In Memoriam—Judy Garland's Mercurial Career

Jun 21, 2020

The singer, actress, producer, radio figure, and television star Judy Garland left a legacy unparalleled in Hollywood's history. But behind her immeasurable success, you can detect an anxiety-ridden young girl looking for something she would never find. Turning to addictive coping mechanisms and her work, Judy Garland left her mark on the silver screen from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Star Origins By age four, Judy Garland found her way to California. The famed singer and actress was born in the midwestern state of Minnesota on June 10, 1922. Frances Ethel Gumm, as she was known then, according to Biography.com, frequently worked on stage at her parents vaudevillian movie theater, along with her two sisters.

The Gumm Sisters From their vaudevillian performances, the Gumm Sisters starred in the 1929 film The Big Revue, highlighting both their singing and dancing skills. During this time, the sisters took on their Garland stage names.

Over the Rainbow Her famous role as young Dorothy from Kansas came when she was only 17 years old. Judy Garland's breakout role in The Wizard of Oz followed a series of unlikely events, as she beat out Shirley Temple and Deanne Durbin. More personally, it came following the breakup of the Gumm Sisters, following the marriage of Mary Jane to Lee Kahn.

In the Gateway City Finding success in the musical film niche, Judy Garland starred in Meet Me in St. Louis half a decade after going to Oz. As an adult, it marked her true break into the industry away from childhood stardom. She sang three of her most popular songs to date, including "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Success and Turmoil While she suffered inwardly from nervous breakdowns and struggling relationships, according to Emanuel Levy, outwardly she shined brighter than any Hollywood icon. She won an Academy Award for the song "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Sante Fe" in the 1946 MGM musical Film The Harvey Girls.

Bigger Success and Worse Turmoil Both her success and suffering seemed to peak together in the late 1940s. Her highest-grossing MGM film was Easter Parade, also featuring the great Fred Astaire. Unfortunately, her addictive coping mechanisms led to her replacement from the musical The Barkleys of Broadway with Ginger Rogers.

A Reboot Following medical help for her addictions and mental turmoil, Judy Garland returned to Hollywood with a new outlook and a heavier body. Alongside Gene Kelly, she starred in Summer Stock, seemingly as normal as could be. However, the pressure of her new body led to further self-medication and her cutting ties with MGM altogether.

Radio Life In the 1950s Judy Garland shifted her career to singing, rather than acting. In doing so, she found radio, particularly Bing Crosby's show, to be a safe haven. But the silver screen still tempted her, and so, by 1954, Judy starred A Star is Born. What resulted was an intense success but also increasing bouts of anxiety, according to The New Yorker.

Final Acts Ever the star, Judy kept producing films well into the 1960s. Among this batch of insightful art was her last film I Could Go on Singing from 1963. All the while, she journaled her life's success and trials in an autobiography, later finished by Randy L. Schmidt called Judy Garland on Judy Garland: Interviews and Encounters.

The TV Show The multi-versed artist set her talents to television in the early 1960s show The Judy Garland Show that featured guest stars such as Frank Sinatra and won four Emmy Awards.

The Legacy of a Star Her untimely death came by way of an overdose in 1969, as the LA Times reported at the time. She was survived by her daughters Liza Minnelli and Lorna Luft.

Judy Garland became a transcendent singer and actress in Hollywood who helped define a generation. But underneath her success was a turbulent wave of anxiety and belonging. Do you have any fond memories of Judy Garland? What are your favorite songs and films of hers? Tell us in the comments below.