Posted by “Judy Garland brought down the house in a London cabaret … Miss Garland opened with ‘I Belong To London,’ and received a standing ovation Monday from 1,200 patrons at the Talk of the Town.” – Uncredited review, 1968
December 31, 1924: Judy Garland’s (Frances Gumm) very first review was published in “The Herald-Review” of Grand Rapids, Minnesota (Judy’s birthplace and the Gumm family’s hometown), covering her December 26 appearance at her father’s theater, The New Grand. The appearance was her official debut, although she made her surprise debut on Christmas Eve:
Gumm Children Please
The three young daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gumm delighted a large audience at the New Grand theater last Friday night with 20 minutes of singing and dancing … The work of Frances, the two-year-old baby, was a genuine surprise. The little girl spoke and sang so as to be heard by everyone in the house and she joined in the dancing both alone and with her older sisters. The audience expressed their appreciation of the work of all three girls by vigorous applause.
Apparently, even at two-and-a-half years of age, Judy was able to project her voice throughout a theater!
December 31, 1931: “The Gumm Family” performed at the Elks New Year’s Eve Ball in San Fernando, California.
December 31, 1934: The penultimate night for the Garland Sisters and the Irving Strause “Frolics” at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. A few days prior, the Strouse show was split into two troupes: one troupe stayed in San Francisco while another troupe went to Los Angeles. The split was due to the New Year’s holiday and Strouse providing entertainment in both cities. The Garland Sisters were not a part of the troupe that went to Los Angeles. They stayed in San Francisco, with Frances (Judy) being listed as one of the headliners for the two shows at the Curran on New Year’s Eve. Of note is the fact that when this engagement in San Francisco began, the advertisements for the Curran listed the “Garland Trio” as one of the acts, but Frances made such a substantial impact on both the critics and audiences that the advertisements were changed. The “Garland Trio” billing was replaced by “Frances Garland,” and, as this newspaper article shows, she was elevated to the status of a headliner.
December 31, 1938: This photo was taken of the massive Witch’s Castle Courtyard set in preparation for the upcoming filming of The Wizard of Oz.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on The Wizard of Oz here.
December 31, 1938: Two items of interest in the latest issue of the trade magazine, “Motion Picture Herald.” The first blurb reports on a new camera mounting developed for The Wizard of Oz. The mounting, nicknamed the “sloth camera,” positioned the bulky Technicolor camera under the arm of the traveling crane rather than on top of it. This enabled greater movement, allowing the filmmakers to position the camera from as low as 6 inches above the stage floor to heights of 35 feet above it. The first time the new mechanism was used was during the recent filming on the Munchkinland set.
The second page features the magazine’s regular feature, “What the Picture Did for Me,” which printed feedback from theatre owners and managers nationwide on the success and quality of recent films. This edition included feedback about Listen Darling:
A.J. Inks of the Drystal Theatre in Ligonier, Indiana, said:
A fair little comedy that did not draw. This company has made lots of better pictures than this one. It did please those who saw it but it had no draw. Another good picture from this company that all who see it will enjoy.
Horn and Morgan, Inc., owners of the Star Theatre in Hay Springs, Nebraska, said:
We were very agreeably surprised at the box office draw of this picture. Probably they like these two little stars better than we thought they would. It is a dandy picture, very clean and has lots of laughs.
December 31, 1940: The second of two days of filming the “You Stepped Out Of A Dream” number for Ziegfeld Girl.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight Section on Ziegfeld Girl here.
December 31, 1941: The official opening day for Babes on Broadway, although according to newspaper ads, the film opened in some theaters the night before.
December 31, 1941: Judy introduces the “snood.”
December 31, 1941: Judy was used as an example of “a smooth, soft complexion” thanks to her use of a powder base.
December 31, 1942: Judy had a fitting and rehearsal for Girl Crazy. Time called: 9 a.m.; dismissed: 3:30 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Girl Crazy here.
December 31, 1943: Thousands Cheer was one of the films promoted by MGM in the “Film Daily” trade paper.
December 31, 1944: The Los Angeles premiere of Meet Me In St. Louis took place in three theaters simultaneously. It also premiered on this date in Hartford, Connecticut.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Meet Me In St. Louis here.
December 31, 1944: Here is an article about musician Leonard Sues. Sues had first met Judy when they both were in vaudeville. He ended up at MGM in the late 1930s and was part of Judy’s teen social group as well as appearing in small parts in various films, including Babes in Arms and Strike Up The Band.
Photos: A rare 1936 snapshot of Judy with Doris Schafer, Ray Hirsch, and Leonard Sues; Judy and Leonard on the set of Strike Up The Band.
December 31, 1948: Words and Music went into general release nationwide. Judy guest-starred as herself and duetted on “I Wish I Were In Love Again” with Mickey Rooney and encored with “Johnny One Note.” This was the final on-screen appearance of Judy and Mickey. He starred Lorenz Hart opposite Tom Drake (Judy’s “boy next door” in Meet Me In St. Louis) as Richard Rodgers in this highly fictionalized biopic about the songwriting duo. But no one cared. The real draw was all of the wonderful performances of the Rodgers and Hart songs by MGM’s stable of musical stars, which was, as we know, second to none!
On a side note, after the film came out, Mickey Rooney complained to MGM that in most of the advertisements, Judy’s name was given prominent star billing even though she was a guest star. Erksine Johnson reported that Mickey was fighting with the studio as much for co-star Tom Drake as he was for himself.
Words and Music cost $2,799,970 to make and grossed over $4,552,000.
December 31, 1948: Judy and her husband Vincente Minnelli attended Sam Speigel’s star-studded New Year’s Eve party at his home. The list of stars and other famous folks in attendance included Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Temple, Charlie Chaplin, Danny Kaye, Van Heflin, James Mason, Edward G. Robinson, George Sanders, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jouis Jordan, Angela Lansbury, Nina Foch, Farley Granger, Barbara Bel Geddes, Art Linkletter, Richard Conte, Alfred Hitchcock, Daryl Zanuck, Jean Louis, Walter Huston, and a new starlet named Marilyn Monroe. It was at this party that Marilyn met agent Johnny Hyde, who was the driving force behind her rise to stardom.
At this time, Judy was in the last weeks of filming In The Good Old Summertime. The last day of shooting was January 27, 1949.
December 31, 1950: Swing into the New Year with MGM’s latest film hits, including Summer Stock.
December 31, 1950: According to a recent Gallup poll, Judy was one of America’s favorite singers.
December 31, 1952: Judy and her husband, Sid Luft, rang in the new year at the luxury hotel Sherry-Netherland in New York. The private party was given by the “Friends of Charlie Cushing.” Guests included the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The Duke and Judy harmonized at the piano.
Judy also sang at a party for Jack Warner’s (head of Warner Bros. Studios) daughter’s “coming out” party hosted by Elsa Maxwell at the St. Regis Hotel. This clipping from December 31, 1952, is from Hedda Hopper’s column. She seems to have combined the two parties, reporting that the party for Warner’s daughter had already happened (perhaps on the 30th), while other sources state the Warner party took place on January 3, 1953. It’s possible Hopper was wrong, as she reported that Judy “planned” to be in New York, but actually she, Sid, and the rest of the Luft family took the Manhattan Limited (train) to NY on Christmas Day.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
December 31, 1953: The last day of filming the “Gotta Have Me Go With You” number for A Star Is Born on location at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The number was shot in forty takes over two days (this day and the previous day) at the Shrine. Time started: 11 a.m.; finished: 3 p.m.
It’s also noted that scenes were shot on the “Interior Preview Theatre Balcony” and “Interior Box” sets. This information may be incorrect, however, as it would have taken half a day, or longer, to move the company back to the Warner Bros. lot for the shot of Judy inside the “Preview Theater.” Most likely, the only other footage shot that day was of the “Interior Box,” which was the box inside the Shrine where “Lola Lavery” and “Oliver Niles” are seen watching the proceedings.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
December 31, 1957: Judy returned to the stage at the Flamingo in Las Vegas. She had been out the previous four nights due to vocal problems. Unfortunately, the New Year’s Eve audience was rowdy, and the management continued to serve drinks during the show, something that was not supposed to happen. After repeated attempts to quiet the crowd, Judy left the stage and canceled the rest of the engagement. Both parties sued, and Judy won the case, being awarded $22,000. Oddly enough, Betty Hutton replaced her. Hutton had replaced Judy in MGM’s Annie Get Your Gun in 1949.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
December 31, 1960: Judy and her family returned from London to the U.S., where they stayed at the Carlyle Hotel. While in New York, photos were taken of Judy, daughter Liza Minnelli, and good friend Kay Thompson attending a performance of Broadway’s mega-hit “Gypsy” during her time in New York. Judy looks radiant and is having a blast.
The new year 1961 proved to be one of the biggest of Judy’s life as her recent career renaissance reached new heights.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
December 31, 1962: A statement was typed with this date saying that Judy and Sid Luft were filing taxes together, but that each would be responsible for his or her own taxes, as though filing separately. It was signed “Judy Garland Luft.”
Photo: Judy during her engagement at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 18 through October 29, 1962.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
December 31, 1964: Judy appeared at the Actor’s Studio Benefit, accompanied by daughter Lorna, son Joey, and Mark Herron. No recording from the event is known to exist.
Photos provided by Kim Lundgreen. Thanks, Kim!
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
December 31, 1965: Judy and her husband, Mark Herron, attended a New Year’s Eve party given by Pamela Mason.
Photo: Judy and Herron at the Sahara in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November 1965.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
December 31, 1968: Judy’s opening at the “Talk of the Town” the night before was a huge success.
Newspapers reported on her triumph at the club as well as her triumph in the recent court case regarding the attempts by two businessmen to stop her from appearing at the club.
Performances from this engagement were finally restored, remastered, and put out on the 3-CD set “Swan Songs, First Flights.”
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
The photo above: Snapshot of Judy taken on December 31, 1968, outside the Ritz Hotel in London.
Thanks for all of these great posts every day! Happy New year!
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