Posted by “I’m so darned calm these days, I guess I’m a pretty dull person. I go along the same old line, all the time – no highs, no lows.” – Judy Garland, 1960
November 22, 1931: “The Gumm Sisters” performed at Maurice L. Kusell’s Pupil Recital at the Old Soldier’s Home in Sawtelle, California.
November 22, 1932: Judy and her sisters, now being called “The Three Gumm Sisters” had two engagements on this date, both in Lancaster, California: In the morning they performed as part of the Junior Red Cross Girl’s League Canned Goods Drive; in the evening they were part of the musical program for the Southern California Gas Company Dinner, held at the home of Mrs. W.S. Murnaw.
November 22, 1936: Here’s a short review of Pigskin Parade.
November 22, 1938: Here’s a studio pass for one of the Munchkin actors, Colonel Casper, dated November 22, 1938, and noting the film he was working on, The Wizard of Oz.
November 22, 1939: Was America’s Sweetheart rebelling?
More details and images of all of Judy’s activities during that golden year of 1939 can be found on The Judy Room’s Garland Centennial 1939 Page.
November 22, 1939: What a difference a few years make. Here is an ad for a screening of Pigskin Parade in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Due to Judy’s recent successes, she was now given top billing over the stars of the film which is her feature film debut in a supporting role.
More details and images of all of Judy’s activities during that golden year of 1939 can be found on The Judy Room’s Garland Centennial 1939 Page.
November 22, 1940: The “Leo Is On The Air” Holiday Broadcast was broadcast live from “Santa Claus Lane” (Hollywood Boulevard). MGM closed out the broadcast by using Judy’s 1937 recording of “Silent Night” used in the short of the same name.
Listen to the entire broadcast here:
November 22, 1942: Here’s an unusual drawing of Judy, part of an article that pokes good-natured fun at the Hollywood publicity departments. According to this, Judy changed costumes 28 times in one day!
On this day in 1942, Judy was on a short break after filming was completed on Presenting Lily Mars and was about to begin rehearsals for Girl Crazy.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Presenting Lily Mars here.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Girl Crazy here.
November 22, 1942: For Me And My Gal was a milestone in Judy’s career. It was her first adult role and also the film in which for the first time she truly showed critics and audiences the full range of her talents.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on For Me And My Gal here.
November 22, 1943: Judy had more rehearsals of “The Trolley Song” and “Skip To My Lou” for Meet Me In St. Louis. Time called: 1 p.m.; dismissed: 4:00 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Extensive Spotlight on Meet Me In St. Louis here.
November 22, 1944: The world premiere of Meet Me In St. Louis was held in, naturally, St. Louis, Missouri. The New York premiere was held five days later.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Meet Me In St. Louis here.
Photos: St. Louis Post Dispatch ad; two articles about author Sally Benson; photos of the St. Louis Loew’s State Theater dressed up for the film’s premiere.
November 22, 1947: The second day of filming on Easter Parade was devoted to completing the “Mr. Monotony” number.
Apparently, nothing survives from this second day. It was a short day. Judy had a 9 a.m. call to be on the set. She was on time but then dismissed at 11:40 a.m. so it’s possible that none of the shots on this day were deemed usable and were never “printed.” The footage here is from the previous day, November 21.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Easter Parade here.
November 22, 1948: “Fill ‘Em Up All Year ‘Round!”
November 22, 1948: Filming began on In The Good Old Summertime. No other details about this first day of filming are known.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on In The Good Old Summertime here.
Photos: Some behind-the-scenes pics, exact dates unknown.
November 22, 1952: Two articles noting the recent birth of Judy’s second child, daughter Lorna Luft.
November 22, 1953: This blurb in the “Baltimore Sun” used a great photo of the young Garland.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 22, 1958: Here’s another development in the ongoing custody battle between Judy’s husband, Sid Luft, and his former wife, Lynn Bari, over their son John. According to the article, a judge returned John to Ms. Bari, stating that he was “lonesome, confused, and unhappy [in the Luft household] where he is a stepchild.”
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 22, 1960: Here is the article that was most likely some of the inspiration for Judy’s funny story (heard on the “Judy at Carnegie Hall” extended edition) about the newspaperwoman who flattered her all evening then wrote that “she’s not chubby, and she’s not plump – she’s fat! … but she’s jolly!” Judy’s story went on with more embellishments that were most likely an amalgamation of several comments in articles that made for one hysterical story when she told it. This article out of London was attributed to William Hickey. Whomever the woman was that Judy attributed it all to is a mystery – if she existed at all.
Check out The Judy Garland Online Discography’s pages on the “Judy At Carnegie Hall” album here.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 22, 1962: Here is a nice review of Judy’s latest film, the animated Gay Purr-ee. Joan Bunke of “The Des Moines Tribune” noted that the film “has a certain lilt, warm color, and excellent art production, a touch of wit and the voices of Judy Garland, Robert Goulet and Red Buttons … For anyone who likes cartoons, this will be a delight.”
November 22, 1968: After cavorting at a Turkish belly-dancing room called the Casbah, Judy, John Meyer, and their new friends wound up at an after-hours bar called Napoleon where Judy sang “I’d Like To Hate Myself In The Morning” and “It’s All For You.” They left at 4:30 a.m. Several hours later, at 7 p.m. that evening, Meyer called Harold Arlen in New York and asked him for $1,100 to pay Judy’s recent hospital bill at the Leroy in New York City, where she had just been seen for her foot. Judy was sitting there listening with John. Arlen said to send him the bill and he would take care of it.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” Section here.
November 22, 2015: TBS aired The Wizard of Oz.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on The Wizard of Oz here.