Posted by “She has a sense of character, a sense of humor, and, above all, an amazing flair for hot rhythm.” – the “Kinematograph Weekly” on “Everybody Sing,” 1938
February 6, 1933: The first of a two-night engagement for “Baby Gumm” (Judy) and another young performer named Claire Williams, at Judy’s father’s theater, the Valley Theater, in their hometown of Lancaster, California.
February 6, 1938: Here’s an unusual photo of Judy with movie tutor Ameilia De Ferris who apparently was the oldest movie tutor still working and it looks as though she tutored Judy, maybe even during the production of The Wizard of Oz.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on The Wizard of Oz here.
February 6, 1938: Everybody Sing. The film had just opened in January and was a popular and critical success. It was the first film to focus on Judy as the main character. She and co-star Allan Jones were the top names in the ads and posters (some with Judy listed first, some with Jones listed first). Judy proved herself to be a viable box office draw.
February 6, 1940: Judy’s weekly appearance on “The Pepsodent Show Starring Bob Hope” on NBC Radio. Judy sang “You’re A Lucky Guy.” No recordings of this show are known to exist.
Photo: Judy with Bob Hope and series regular Jerry Colonna.
February 6, 1944: Here is an interesting article by Inga Arvad. In it, she relays some of the stories about Judy’s rise to fame, her desire to do a Broadway show, and her weight issues. This is one of the earliest articles that talks about Judy getting a bowl of chicken soup at the MGM commissary no matter what she ordered: “‘Look, she is fat,’ a producer said in apparent disgust, and for years whatever I ordered for lunch at the commissary was never served to me. They brought me a bow of chicken soup and nothing else.”
Judy is also quoted, “When my contract expires – by that time I will have been here 12 years – I would like to do a show and maybe a couple of pictures each year. There is nothing like having an audience. You get immediate reaction, you know if your singing is good or not. In pictures, you have to wait for months before you are sure one way or the other.”
That much is true. Before Judy’s contract was up for renewal in 1947 MGM knew she did not want to re-sign with the studio. Instead, she wanted to freelance. In January 1946 they convinced her to sign a new seven-year contract that went into effect on January 2, 1947.
February 6, 1946: This ad appeared in the Film Daily trade paper promoting Judy’s latest big hit, The Harvey Girls. Below are two more fun ads, as published in local newspapers.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on The Harvey Girls here.
February 6, 1949: MGM Records entered into a deal with Quality Records, Ltd., to be the exclusive distributor of MGM records in Canada and Newfoundland.
February 6, 1949: Words and Music (released in 1948) was still playing around the U.S. Plus this photo of little Liza recently taken on the set of In The Good Old Summertime was making the rounds.
February 6, 1950: Judy’s struggles with MGM and the filming of Summer Stock were making the papers. The reality is that Judy’s issues at MGM for the past several years were the worst kept “secret” in Hollywood.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Summer Stock here.
February 6, 1951: Here are a couple of blurbs about Bing Crosby’s admiration of Judy and her talents. At this time in Judy’s life, she was at a crossroads. Many considered her washed up due to her recent split with MGM and her personal/health issues. Crosby was quick to have her on his radio show, which helped give audiences the chance to see that Judy was bouncing back and not going anywhere. Note that one of the blurbs, and part of Jimmy Fidler’s column, mentioned her weight issues. Judy’s weight was fodder for columnists and critics for almost all of her professional career. Crosby was quick to counter with, “With that voice, it doesn’t matter.”
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
February 6, 1953: Judy sang at the annual Photographer’s Ball in Los Angeles. There are no known recordings of the event.
In a 2016 newsletter, the president of the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles (PPAGLA), John McCoy, noted in an article about the history of the association’s newsletter/yearbook:
We held what became known as the Flashbulbers Ball, filled with Hollywood A-list actors who were looking for ink back in the days before award shows like the Oscars and Emmys. We would hold a benefit ball, Hollywood elite would show up, and we gave the money to charity.
But in 1953, we got a little ahead of ourselves. A t that time we were known as LAPPA, and we held a Grand Charity Ball at the Statler Hotel. The program began at 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6. We had dancing with the Manny Harmon and his Orchestra in the Pacific Ballroom, followed by Freddy Martin in the Golden State Room. Guest stars included Red Skelton, George Jessel, Rosemarie, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Will Rogers Jr., Art Linkletter, Merv Griffin, Jane Wyman and Debbie Reynolds just to name a few.
February 6, 1955: “Mon Copain” magazine cover, promoting A Star Is Born.
Scan provided by Kim Lundgreen. Thanks, Kim!
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
February 6, 1956: This fun ad promoting A Star Is Born appeared in Danish newspapers.
Scan provided by Kim Lundgreen. Thanks, Kim!
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
February 6, 1957: The first of three sessions for Judy at the Capitol Records studio in Hollywood, California, for the “Alone” album, orchestrated and conducted by Gordon Jenkins. The album, a collection of blues and songs of solitude, is a favorite among Garland fans and one of Judy’s very best with some fans placing it as their all-time favorite.
On this day, Judy recorded “Little Girl Blue”; “I Get The Blues When It Rains”; “How About Me?”; and “Me And My Shadow.”
Listen to “Little Girl Blue” here:
Listen to “I Get The Blues When It Rains” here:
Listen to “How About Me?” here:
Listen to “Me And My Shadow” here:
February 6, 1963: These reviews of Judy’s last film, I Could Go On Singing, appeared in the following Danish papers: The Aktuelt; Berlingske AftenAvis; Berlingske Tidende; Information; Land & Folk.
I don’t speak or read Danish, so I can’t translate the text. 
Scan provided by Kim Lundgreen. Thanks, Kim!
February 6, 1965: Judy flew to Toronto from New York (where she had been staying in Miriam Hopkin’s townhouse), for her next engagement, staying at the King Edward Sheraton Hotel, suite #844. Judy gave concerts at Toronto’s O’Keefe Center on February 8th, 9th, 11th, and 13th.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
Photo: Judy in concert during one of her nights at the O’Keefe Center in Toronto.