway (the one where Sally Rand was the main attraction!), more specifically in the Old Mexico Club, where they sold out every night.
She was one of the few actresses to have danced in films with both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Other actresses that have this distinction are Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse, Vera-Ellen, Debbie Reynolds, and Leslie Caron.
Was considered for the role of Careen O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. When the role was given to Ann Rutherford, Judy immediately began working on The Wizard of Oz.
Returned to work just 11 months after giving birth to daughter Lorna Luft to work on A Star Is Born (1954).
Apparently, on the day Judy Garland died, there was a tornado in Kansas.
According to Mel Tormé, she had a powerful gift of retention. She could view a piece of music once and have the entire thing memorized! I’ve also read that (though it wasn’t tested), she was believed to have a very, very high IQ.
Judy was first cousin three times removed of US President Ulysses S. Grant.
When Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli married, Louis B. Mayer gave her away.
The character of Mary Ann on Gilligan’s Island was based on Judy’s Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.
Groucho Marx said that her not winning an Oscar for A Star Is Born was “the biggest robbery since Brink’s.”
Was replaced by Ginger Rogers in the film The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) after being suspended from MGM for her tardiness. In Ginger’s biography, she wrote that Fred Astaire was disappointed because he’d wanted to work with Judy (who he’d co-starred with in Easter Parade) again.
In 1997 she was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Judy Garland was very active politically for most of her adult life.
She returned to work nine months after giving birth to her daughter Liza Minnelli in order to film The Pirate (1948) with Gene Kelly.
Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe were good friends.
Another close friend was Katharine Hepburn. Judy would often stay with Katharine during her worst bouts of depression.
Won five Grammys during her career.
Starred in two Best Picture Oscar nominated films: The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961).