Posted by “It’s a certainty that if Judy gets any more talented, she’ll probably explode.” – “Liberty” magazine, 1946
January 9, 1926: “The Gumm Sisters” (Judy and her sisters) performed at the Garden Theater in Hibbing, Minnesota.
January 9, 1937: The 1935 short film La Fiesta de Santa Barbara was still in circulation, at least in state prisons! In the “What The Picture Did For Me” feature in the trade magazine “Motion Picture Daily” shows, J.A. Reynolds, Director of Recreation at the State Prison in Trenton, New Jersey, had this to say about the short:
Another beautiful color film from Leo’s stamping grounds. Not quite up to the “Starlit Days” or “Pirate Party” standard, but still away above the average for musical shorts. Joe Morrison’s “Heading for the Last Troundup” is perhaps the outstanding act of two reelers.
January 9, 1937: In the trade magazine “Motion Picture Herald” is this notice about the staff of the Waco Theatre in Waco, Texas, suited up in football uniforms for the showings of Pigskin Parade (1936).
January 9, 1939: The first of three days of filming “The Jitterbug” number for The Wizard of Oz. The number was also filmed on January 11 and 13, 1939. It was famously cut after the first previews, and the footage no longer exists. Silent color home movies made of a dress rehearsal by the film’s composer, Harold Arlen, have survived and have made the rounds on home media and online for years.
The pre-recordings exist and have also been released on home media for over 30 years now. The first release of “The Jitterbug” on CD was in 1989, on the CBS Special Products version of the film’s soundtrack. The first home video release was the 1988 release of the film on LaserDisc by the Criterion label.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on The Wizard of Oz here.
January 9, 1939: This notice appeared in the Film Daily trade paper. It referenced the previous night’s premiere of the new CBS Radio show “Hollywood Screen Guild.” It read:
SAG, Lasky Shows on Air
First show in the new series being put on by the Screen Actors Guild went on a CBS Coast-to-Coast hookup last night with Joan Crawford, Jack Benny, Judy Garland and Reginal Gardner featured. New Jessy Lasky show tied in with RKO also bowed last night over CBS.
Judy sang “Shall I Sing A Melody? (Sweet or Swing)” from Everybody Sing and “Thanks For The Memory.”
Listen to “Sweet or Swing” here:
http://www.thejudyroom.com/songs/Sweet-or-Swing-01-08-1939.mp3
Listen to “Thanks For The Memory” here:
http://www.thejudyroom.com/songs/Thanks-For-The-Memory-01-08-1939.mp3
For more information about Judy’s golden year of 1939, check out The Judy Room’s Garland Biography pages here.
January 9, 1941: In theaters, Little Nellie Kelly (released in 1940).
January 9, 1943: Judy participated in the recording of the radio transcription disc, “Mail Call #19,” which was recorded and sent overseas to entertain the troops over the Armed Forces Radio Service.
Judy appeared in several editions of “Mail Call” during World War II. This edition featured Judy singing “I Never Knew” and “The Joint Is Really Jumpin’ Down At Carnegie Hall” (with Jose Iturbi). Also featured in this edition were Bill Goodman (host), Groucho Marx, Jose Iturbi, and Betty Grable.
Judy had already spent the afternoon filming “I Got Rhythm” for Girl Crazy at MGM from 1:30 to 6 p.m. Quite the busy day/night for Judy!
Listen to the entire show here:
http://www.thejudyroom.com/songs/Mail-Call-Jan-9-1943.mp3
Listen to “I Never Knew” here:
http://www.thejudyroom.com/songs/I-Never-Knew-1-9-43.mp3
Listen to “The Joint Is Really Jumpin'” here:
http://www.thejudyroom.com/songs/The-Joint-Is-Really-Jumpin-1-9-43.mp3″
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Girl Crazy here.
January 9, 1943: For Me And My Gal was still in theaters.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on For Me And My Gal here.
January 9, 1945: Judy had a dress rehearsal of the “It’s A Great Big World” number for The Harvey Girls. Time called: 10 a.m.; dismissed: 4:45 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on The Harvey Girls here.
January 9, 1945: This blurb mentions the fact that Judy was seen out on the town wearing one of her costumes from Meet Me In St. Louis (which premiered that previous November 1944). It’s true. Judy wore the “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” gown on at least a couple of occasions. The photo here shows Judy with her future husband Vincente Minnelli at a party in New York at the Ziegfeld Theatre after seeing the opening of the Billy Rose musical “Seven Lively Arts.” on December 7, 1944.
January 9, 1952: This newspaper photo of Judy posing with Mr. & Mrs. Walter A. Goerss of Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, is dated by the “Cleveland News” with this date. The couple recently won a weekend trip to New York, which included seeing Judy at The Palace and getting to meet her backstage. Since the photo is dated by the newspaper with this date, it means that the event happened days or even a week earlier, possibly over the New Year’s holiday. Note that this press photo has obviously been manually altered (the background) by the paper for printing.
January 9, 1955: Do you want your hair to look like Judy’s in A Star Is Born? Harding Beauty can help you out.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
January 9, 1961: Judy appeared at the Deauville Hotel in Miami, Florida. This was an engagement that was originally planned for the end of 1959 before her bout with hepatitis. She was paid $10,000 for one performance.
On this same day, all lawsuits were dropped between Judy and CBS, with CBS having an option for her television services in the immediate future; they were looking for her to do a special for the network in the fall of 1961.
At this same time, Judy signed a management contract with Freddie Fields Associates and also signed with Arthur P. Jacobs to handle her press relations. His chief assistant, John Springer, would work closely with Judy. Judy and Fields, along with Fields’ new partner David Begelman, formed “Kingsrow Enterprises.” The two would rebuild Judy’s career, with Begelman assigned to work exclusively with Judy.
Photos: Notices about Judy’s return to the States and her trip to Miami. Judy in performance at the Deauville Hotel.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
January 9, 1962: Day three, the final day, of videotaping “The Judy Garland Show” (now known as “Judy, Frank, and Dean”) for Judy, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin at the NBC studios in Hollywood, California (although the show was a CBS show). The first day was January 5th, and the second was January 8th. The taping included the final (concert) segment. During the blocking of “San Francisco,” Judy sang, “I never will forget Deanna Durbin” (instead of “Jeanette MacDonald”). Judy worked until 1:30 a.m.; at 3:00 a.m., was signing autographs for her fans. The show was first broadcast on February 25, beating “Bonanza” and was the second-highest-rated show to air that season and the highest-rated special in CBS history up to that date.
Artwork above was created by John C. Broomfield.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
January 9, 1966: Judy watched The Wizard of Oz on TV, allegedly for the first time all the way through.
“Always before,” she told the “Louisiana Baton Rouge Morning Advocate’s” Dick Kleiner, “I’d spend most of the show trying to keep the children from crying. I’d tell them, ‘Don’t worry, kids, those munchkins are only little boys; they won’t hurt you.’ I think it’s too scary for kids.”
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on The Wizard of Oz here.
January 9, 1966: Judy was scheduled to appear at The Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. She filled in for Robert Goulet, giving shows from February 2 through February 10.
January 9, 1966: This uncredited UPI article about Judy being back on top was published.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
January 9, 1969: Judy married her fifth, and last, husband, Mickey Deans, in a secret ceremony in a chapel, St. Marylebone Parish, by the Reverend Peter Delaney. It is doubtful that this private ceremony was legal, for according to Judy’s California attorney, Godfrey Issacs, the final divorce papers on Judy’s marriage to Mark Herron had not been picked up. Judy and Deans were legally married on March 15th.
Photo: Judy in London, January 1969.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
January 9, 2004: Warner Home Video announced the upcoming premiere DVD release of Meet Me In St. Louis, newly remastered using their new “Ultra-Resolution Process.”
From the Warner Home Video Press release (dated January 9, 2004; the DVDs were released on April 6, 2004):
THE GLORY OF GARLAND!
Highlighted by the 60th Anniversary of
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS
Nominated for Four Academy Awards®
Two Disc Special Edition Remastered with “UltraResolution” Process and New Dolby Digital 5.1 Soundtrack
Featuring an All-New Introduction by Liza Minnelli
And Celebrated with Scores of Bonus Materials
Other Judy Garland Titles Available For the First Time on DVD Include:
FOR ME AND MY GAL
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME
LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY
ZIEGFELD GIRL
Burbank, CA., January 9, 2004
Five Hollywood classics starring the incomparable Judy Garland, one of the most talented and beloved stars of the 20th century will become available on DVD for the very first time on April 6 from Warner Home Video (WHV).
In celebration of its 60th Anniversary, the fan favorite Meet Me In St. Louis, nominated for four Academy Awards®, is the main attraction in this collection of wonderful titles. This Two Disc Special Edition is the third release to undergo Warner Bros. Pictures’ proprietary “Ultra Resolution” process, giving today’s viewers the most extraordinary presentation possible for this classic musical. Meet Me In St. Louis, directed by the great Vincente Minnelli (especially known for his unique use of Technicolor), has benefited greatly with an improved, fully remastered picture derived from newlyrestored film elements. In addition, the release features a new digital audio track that has been remixed to Dolby Digital 5.1 from original multichannel pre production music source elements. The DVD contains the original mono track as well. Also featured is an all new introduction by Liza Minnelli, daughter of star Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli.
The four other Garland classics, all digitally remastered, include For Me And My Gal with Gene Kelly, In The Good Old Summertime with Van Johnson, Love Finds Andy Hardy with Mickey Rooney, and Ziegfeld Girl with Jimmy Stewart, Lana Turner, and Hedy Lamarr. All five titles are brimming with extra features such as extensive commentaries, vintage shorts, “making of” documentaries, radio programs, original trailers, and more.
Meet Me In St. Louis Two Disc Special Edition is priced at $26.99 SRP, while the others are priced at $19.98 SRP.
The UltraResolution Process
The popular Meet Me In St. Louis is presented in Warner Bros. Pictures’ dazzling “UltraResolution,” which allows today’s viewers to see parts of the images that were not visible previously and in sharper detail than conventional Technicolor release prints. Warner Bros. introduced this process with the release of Singin’ in the Rain in the fall of 2002, followed by The Adventures of Robin Hood this past summer. According to Rob Hummel, Warner Bros. Studios Senior Vice President of Technical Operations, “‘UltraResolution’ continues to be improved each time out, and Meet Me In St. Louis is just spectacular. “More than seventy years after the introduction of Technicolor, Warner Bro. Studios is employing the “UltraResolution” process that begins with scanning the original Technicolor 3-strip black and white ‘records’ at extremely high (2k) resolution. The black and white records are then combined electronically to create the color images, which are also electronically re registered, steadied, and cleaned before the final DVDs are produced.
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944)
In a role that was one of her favorites, a 22-year-old Judy Garland headlines this warm turn-of-thecentury delight presented for the first time on DVD. Set in 1903, this captivating musical is a slice of Americana about the Smith family’s experiences during the year of the St. Louis World’s Fair. Directed by Vincente Minnelli (whom Garland married soon after filming, later becoming parents to daughter Liza), Judy Garland has perhaps never been more winning as she pines for “The Boy Next Door,” comforts sevenyearold Margaret O’Brien (awarded a special Oscar® as 1944’s outstanding child actress) with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and whisks along to the clang clang clang of “The Trolley Song.”
Meet Me In St. Louis DVD extra content features include:
Disc One:
New Introduction by Liza Minnelli
New Commentary by Garland biographer John Fricke with Margaret O’Brien, screenwriter Irving Brecher, songwriter Hugh Martin, and daughter of producer Arthur Freed, Barbara Freed Saltzman
Music only track (without vocals)
Vincente Minnelli trailer gallery with trailers from eight of his most treasured films, including Meet Me In St. Louis, Father of the Bride, An American in Paris, The Bad and the Beautiful, Brigadoon, Designing Woman, Gigi, and The Courtship of Eddie’s Father
Disc Two:
Meet Me in St. Louis: The Making of an American Classic (Narrated by Roddy McDowall) (included on 1994 Laserdisc set and VHS)
Hollywood: The Dream Factory (EmmyAward winning 1972 MGM TV special, narrated by Dick Cavett First time on home video)
Becoming Attractions: Judy Garland (1996 TCM special)
Meet Me in St. Louis (1966 TV pilot with Shelley Fabares and Celeste Holm)
Bubbles (1930 Warner Bros. short featuring Judy Garland at age 7)
Skip To My Lou (Rare 1941 musical short with Meet Me In St. Louis composers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane)
Audio Vault: “Boys and Girls Like You and Me” outtake (reconstruction using still photographs)
Lux Radio Theater Broadcast from December 2, 1946
Stills Gallery
Directed by the legendary Busby Berkeley, For Me And My Gal features a trunkful of tunes in this story about a Vaudeville couple determined to play The Palace in New York. Gene Kelly made his film debut and teamed with Judy Garland for the first time in this romantic tale that bucks tough times and World War I on the way to show biz success. The two stars make their way through a hit parade of nostalgic gems, including the title track “For Me and My Gal,” “Smiles,” “After You’ve Gone,” “Ballin’ the Jack,” and more than a dozen more.
For Me And My Gal DVD extra content features include:
New Commentary by Garland biographer John Fricke
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara (1935 MGM short featuring “The GarlandSisters”)
Every Sunday (1936 MGM short featuring Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin)
“For Me and My Gal” Deleted Finale (with stills montage)
Audio Vault:
“Three Cheers for the Yanks” outtake
“Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Radio Show” from March 22, 1943
“Leo Is on the Air” Radio Promo
Theatrical Trailer
This DVD was included in the seven-disc boxed set “The Judy Garland Signature Collection.”
On August 29, 2006: For Me And My Gal was released as part of the 5-DVD set “Leading Ladies Of The Studio Era”, re-packaged in the sturdier, and much preferred, “Amaray case” (clamshell) packaging.
Love Finds Andy Hardy is the fourth film in the series and finds Andy (Mickey Rooney) frantically trying to juggle two girlfriends (Ann Rutherford and Lana Turner) at the same time. It’s the new kid nextdoor (Judy Garland in the first of three fondly remembered Andy Hardy appearances) who helps Andy out of his jam and sings such delightful songs as “In Between,” “It Never Rains But What It Pours” and “Meet the Beat of My Heart.”
Love Finds Andy Hardy DVD extra content features include:
New Introduction by Garland biographer John Fricke and Ann Rutherford
“Leo Is on the Air” radio promo
“Andy Hardy” trailer gallery with trailers from this and two other films in the series, including a “Hardy Family Christmas” promotional trailer and Life Begins for Andy Hardy
This DVD was included in the seven-disc boxed set “The Judy Garland Signature Collection.”
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (1949)
Starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson, this musical remake of The Shop Around the Corner, set in a Chicago music store, finds a salesgirl (Garland) corresponding through a dating service with a man (Johnson) who turns out to be the manager she detests.
In The Good Old Summertime DVD extra content features include:
New Introduction by Garland biographer John Fricke
Chicago Shorts:
Chicago the Beautiful (1948 MGM short)
Night Life in Chicago (1948 MGM short)
Theatrical trailers for this film, plus The Shop Around the Corner on which the film is based and You’ve Got Mail (the 1998 version with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan)
This DVD was included in the seven-disc boxed set “The Judy Garland Signature Collection.”
James Stewart and Judy Garland head an allstar cast including Hedy Lamarr, Lana Turner, Tony Martin, and Jackie Cooper in this 1941 musical drama about the professional and romantic problems of three Ziegfeld chorus girls.
Ziegfeld Girl DVD extra content features include:
New Introduction by Garland biographer John Fricke
A New Romance of Celluloid: We Must Have Music (1942 MGM short)
Melodies Old and New (1942 Our Gang short)
Audio Vault:
“Too Beautiful to Last” Outtake (audio only)
“We Must Have Music” Deleted Finale (audio only)
Theatrical Trailers of several Ziegfeld films including The Great Ziegfeld, Ziegfeld Girl, and Ziegfeld Follies
This DVD was included in the seven-disc boxed set “The Judy Garland Signature Collection.”
****
With operations in 82 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top-quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video, and New Line Home Entertainment.
****
January 9, 2018: Judgment at Nuremberg was re-released on Blu-ray. The BFI has since re-released it in a special two-disc Blu-ray set.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Page on Judgment at Nuremberg here.
Wow! So much to today’s entry. First, that killer performance of “The Joint is Really Jumpin'”, gives us an idea of how electric Judy would’ve been in concert in 1943. Her voice is sooooo pure, yet so strong. Great fun. “It’s a Great Big World” is one of the most beautifully arranged, staged, photographed numbers of her career. Judy’s voice here (and in “Harvey Girls” in general) is so rich and beautiful, but, again, also so powerful. My very favorite era of her look and sound.
Thanks again!
Great post! I’m particularly impressed by the Jitterbug dance. It could not have been easy in those costumes!
I think Bert Lahr did an especially good job, considering the weight of his lion skin. I’ve never seen the number synced before. It’s sensational.
Also love the Great Big World shots. Dottie Ponedel’s touch is clear on all three faces. I’ve been mad about Virginia O’Brien since I was a kid. She can do no wrong in my book! Anyone else think so?