Posted by “I’ve known many actresses and they have to look out for themselves. If they seem a little rough, they have to protect themselves. The same applies to me, except that I usually get tired.” – Judy Garland, 1967
March 4, 1930: “Baby Frances Ethel Gumm” (Judy) entered the eighth annual “Better Babies Exposition/Contest” held at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California. Judy took second place and won a porcelain doll from silent screen legend Mary Pickford. Also included in the contest was an audition for studio chief B.P. Schulberg. The two articles above are from “The Home Journal” newspaper out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which was the birthplace of Judy’s father, Frank. These articles state that Judy was one of 15 finalists and would be in the running to win a Paramount contract. That’s likely when Judy placed second. Regardless, she DID get the doll given out by Mary Pickford, which was alleged to be worth $150. Judy had entered the contest the year before (see March 1) and came in as the 12th runner-up. Perhaps if she had entered in 1931, she would have won, gotten the Paramount contract, and then her career would have been very different!
The doll played a part in For Me And My Gal twelve years later when it appeared in the “Doll Shop” number. It’s the Kewpie doll seen in the screenshots shown here.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on For Me And My Gal here.
March 4, 1938: Judy’s Everybody Sing tour took her to Columbus, Ohio, where she was scheduled to appear at Loew’s Ohio Theater beginning that afternoon. The engagement lasted a week.
Note that Judy is seen here wearing that leopard fur she had just purchased while appearing in Pittsburgh the previous week. The occasion was Judy being named “The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi” by the Alpha Gamma Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity at Ohio State University. The event was photographed and presented in the March 28, 1938, issue of “Life Magazine” as that month’s entry in their “Life Goes To A Party” series.
There are no records of the complete lineup of songs and/or sketches that Judy performed in this show aside from one paper’s positive mention of her rendition of “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen.” She prerecorded the song for Love Finds Andy Hardy the following June, although it was ultimately deleted.
Photos: Judy on stage at the Ohio Theater; the “Life Magazine” feature; various clippings.
March 4, 1940: This article notes Judy’s first fur coat. However, we know from the above that this is just more fiction for the papers.
March 4, 1942: After a day out from being ill, Judy was back at MGM rehearsing dance routines for For Me And My Gal. Time called: 1:00 p.m.; dismissed: 4:00 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on For Me And My Gal here.
March 4, 1943: MGM prerecording session for Presenting Lily Mars. Judy recorded “Broadway Rhythm,” which was the ending of the new, revised “Where There’s Music” finale sequence. The rest of the sequence was pre-recorded the next day. Filming on the number happened quickly and was finished by March 16th. Judy had been working on Girl Crazy since November 1942 but took this “break” to work on the revised Lily Mars finale.
Listen to “Broadway Rhythm” Take 5 here:
Listen to “Broadway Rhythm” Pick-Up Take 2 here:
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Presenting Lily Mars here.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Girl Crazy here.
March 4, 1944: Another photo session, including shots “for poster art” for Meet Me In St. Louis. Time called: 12:30 p.m.; dismissed: 4:20 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Meet Me In St. Louis here.
Photos: Pages from the original poster art sketchbook used in the creation of the film’s poster art; examples of some of the finished posters/ads; photos from the session.
March 4, 1945: Judy had no call (she was not needed this day) for work on her film currently in production, The Harvey Girls.
Photos: The original movie tie-in novelization.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on The Harvey Girs here.
March 4, 1947: More “Voodoo” music rehearsals for The Pirate. Time called: 2:00 p.m.; dismissed: 4:35 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on The Pirate here.
March 4, 1950: The 1949 re-release of The Wizard of Oz was still making the rounds.
March 4, 1951: There are newspaper listings for a Judy Garland guest appearance on Bing Crosby’s radio show, although no information is known. It’s possible this was a repeat of an earlier broadcast.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 4, 1951: Judy’s upcoming engagement at the London Palladium was news.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 4, 1954: “I’m Off The Downbeat” was a song written for A Star Is Born but wasn’t used, nor was it recorded by Judy.
For details about this as well as the other two songs unused, check out the “Three Songs That Got Away” post here on this blog.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
March 4, 1954: Judy rehearsed “Lost That Long Face” on the set of A Star Is Born with dance director Richard Barstow. After this day of rehearsals, Judy took several days “taking off to rest” (per the assistant director’s notes) and returned for rehearsals and shooting on March 9th.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
March 4, 1955: Kelly Jewelry in Carrol, Iowa, used Judy to sell diamonds. Included above is another ad for A Star Is Born noting the film’s Oscar nominations.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on A Star Is Born here.
March 4, 1963: Judy flew to London, England. She was due to arrive at 9:45 p.m. on the night of the 4th, but the place was diverted to Manchester due to weather problems. Judy stayed the night (along with the rest of the plane which was full of the American press to cover the premiere of I Could Go On Singing). Judy and Mort Lindsey later talked about the flight on “The Merv Griffin Show” taped on December 19, 1968.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 4, 1966: Here’s a photo of Judy and Bob Hope out on the town, dated for this date. It’s unknown where they’re at. Mr. Hope doesn’t look too pleased!
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 4, 1967:
“None May Believe It, but Judy’s Glad”
“Everybody gets upset if I’m happy,” says Judy Garland, who seems glad about her first movie role in four years: As a miserable, vituperative star whose personality is split between ego and alcohol.
“People don’t know how to pencil me in any other way than miserable. Well, I’m glad about this part.”
The role is of a Broadway star in a film adaptation of “The Valley of the Dolls,” a novel that has combined excellent sales with generally poor reviews. Its themes are sex, barbiturates and loneliness.
“The part is so much more than ‘Judgment at Nuremberg,’” Miss Garland said. “It doesn’t pertain to me.”
FINGERING AN empty gold cigaret holder and occasionally touching a triple strand of pearls at her neck, Miss Garland emphasized, though, that the character [she] will play seems “very real.”
“I’ve known many actresses and they have to look out for themselves. If they seem a little rough, they have to protect themselves. The same applies to me, except that I usually get tired.”
Happy subjects are getting most of the star’s attention this week, however. Subject No. 1 has been the wedding Friday of her daughter, Liza Minnelli – “The finest young entertainer of our day,” her mother said – to Peter Allen.
“I feel marvelously proud. Just sentimental and foolish. I cried. I love the boy she’s marrying.”
Miss Garland, now 45 and four times marries, last appeared in a Hollywood film in 1963 when she made “I Could Go on Singing.” The new film, produced by 20th Century-Fox, will have one song, written for her by Andre Previn.
Shooting is scheduled to begin next week. Other roles will be played by Patty Duke and Barbara Parkins.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on Valley of the Dolls here.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 4, 1967: The news of Liza’s wedding to Peter Allen the previous day hit the papers, with Judy featured prominently, of course.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 4, 2008: “Garland at the Grove” premiered on CD thanks to the tireless efforts of the late Scott Schechter. The CD is an extended version of what was originally released on LP and had been a long time in coming.
The album was originally released in mono on February 2, 1959, and in stereo on February 16, 1959. It was the first “Judy in Concert” record ever released, recorded during the last night’s performance of Judy’s run at the venue on August 5, 1958.
On April 5, 2019, the newly remastered original album was released on CD, check out The Judy Garland Online Discography’s “Judy Garland – Four Classic Albums – Second Set” here.
I consider the revised “Lily Mars” finale to be one of Judy’s best and most underrated musical numbers. Her singing is great as usual, she looks absolutely gorgeous, and her dancing is simply amazing–especially when you consider that she’s keeping in step with Charles Walters, who was of course a superb dancer. The fact that she was able to record, rehearse, and shoot this sequence while on that “break” from the “Girl Crazy” shoot (in which she also danced with Walters) is nothing short of miraculous! Thanks again for this wonderful “Day in the life” series, Scott . . . I look forward to it every day!
Thanks, Jay! I agree with you 100%. She’s flawless in the number. I would love to see the cut segment, it’s too bad it was cut but I understand why and it makes sense for the film. But you know, we always want to see everything. Plus, she’s so gorgeous. This era was truly a great one for her even though she was overworked.
Has anyone posted for Judy fans “Green Light Ahead,” as sung by 2012 Drama Desk Award-winner Judy Kaye, commercially available on the 1994 CD Harold Arlen: “Amercanegro Suite.” I have the cd, as I am sure many others do as well. I can send a music file if wanted and needed.