Judy Garland : What is it abt her?

What is it abt her?

I could have the worse day possible but as soon as I pop in one of her films, I instantly feel calm and happy :-)

Thank you Judy!

Re: What is it abt her?

Thanks for that! Yes, someone was telling me they have no joy in their life. And I thought, wow, can't they just watch or listen to Judy? That's pure joy to me.

Re: What is it abt her?

What is it about Judy?

One time, I went through five months of HELL! I'll never divulge what those five months were about, but they contained enough torture and pain to last a lifetime.

But that changed one night after listening to Judy sing 'Smile.' The problems of five months disappeared in a matter of minutes. Of course Judy had done this before, but never on this scale.

I think Judy is universal. You have to let your guard down and let her in, experience her. She really was the greatest of them all. She could communicate on a deeply personal level with her audience. We can relate to her, and she understood us.

It's also important to note that here was a lady who struggled with her own issues, but never gave up on herself. She was not a figure of tragedy and that's what she conveyed to us. She was able to laugh at the world, laugh at herself, and not only touch the audience in a personal way, but also bring joy and warmth to those who came into contact with her. I think it's about time we understand her on this level.

After all, she took the time to understand us.

Re: What is it abt her?

These two quotes may explain why Judy was the best.

"At her best, Judy Garland was better than any of us; at her worst, she was as good as the rest of us are at our best!" - Peggy Lee

"I've said it a thousand times, when she [Judy] was good, she was the greatest thing that ever happened on a stage. and when she was bad, she was still pretty good." - Alan King

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"She was overflowing with personal magic.. I can't think of a more talented person in Hollywood!" - Mia Farrow on Judy

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"She was everything we could have imagined - and more" - Julie Andrews on Judy at her Carnegie Hall Concert in 1961.

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"What she had was a pure talent. Whatever training she had or used or needed came from performance, from experience, from sharing. The talent poured from her like sweat or blood, and I think of those fluids when I think of her performances--not the fluids which did so much to calm or seduce her when she did not have an audience. I have drowned in those fluids myself. There was no effort with Judy--other than to stay alive and to show up and to keep the standard so high for so long. We live now in a world of proficiency and efficiency and managers of one minute who get a particular job done. No flab; no fuss. I don't like this new world. I like the world of pure talent fully given; lives fully lived; hearts fully open. Try to do whatever it is you do with the passion and commitment and terminal feeling that Judy had. None of us can. The talent was too big, and all of the recipients of this talent far, far too small." - Tennessee Williams

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"We watch men on the tightrope, hold our breaths: Will they make it? Will they s b68 urvive? We watch performers place their faces in the jaws of lions and our hearts stop. They escape; we exhale. With Judy--in her work and in her life--we--or I--always felt this way: Will she make the note? By God, she did: She hit it and then rode it to the moon. Jesus! Will she get the scene? She will--and she did--transcend the scene. Will she live? Can she go on? No, she couldn't. She slipped away--the ropes and the notes and the wild animals triumphed, in a single moment. But we have her for all eternity, sublime and tremulous, over our heads, risking everything. But she gets the note." - Tennessee Williams

Re: What is it abt her?

"Could there be a better actress than Judy was? She was a real honest to God musical theater performer. Sang like an angel. A great showman. Hell of a dancer and a heart-rending actress!" - Johnny Green

Re: What is it abt her?

Judy was looked upon as the greatest talent in Hollywood. She was often compared to greats like Jolson or Chaplin. Judy was admired by Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Peggy Lee, Barbra Streisand, Rod Steiger, Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Jackie Cooper and many others.

Re: What is it abt her?

Mike Tyson shows why Judy was so beloved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQGmPHURqPw

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"Judy's fans don't listen - they feel." - Spencer Tracy

Re: What is it abt her?

What Judy really had was honesty. She was 100% real in everything she did. There was also a natural and vulnerable sex appeal that she had that very few had. Whereas Doris Day was staid, Judy was alive with emotion and she made sure people always knew she was a woman with needs.

The reason Judy remains so beloved is because she was the real deal. She was a part of that great acting tradition that looked so effortless. Sometimes people only observe the acting talents of people like John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave or Alec Guinness without thinking that acting comes in all forms from Judy, James Stewart, Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart, etc. There was more honesty in the lot of them then in the others put together.

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Tom Drake once said that Judy's eyes were so expressive like a dear. But he felt that a dear only had two expressions [happiness and fear]. He still felt Judy was the greatest talent of them all.

Re: What is it abt her?

Barry Manilow is influenced by Judy's work. There is the well known "duet" with Judy.

“Her voice, her interpretations, her honest delivery and her musical arrangements were tremendously exciting,” Manilow says by email.

More to read here.

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/10/28/barry-manilow-reflects-on-ma gic-of-judy-garland-exclusive-video/

Re: What is it abt her?

Lorna Luft on JUDY GARLAND: THE CONCERT YEARS being interview by Regis Philbin.

//youtu.be/9yQ0LVageHo

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A few singers talk of Judy's influence on their careers. Also includes a brief interview with John Fricke.

http://www.edgechicago.com/entertainment/music/news//168037/judy,_judy _and_more_judy_-_a_weekend_tribute_to_garland

Re: What is it abt her?

George Jessel once told Judy that she was like sex. When it's good it's good, but when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

Re: What is it abt her?

Philip Seymour Hoffman was a passionate fan of Judy as seen in this article.

https://fivetruestories.wordpress.com/2014/05/24/celebrity-philip-seymour-hoffman/

Re: What is it abt her?

"Judy Garland is a singer with a capital S. And talk about soul. This woman was soul personified. Judy Garland is a class by herself." - Aretha Franklin

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The dance-and-song man Maurice Hines tells a remarkable story about Judy Garland. For some time, the great dancer John Bubbles had been a part of Garland’s concerts, dancing in front of her while she sang one of her signature songs, ‘Me And My Shadows’. This was beginning to be regarded as touchy by the mid '60s, but even so, it was a traditional part of Garland’s act. However, what nearly stopped Garland from doing this one night was not the gathering forces of political correctness, but rather that Mr. Bubbles had been taken ill. Somehow, somebody came up with the idea to have Garland do the 'Shadow’ routine with the two Hines brothers, Gregory and Maurice, who were, roughly 11 and 13 at the time. Maurice told me that he was amazed with Garland’s professionalism; when you’re accustomed to doing a routine with one tall man, it’s not at all easy to re-learn it with two boys who were roughly the same height she was, especially since Garland had never had any formal training as a dancer. Yet she did it, and pulled it off brilliantly, doing it the first time with The Hines Brothers as if she had always done it that way.

Then, when it came time to take a bow, an amazing thing happened. Standing between the two boys, Garland took the brothers by their hands and bowed. Suddenly, Maurice felt something like a jolt of electricity running through his palm. It was as if he’d accidentally touched an exposed wire that wasn’t properly grounded; a mild surge of electricity ran through his body the instant that Garland’s hand touched his.

When the show was over, Maurice wanted to ask Gregory if he had the same experience, but before he could, Gregory approached his older brother with trepidation and asked him: “Hey, did you feel anything funny when Judy held your hand?” The two Hines Brothers were in accord, they both had felt the same mysterious tingling. There was something downright metaphysical abou 5b4 t Judy Garland in performance.
--

Maurice Hines had other things to say about Judy. He relates a few of these in an interview.

Q: You and your brother met some of the biggest stars of the 20th century.

A: When I talk about Judy Garland and I talk about Ella in the show, these are people we knew. We worked with them. We got to know them as human beings. The truly great ones were always very personable to each other – lovely to their fellow performers. I don't see that too much now, which saddens me. I see a lot more competitiveness in the business.

Q: What else has changed?

A: Each one of those people was so distinct. They weren't cloned. There was no other Judy Garland; there was no other Ella. There was no other Sarah Vaughn.

But now the industry looks for clones – lemme find another Michael Jackson. You can't find another Michael Jackson! There was no other Sammy Davis. There was no other Frank Sinatra!

Ray Charles said that, years ago in an interview. He said the problem with the business now is that everyone wants clones, as opposed to nurturing individual artists. And he was so right.
--

Q: The crowd feeds you – they fuel you?

A: Exactly. Exactly. They fuel you. Even if you're feeling a little down, by the second number or the third number if they're with you, oh my God, it's unbelievable. You feel euphoric. Judy Garland taught us that. 5b4

Once, when we worked with her, she had [her children] Lorna and Joey with her. She was singing "What Now, My Love?" Her voice was a little raspy, and Lorna was so scared – I never will forget this – she was crossing herself that her mother could hit the last high note. And she said, "You know, when my mother is out there, she's euphoric. The audience gives her that."

And all of a sudden, she hit that high note! I couldn't believe it! You could hear it in her voice that she was tired, but she hit that high note, baby! And Lorna just smiled. She said, "That's because she's euphoric." Those are the great performers who we worked with. We learned from them.

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The dance-and-song man Maurice Hines tells a remarkable story about Judy Garland. For some time, the great dancer John Bubbles had been a part of Garland’s concerts, dancing in front of her while she sang one of her signature songs, ‘Me And My Shadows’. This was beginning to be regarded as touchy by the mid '60s, but even so, it was a traditional part of Garland’s act. However, what nearly stopped Garland from doing this one night was not the gathering forces of political correctness, but rather that Mr. Bubbles had been taken ill. Somehow, somebody came up with the idea to have Garland do the 'Shadow’ routine with the two Hines brothers, Gregory and Maurice, who were, r 2000 oughly 11 and 13 at the time. Maurice told me that he was amazed with Garland’s professionalism; when you’re accustomed to doing a routine with one tall man, it’s not at all easy to re-learn it with two boys who were roughly the same height she was, especially since Garland had never had any formal training as a dancer. Yet she did it, and pulled it off brilliantly, doing it the first time with The Hines Brothers as if she had always done it that way.

Then, when it came time to take a bow, an amazing thing happened. Standing between the two boys, Garland took the brothers by their hands and bowed. Suddenly, Maurice felt something like a jolt of electricity running through his palm. It was as if he’d accidentally touched an exposed wire that wasn’t properly grounded; a mild surge of electricity ran through his body the instant that Garland’s hand touched his.

When the show was over, Maurice wanted to ask Gregory if he had the same experience, but before he could, Gregory approached his older brother with trepidation and asked him: “Hey, did you feel anything funny when Judy held your hand?” The two Hines Brothers were in accord, they both had felt the same mysterious tingling. There was something downright metaphysical about Judy Garland in performance.
--

Maurice Hines had other things to say about Judy. He relates a few of these in an interview.

Q: You and your brother met some of the biggest stars of the 20th century.

A: When I talk about Judy Garland and I talk about Ella in the show, these are people we knew. We worked with them. We got to know them as human beings. The truly great ones were always very personable to each other – lovely to their fellow performers. I don't see that too much now, which saddens me. I see a lot more competitiveness in the business.

Q: What else has changed?

A: Each one of those people was so distinct. They weren't cloned. There was no other Judy Garland; there was no other Ella. There was no other Sarah Vaughn.

But now the industry looks for clones – lemme find another Michael Jackson. You can't find another Michael Jackson! There was no other Sammy Davis. There was no other Frank Sinatra!

Ray Charles said that, years ago in an interview. He said the problem with the business now is that everyone wants clones, as opposed to nurturing individual artists. And he was so right.
--

Q: The crowd feeds you – they fuel you?

A: Exactly. Exactly. They fuel you. Even if you're feeling a little down, by the second number or the third number if they're with you, oh my God, it's unbelievable. You feel euphoric. Judy Garland taught us that.

Once, when we worked with her, she had [her children] Lorna and Joey with her. She was singing "What Now, My Love?" Her voice was a little raspy, and Lorna was so scared – I never will forget this – she was crossing herself that her mother could hit the last high note. And she said, "You know, when my mother is out there, she's euphoric. The audience gives her that."

And all of a sudden, she hit that high note! I couldn't believe it! You could hear it in her voice that she was tired, but she hit that high note, baby! And Lorna just smiled. She said, "That's because she's euphoric." Those are the great performers who we worked with. We learned from them.

Re: What is it abt her?

Brenda Lee in front of Judy poster.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brenda-Lee-In-Front-Of-Judy-Garland-Poster-Original-7x9-Photo-J806-/381114665576

Lee was often compared to Judy. When they met, Judy warned Lee, "Don't let them do to you what they did to me." It must have been something that was on her mind for Judy had also expressed the same warning to Barbra Streisand and had also expressed concern about Margaret O'Brien in 1943/44.

Re: What is it abt her?

Where was it taken? I would go back in time for her show.

Do you think flattery will keep you alive?

Re: What is it abt her?

Some that I have heard were influenced by Judy,

Donna Summer
Sandra Lawrence
Katie Melua
Linnzi Zaorski
Judy Barnett
Adi Braun
Janelle Monáe
Helmut Lotti

Shirley Bassey is also influenced by Judy.

"I grew up listening to Judy Garland. My brother was a big fan, so he bought Garland records and Billy Eckstine, and we would sing duets. He would be Eckstine and I would be Garland."

Shirley Bassey talks about meeting Judy and her influence on her.

"Whats the best advice anyone has ever given you?"

"This sounds like name-dropping, but then I have met a lot of stars over the many years I've been in showbusiness - I don't know if there are that many since I'm only 29 [laughter]. When I was about 20, in the audience was my idol, Judy Garland and she sent a waiter round to ask me to go and sit with her and have a drink. As I was going to America for the first time the following week, I asked her if I should change my act. She s 1354 aid 'Certainly not - you go with the act I saw. You do that, and you'll be a big success. Don't do what I did, I listened to everybody, and I had lights coming on here, lights coming on there, lights coming on there, and I looked like a damn clown. Don't do that'. So I took her advice, and went to America, and I'm happy to say the act was a big success."

Re: What is it abt her?

Hilary Kole is a big fan of Judy and discusses her musical tribute to her here,

http://hilarykole.com/hilary-kole-interview-on-her-musical-tribute-to-judy-garland/

Re: What is it abt her?

Writer Charles Jackson ['The Lost Weekend'] fell for Judy like a "ton of bricks." He reported to his wife, “I all but fell in love with Judy—strictly as an artist, I mean.” He had met Judy at a dinner party on June 2, 1944.

A few days later he shyly asked his “new love” (as he frankly described her in a note to Alma 2000 Pritchard at his agency, Brandt & Brandt) whether she’d accompany him to the “preem” of The White Cliffs of Dover on June 19, and was startled by her ready acceptance. Voldemar Vetluguin—his fatherly Russian minder at MGM—explained that “no man in his right mind” would take Judy Garland to a premiere: “You’ll be mobbed,” he said. “You’re taking your life in your hands.” But Charlie figured it was “all part of the Hollywood experience” and was determined to see it through. In his subsequent letter to Rhoda, he described the atmosphere at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre that night as being akin to a “Nazi demonstration,” complete with a “battery of search-lights” and rabid, howling fans packed into bleachers along the street:

As the car pulled in to the curb the crowd screamed “There’s Judy!” over and over again. . . . Your heart would have been touched (as mine was) if you could have seen how Judy turned to the crowd and gave a tiny little wave, acknowledging the applause, though all the while, her hand on my arm was trembling and shaking against me. We were stopped, then, every few feet, and photographed; and Judy kept saying “For God’s sake, Charlie, smile!” Each time the flash went off, Judy’s face was turned toward mine, looking up at me in a charming smile, as though I were The Only Man In The World My legs knocked together, but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world: a real experience."

Jackson then wrote a poem for Judy;

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1T1Ux5PrUqA/Uji-w_xT3XI/AAAAAAAACik/4-8lHu0OUok/s1600/JacksonLetter-June10-1944-p1-JudyGarlandPoem.jpg

Jackson's entire letter to wife which includes poem. It happened to be dated June 10.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9HYr9njWCCU/Uji-xm-SP1I/AAAAAAAACi8/eRRWH_Gi_Z0/s1600/JacksonLetter-June10-1944-p1.jpg

Judy's response dated June 5.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uRDLt06SPRs/Uji-yNJk50I/AAAAAAAACi4/yOSuH7gchNg/s1600/JudyGarland-LetterToJackson.jpg

Re: What is it abt her?

Re: What is it abt her?

”Judy Garland is the reason I wanted to become an actress.” - Selena Gomez

Re: What is it abt her?

“Judy Garland was my idol growing up and I have a framed lobby card of her, Gene Kelly and my grandfather, Keenan Wynn, in For Me and My Gal. My legal last name is Armstrong, but I changed it because I wanted to carry on the [Wynn] name. I feel the force of my family around me, and it’s calming.” - Jessica Wynn

Re: What is it abt her?

"I had dinner at her home, I was invited to a Christmas party that she gave. I took my husband (the late Peter Daniels) who was a wonderful pianist and she asked me if I would sing for her which I did. She said, ‘If you sing for me, I’ll sing for you.’ And she sang 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'. I don’t remember what I sang, do you believe that? I was in a fog, I was such a fan. I was so nervous that I was with her, that I was able to sit down next to her."

Re: What is it abt her?

Johnny Mercer had an intense love affair with Judy for who knows how many years. They remained friends until her death. The sense of loss was so overwhelming that Mercer wrote at least six songs about their love affair. It was with 'I Remember You' that Mercer commented, "I always had such a crush on Garland I couldn't think straight, so I wrote this song.” Here are the songs that we know of.

'Skylark' [Dinah Shore]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVvIpFhBmqw

'This Time, the Dream's On Me' [Dick Haymes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYJANaR1y3Y

'That Old Black Magic' [Judy]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKopyAOgIYU

'Come Rain Or Come Shine' [Judy]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOBt5JKYtTk

'I Remember You' [Ella Fitzgerald]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfiuwQgZsZo

'One For My Baby' [Johnny Mercer]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQpTDtlaS24

Re: What is it abt her?

Linda Eder is another influenced by Judy. She made 'By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland.'

Re: What is it abt her?

"Certainly Judy Garland was the epitome of performance singing. When she sang a song she was performing that song." - Libby Whittemore

Re: What is it abt her?

"Could there be a better actress than Judy was? She was a real honest to God musical-theater performer. Sang like an angel. A great showman. Hell of a dancer, and a heart-rending actress. I worked a great, great deal with Judy and never had one minute's trouble with her. We were very good friends. During her worst periods of falling apart, she was never late even to a piano rehearsal in my office. I was witness to trouble with her, but I never experienced any personally." - Johnny Green

Re: What is it abt her?

Leslie Uggams said that Judy at Carnegie Hall influenced her the most as a performer.

Re: What is it abt her?

"After meeting her it made me realize that entertaining is what I do it is not who I am. I am just like any other hard working person, trying to make it on this earth. She showed me that no one is better than the other person and there is no need to act differently or superior toward anyone. We are all "Stars" just doing different things. If I can make someone forget their troubles for an hour while enjoying our performances than I feel blessed. Ms. Garland made so many people forget their troubles and just get happy while she was on this earth and I am truly thankful that I had the opportunity to meet her and spend some time in her presence." - Lois Reeves

Re: What is it abt her?

"I grew up watching videos of her concerts and her movies. Every day my mom and I would watch a different Judy Garland VHS. I love how she tells a story when she sings. It was just about her voice and the words she was singing -- no strings attached or silly hair or costumes, just a woman singing her heart out. I feel like that doesn't happen that much anymore." - Ariana Grande

Re: What is it abt her?

Maura O'Connell said in an early interview that "she wanted to be Judy Garland"

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From the autobiography by Julie Andrews

"Roddy was, needless to say, always adorable. He loved to hold big soirees at his apartment. He had always wanted a piano, so Sybil Burton organized an evening party and every chum cntributed the vast sum of $25 to buy him a lovely little upright. We all arrived early: Judy Garland, Noël Coward, Richard and Syb, Tony and me, Goulet, Tammy Grimes, Anthony Perkins, and so many other people who love Roddy. He was just bowled over.
There was a pianist for the evening, so everyone sang something. We sat around on the floor, having been sated with food and wine, and at some point, Judy got up to sing. I'll never forget it. In that quiet setting, she was mesmerizing.
After she finished, someone extended a hand to Noël Coward. He hesitated, then said, "I just completed the score of my new musical, Sail Away," and he sat at the piano and played and sang the songs from his brand-new show.
Tony and I managed to obtain seats for the legendary Judy Garland concert in April at Carnegie Hall. She was everything we could have imagined-and more. A lot of her orchestrations were by the great Nelson Riddle, and when she finished his arrangement of "Come Rain or Come Shine," I rose up out of my seat to applaud, as did everyone in the audience. At the end of the evening, she sat on the edge of the stage and quietly sang "Over the Rain 5b4 bow." It was a historic night."

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"As we listen to her voice, with its unbelievable marriage of volume and control, telling the most delicious jokes with arms, legs, head and eyes...As with all true clowns...she seemed to be neither male nor female...she had no glamour, only magic".

Re: What is it abt her?

"When I'm home, I always try to catch THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW - has she been singing! It's just beautiful the way she's been singing." - Ella Fitzgerald, 1964.

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"I've never written a fan letter, but I'd like to write one to Judy Garland for the way her show's improved- now she's bringing theatre to TV." - Mary Martin

Re: What is it abt her?

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

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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.

When MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS was in pre-production, Louis B. Mayer told Arthur Freed that the film wouldn't even be made unless Judy was in it. If that could not be done then forget about it.

Think of the latest superhero garbage. Do you think anyone really cares who plays him?

Re: What is it abt her?

Hahaha that's a good one.

Do you think flattery will keep you alive?

Re: What is it abt her?

Tom Drake? Wow, talk about a legend!

Re: What is it abt her?

"We can't call what she had talent. Everyone has some talent. What she had was closer to magic. A supernatural power. Never mind the life: When she was on stage, you were in the presence of something magical, supernatural."–Marlon Brando on Judy Garland/Interview with James Grissom/1990

Re: What is it abt her?

I could have the worse day possible but as soon as I pop in one of her films, I instantly feel calm and happy :-)

Thank you Judy!
-

Same. There has never been anyone like Judy. There never will be.
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