Judy Garland : Great Star

Great Star

Judy was not just a great star; she was the greatest star.

A frien5b4d of mine noted that Fred Astaire's opinion of Judy was that she was the greatest. I jokingly told him that he forgot about similar declarations from Gene Kelly, Ann Miller, June Allyson, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Norman Jewison, Rod Steiger, Margaret Whiting, George Murphy and Mickey Rooney.

I have a great problem with the "stars" of today. I can only think of a few who could rank as genuine movie stars among the younger set. A movie star is someone who is able to bring audiences in based on his or her name alone.

Judy Garland was one such star who was actually BELOVED by audiences. As bad as the music world is now, it still has more evidence of talent than a lot of movies being produced now, but even then, Judy cannot be replaced. Judy was not a bland generic, she was a genuine actress who actually made you believe in the story and believe in the character.

"She had the COMMON touchand what could be more beautiful than that?" - Lizabeth Scott on Judy

Just the fact that Judy's popularity has been the subject in two different posts here tells you that she was and is a great star.

I was talking to some ladies who were alive during Judy's peak. We all hit on the idea that stars like Judy were so popular is because the audiences LOVED them, pure and simple. They don't love the stars in quite the same way today.

Judy made you believe in the character, no matter the film. That's why she was considered the greatest by many of her peers. She lived, breathed and connected.