Posted by “If the talents responsible for Miss Garland’s TV outings can come up with more entertaining hours like the Streisand-Garland show, ‘The Judy Garland Show’ will remain one of this season’s brighter entries.” – Steven H. Scheuer, 1963
November 4, 1928: Frances Gumm (Judy) and her sisters performed at a dinner for their family at the home of Charles Geary in Lancaster, California.
November 4, 1937: Judy appeared on the newly christened “Good News of 1938” radio show, broadcast from NBC Radio. The original title of the show was “New Faces of 1938” but it was rebranded with this night’s broadcast.
Judy is featured singing “Everybody Sing” and “Your Broadway and My Broadway” from Broadway Melody of 1938, the versions here are alternate takes. The premise of the episode was having MGM’s director Robert Z. Leonard take the “Good News” audience on a tour of MGM which included the song “Rosalie” from the film of the same name, appearances by Eleanor Powell, Buddy Ebsen, and George Murphy, baritone Igor Gorin, a trip to the set of Broadway Melody of 1938, a statement from MGM boss Louis B. Mayer, and a long section of scenes and songs from The Firefly starring Jeanette MacDonald and Allan Jones.
Listen to that section here:
November 4, 1938: The Wizard of Oz filming resumed under the direction of the film’s new director, Victor Fleming. Just the day before, interim director George Cukor had put the finishing touches on Judy’s new, more natural-looking Dorothy Gale.
This day was devoted to filming the sequence in which Dorothy meets the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) on MGM’s Soundstage #26. The Yellow Brick Road had a new look, as did both Dorothy and the Scarecrow.
During the first take of the day (about 11 a.m.) the raven on the Scarecrow’s shoulder became uncooperative and flew up into the rafters of the soundstage. It took the rest of the day to get the bird down.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on The Wizard of Oz here.
November 4, 1942: An MGM photographer took some “casual” photos of Judy at home, including this lovely photo of Judy by the pool.
November 4, 1943: Hang On! He [Leo the Lion] Never Misses! Both Thousands Cheer and Girl Crazy are part of the lineup.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Page on Thousands Cheer here.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Girl Crazy here.
November 4, 1943: Judy had a Decca Records recording session at the label’s Hollywood Studios. She completed recording the songs for the “cast album” of Girl Crazy. Recorded on this date: “Embraceable You”; “Could You Use Me?” (with Mickey Rooney); and “Bidin’ My Time.”
“Could You Use Me?” is the only duet that Judy and Mickey recorded in a studio for release on records. All of their recordings to date had been soundtrack pre-recordings. The next Garland/Rooney “single” would be MGM Records’ release of their soundtrack performance of “I Wish I Were In Love Again” for 1948’s Words and Music.
Listen to “Embraceable You” here:
Listen to “Could You Use Me?” here:
Listen to “Bidin’ My Time” here:
Listen to the MGM Records version of “I Wish I Were In Love Again” here:
This Decca “Girl Crazy Cast Album” was released on April 6, 1944.
Check out The Judy Garland Online Discography’s Decca Records Section for details about all of Judy Garland’s Decca recordings and releases.
Label images from The Rick Smith Collection. Thanks, Rick!
November 4, 1944: Here is a review of Meet Me In St. Louis by the trade magazine “Motion Picture Herald.” The reviewer, William R. Weaver, gave the film a “good” rating. He noted the attention to detail by director Vincente Minnelli noting it as “a thing of beauty for the eye and a thing of lively interest for the ear” but noted that the story “does not fulfill the promise of its seven-digit budget.” He also noted that there is “a large number of small incidents interesting in themselves … but only two or three of them late in the picture exert any influence on the emotions that motivate customers to the circulation of rave reports to their friends and neighbors.” He singled out “The Trolley song” and “You and I” as the best numbers and praised Judy’s performances of the new songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, “sung by Miss Garland in better than her usual style.”
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Meet Me In St. Louis here.
November 4, 1944: Also from the “Motion Picture Herald” is this feedback about Thousands Cheer, from Willard Moore of the Lido Theatre in Providence, Kentucky: A good picture but entirely too long.
November 4, 1947: Judy had a rehearsal of the song “Mr. Monotony” for Easter Parade. Time called: 1:30 p.m.; dime dismissed: 5:15 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Easter Parade here.
November 4, 1950: “Platter Patter” from the Ottawa Journal provided a review of MGM Records’ soundtrack album of Summer Stock as follows. Apparently whoever wrote this was the sole person on the planet who didn’t like Judy’s version of “Get Happy”!?!
It is hard to find fault with an MGM album because the quality of the recording is almost unsurpassed. This one, from Orme’s [the local Ottawa store), is technically perfect. Judy Garland and Gene Kelly have top billing in this musically so-so album. Judy’s “Friendly Star”, and “You Wonderful You” are the best sides. Others are “Mem’ry Island”, “Happy Harvest.
“Heavenly Music”, “Get Happy” – a new if not particularly good treatment by Garland – “If You Feel Like Singing, Sing”, and “Dig, Dig, Dig for Your Dinner.” Phil Silvers and Gloria DeHaven help out the stars.
Check out The Judy Garland Online Discography Summer Stock pages here.
Also, check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Summer Stock here.
November 4, 1953: A Star Is Born filming continued with scenes on the “Exterior Boarding House” and “[Boarding House] Hallway.” Time started: 10 a.m.; finished: 5:05 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
November 4, 1954: Here is a notice about a Warner Bros. sales meeting taking place on this day which was to include discussions about forthcoming products, including A Star Is Born.
November 4, 1956: This article appeared in papers around the country.
The James Masons believe in giving their growing child free association with adults, a conviction which may not be shared by most parents. At a recent party in their Beverly Hills home, the Masons let their 7-year-old daughter, Portland, act as hostess and stay up until after 2 A.M. Portland was practically everywhere at once, including the tops of pieces of furniture.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
November 4, 1956: Judy, still a hit at The Palace, had hoped to be awarded the famous “Gypsy Robe” which was a relatively new tradition. The legendary female impersonator, T.C. Jones, was the current owner. Read the article for details about the robe, its history, and what it was comprised of.
The article noted that: The fact that only gypsies may get the robe has caused one minor heartbreak. Judy Garland, currently starring at the Palace, has let it be known that she would have liked to have gotten the robe. “I love Judy,” says Jones, “but she just isn’t a gypsy. Never has been. So I couldn’t give it to her. But I’ve made up a little replica of the robe, and I’m giving that to her.
I wonder what became of the replica Jones gave to Judy? Jones was a world-famous female impersonator, known mostly for his impersonation of Tallulah Bankhead but he also impersonated other famous women, including Judy!
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 4, 1960: Judy’s daughter Lorna was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. Luckily everything turned out fine. Judy stayed with her daughter until at least 3 a.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
November 4, 1961: Judy came down with laryngitis and had to cancel her San Francisco concert scheduled for this night at the SF Civic Auditorium. The concert was planned as Judy’s return to the venue after her hugely successful concert there on September 13th.
Included above is a notice about the upcoming TV broadcast of The Wizard of Oz which by this point had already become a TV tradition.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on The Wizard of Oz here.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 4, 1962: More developments in the recent legal actions between Judy and estranged husband Sid Luft. Judy’s attorney won an immediate hearing for the following day (November 5th) regarding Luft’s legal attempt to have Judy’s divorce action (from Las Vegas, Nevada; Luft was in California) dismissed.
Photo: Judy with her attorney, Harry Claiborne, in court in Las Vegas on November 5th.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 2, 1962: Judy’s upcoming concert engagement at the Deauville Hotel in Miami, Florida, scheduled for January 24, 1963, is a part of the ad. The concert was canceled due to rehearsals in New York for her upcoming TV special (“Judy Garland and Her Guests Phil Silvers and Robert Goulet”).
November 4, 1962: The Chicago Tribune gave notice of the upcoming premiere of Judy’s only animated feature, Gay Purr-ee. The premiere took place at the State Lake Theater on November 9th.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Page on Gay Purr-ee here.
November 4, 1963: This “Q&A” is a good example of how well-liked Judy’s TV series was, in spite of the network’s indifference.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 4, 1965: Judy told the press that she wanted a big church wedding for her impending nuptials with Mark Herron. She told Harrison Carroll “I don’t want to get married in Las Vegas.” That is exactly what happened on November 14th when Judy and Herron were married at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 4, 1967: The second of two nights of Judy in concert at Seton Hall in South Orange, New Jersey. The photo above was taken during this November 4th performance.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 4, 1967: This odd article was published in the Ottawa Journal. It reports that Judy flew to London then turned right around and flew back.
The reasons given for her departure scarcely seem to account fully for the hurry. To the sensitive British public, it was all very strange and very worrying. What was up? Was it something we had said? Worse still, was it an involuntary act of revulsion at the sight of so much swinging decadence wrapped up in so much filthy weather? … Perhaps she’d forgotten to oil the Tin Man.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
I am always astonished that ‘The Judy Garland Show’ ever saw airtime, as the men behind the scenes were such arrogantly mean and clueless idiots. Kudos to Judy for being her supremely professional and superb self throughout that year. I honestly don’t know how she managed it.