Posted by “It was a love affair from first to last between Judy and her audience.” – Samuel L. Singer, The Philadelphia Enquirer, 1968
July 21, 1929: “The Gumm Sisters” (Judy and her two sisters) performed at the Elks Lodge in San Fernando, California.
July 21, 1933: The second night of a week-long engagement for Judy, still going by her birth name Frances, at the Warner Brother Downtown Theater in Los Angeles, California. Judy is incorrectly billed as “Frances Gum.” This is the last time Judy’s name is listed in the ads for the theater. The Meglin Kiddies were a part of the same bill and since Judy was a part of the Meglin Kiddies it’s likely she performed with the group for the entire week, still singing a solo, even though she isn’t listed separately.
July 21, 1938: Here are some more fun ads for Love Finds Andy Hardy.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on The Andy Hardy Series here.
July 21, 1941: Babes on Broadway filming continued with scenes shot on the “Interior Jonesy’s Office” set. Time called: 3 p.m.; dismissed: 5:20 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Page on Babes on Broadway here.
July 21, 1943: Judy’s tour of Army camps took her to the Camp Shenango Personnel Replacement Depot in what is now Transfer, Pennsylvania. Judy performed and spent the night, leaving on July 22nd.
July 21, 1944: The last day of filming “A Great Lady Has An Interview” for Ziegfeld Follies. Judy had a 10 a.m. call and was dismissed at 5:45 p.m.
The total cost of Judy’s segment was $57,334.85. The movie had its first sneak preview on November 2, 1944, but then went through quite a lot of additions and deletions before its roadshow premiere on August 20, 1945, and then its general release on April 8, 1946, at which time it had been renamed Ziegfeld Follies of 1946.
Luckily, Judy’s sequence survived all the edits. In fact, Judy performed part of the song in an early “rap” style that was very much ahead of its time, thanks to the vocal arranger and coach (and soon to be best friend of Judy’s), Kay Thompson.
July 21, 1946: This photo featured in this series of photos was taken during a night out for Judy and her husband Vincente Minnelli. Judy had just given birth to daughter Liza on March 12th, so these photos were most likely taken in June or July.
July 21, 1947: Judy’s recent breakdown and admittance to a sanatarium (see July 16) were in the news. She was also seen, apparently prior to leaving for the east, at the MGM commissary with Frank Sinatra.
July 21, 1954: Filming on the “Born in a Trunk” number in A Star Is Born continued with scenes shot on the “Interior Elevator”; “Interior Hallway”; and “Interior First Agent’s Office” sets. Time started: 5 p.m.; finished: 1:55 a.m.
Call sheet provided by Armand DiNucci. Thanks, Armand!
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
July 21, 1959: Judy has a heavy offer!
July 21, 1961: Judy signed (for Kinsgrow Enterprises, Inc. care of Freddie Fields Associates, Ltd.) this contract agreeing to bring “The Judy Garland Show” to the Westchester County Center on Bronx River Parkway at Central Avenue, White Plains, New York, on Friday, September 29, 1961, at 8:30 pm.
The agreement notes that “The Judy Garland Show” consisted of “Judy Garland, Mort Lindsey (or a conductor or pianist of like import), John Bello (or a trumpeter of like import), William Lavorgna (or a drummer of like import), and Howard Hirsch (or a percussionist of like import).” It also notes that the “First Party” (the co-signer Felix G. Gerstman signing on behalf of the venue) will “furnish and to pay for a 28-man orchestra as per the attached schedule of instrumentation, and for any musicians required by the American Federation of Musicians in connection with the engagement….”
Kingsrow Enterprises was to be paid $10,000, with a $1,000.00 deposit. The balance was to be paid “one hour prior to performance, or on demand, in a certified check or currency … to and in the name of Freddie Fields Associates, Ltd…”
The document is accompanied by “Exhibit A”, which lists the equipment needed for the performance. The sheet lists a piano tuned to 440 pitch with a pianist, five saxophones, four trumpets, three trombones, one French horn, a guitar, a bass, six violins, two violas, two cellos, one drum, and one percussion for a total of 28 instruments. At the lower portion, requirements call for six extra music stands, a spare set of drums to be brought out during the first act, “black tie” for the orchestra, and two microphones with removable heads.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
July 21, 1963: Judy’s daughter Liza Minnelli won’t follow in her mother’s footsteps.
July 21, 1964: The papers were filled with the news that Judy had “hurt” her wrists in London, England, and was taken to the hospital where she was treated. Her “traveling companion” Mark Herron accompanied her. The official story was that she cut her wrists by opening a trunk.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
July 21, 1968: While Judy was wowing the crowds at the JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, her ex-husband Sid Luft was making headlines with his arrest for passing bad checks. Included in the same paper is this review of Judy’s show.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
July 21, 1989: The Wizard of Oz was one of the first 25 films designated as a “National Treasure” (“culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films”) by the National Film Preservation Board. Each year since more films have been inducted including Meet Me In St. Louis (inducted in 1994), Love Finds Andy Hardy (inducted in 2000), A Star Is Born (inducted in 2000), and Judgment at Nuremberg (inducted in 2013).
Hi
I was there at the Concert in Philadelphia. Judy was just great and sounded a lot better than the tape recording of the show. I was lucky to get a seat in the VIP section near the stage by accident. (Long story)
Dan Oldrati
You have to tell us the long story!! 🙂