Posted by “I had hoped for a girl of my own who could carry on that tradition that I started in the theater, but this Garland youngster fills the bill. Not only has she one of the best voices I’ve heard but she understands the value of lyric lines as if she were a grown-up.” – Sophie Tucker, 1937
March 6, 1933: Frances (Judy) performed at a Campfire Girls Event in Lancaster, California.
March 6, 1937: Here’s another article about stage legend Sophie Tucker dubbing Judy “Red Hot Mama No. 2” (usually she was quoted as “The Next Red Hot Mama”). Little did Sophie (or anyone) know just what heights Judy would achieve.
March 6, 1938: Judy was in Chicago, which was part of the extensive Everybody Sing tour sponsored by MGM.
The tour began in late January and took her from the film’s premiere in Miami (January 24) to its premiere on the New York stage on February 10. It also included stops in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan and a visit to her birthplace of Grand Rapid, Minnesota (her last time there).
While in Chicago, Judy posed for famed photographer Maurice Seymour (the same photographer who had taken now-famous photos of Judy and her sisters in 1934), including this photo taken on or around this date.
March 6, 1938: “What Is Fame?” – Here’s an interesting article about Judy, who was currently enjoying great success with her Everybody Sing tour, most recently in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
March 6, 1938: Everybody Sing, and Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry.
March 6, 1940: The recent Oscar ceremony.
March 6, 1941: Here is another studio-fed (or simply made-up) blurb about Judy forming a bicycle riding group. Considering her incredibly busy schedule at MGM at this time, it’s doubtful this was true. However, MGM took pictures of Judy riding bikes during her early years at the studio, which were used as promotional photos to make the stars relatable to the moviegoing public.
March 6, 1942: More dance rehearsals for Judy for For Me And My Gal. Time called: 1:30 p.m.; dismissed: 4:30 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages on For Me And My Gal here.
March 6, 1943: Advance synopsis including Girl Crazy.
March 6, 1943: In the “What The Picture Did For Me” feature in the trade magazine “Motion Picture Herald,” Frank Vesley of the State Theatre in Hollister, CA, had this to say about For Me And My Gal (released in 1942): Good. Ideal entertainment, the kind that makes people stop and express their pleasure. Excellent business for three days.
March 6, 1944: Here is a great theatre display for For Me And My Gal (released in 1942).
March 6, 1944: Judy had a full house!
March 6, 1944: According to this column, Judy was pouting and acting like a diva.
March 6, 1944: Filming continued on Meet Me In St. Louis, specifically scenes shot on the “Interior Esther and Rose’s Room” and “Interior Dining Room” sets. Time called: 10:00 a.m.; Judy was ready at 10:17 a.m.; dismissed: 5:50 p.m.
The scans above are of the UK press book for the 1955 re-release of the film. Provided by Kim Lundgreen. Thanks, Kim!
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Meet Me In St. Louis here.
March 6, 1945: The Harvey Girls filming continued with scenes on the “Interior Alhambra” set. Time called: 11 a.m.; Judy arrived at 11:28 a.m.; dismissed: 5:50 p.m.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages about The Harvey Girls here.
March 6, 1946: More ads for The Harvey Girls which was proving to be a hit with some staying power, being held over in many markets due to its popularity.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Pages about The Harvey Girls here.
March 6, 1947: Much like The Harvey Girls above, Till The Clouds Roll By was another huge hit for Judy. The all-star musical premiered that previous December. Here is a fun ad published on this day.
Check out The Judy Room’s Spotlight on Till The Clouds Roll By here.
March 6, 1951: here’s another article about Judy’s upcoming trip to England, where she renewed her career by beginning her legendary “Concert Years.” The article notes Judy’s huge salary and, of course, her weight!
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 6, 1952: Judy and husband-to-be Sid Luft arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, for a much-needed vacation. Judy had just wowed the public with her record-breaking comeback at The Palace Theater in New York.
The papers speculated a lot about whether Judy would marry Sid while in West Palm Beach. Her divorce from Vincente Minnelli became final during this stay, but she and Sid would not marry until they were back in California that following June.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 6, 1954: Judy made the cover of “Cue” magazine.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 6, 1955: Judy recently attended a huge circus-themed party given by skater and film star Sonja Henie.
March 6, 1957: Judy finished recording the “Alone” album for Capitol Records. The songs recorded on this date were “Then You’ve Never Been Blue,” “Just A Memory,” “Among My Souvenirs,” “Happy New Year,” and “I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues.”
“Then You’ve Never Been Blue” was cut from the LP and was not released until the album’s premiere CD release on June 28, 1989.
Listen to “Then You’ve Never Been Blue” here:
Listen to “Just A Memory” here:
Listen to “Among My Souvenirs” here:
Listen to “Happy New Year” here:
Listen to “I Gotta A Right To Sing The Blues” here:
“Variety” said: “This package marks a definite departure in the fashioning of Judy Garland for the market. And it should work out for big returns. Instead of the big-voiced, blasting-groove technique applied to her previous packages, she’s now toned down to a tender and torchy mood that’s tremendously effective. In addition to the Garland pipes, which seldom sounded better, credit Gordon Jenkin’s arrangements and conducting for making it a socko set.”
March 6, 1958: The up-and-down marriage of Judy and Sid Luft played out in the courts again. This time, Judy made the claim that Sid had tried to strangle her and also, according to the article, went into seclusion. Like most of the couple’s legal spats, this one didn’t last, and they reconciled. Again.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
(circa) March 6, 1961: This photo of Judy was taken of Judy and her son, Joe Luft, on their way to Los Angeles, where Judy began filming Judgment at Nuremberg on March 8.
March 6, 1963: Judy’s final film premiere, I Could Go On Singing in London. She was escorted by her co-star in the film, Dirk Bogarde.
Photos provided by Kim Lundgreen. Thanks, Kim!
Included is a photo of John Mills, his daughter Haley, and his wife attending the premiere; plus a photo of Judy talking to Ed Sullivan.
Check out The Judy Room’s Filmography Page on I Could Go On Singing here.
March 6, 1964: “Episode Twenty-Five” of “The Judy Garland Show” was taped at CBS Television City, Stage 43, Hollywood, California.
The show was another “mini-concert” by Judy and her guest Robert Cole and his Trio, and it aired on March 22, 1964.
Judy sang: “Sail Away,” “Comes Once In A Lifetime,” “I Am Loved,” “Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries,” “Why Can’t I?,” “I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues,” “Joey, Joey, Joey,” “Love” Get Happy,” “As Long As He Needs Me,” “Poor Butterfly” (with Cole), and “Old Man River.”
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 6, 1964: Judy’s court appearance the previous day was covered in the papers. This was again a suit against husband Sid Luft, this time for custody of the couple’s two children, Lorna and Joe.
Sid apparently held nothing back, as reported in the press, including the accusation that Judy had tried to commit suicide “at least” 20 times.
It’s a testament to Judy’s inner strength that she could appear in court one day, face accusations, and then tape an episode of her TV series the next.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 6, 1966: Judy made her second appearance on “The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show,” taped at the NBC-TV studios in Brooklyn, NY. The show was filmed in color, but all that remains is a black-and-white print.
Judy sang: “Almost Like Being In Love”/”This Can’t Be Love,” “If Love Were All,” and “Love.” The last two were cut prior to the show’s airing on March 25, 1966. Judy also sang this medley with Davis (video below).
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 6, 1966: Judy made a walk-on appearance on “The Soupy Sales Show” while she was taping her second appearance “across the hall” on “The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show” at the NBC Studios in Brooklyn, New York.
Soupy and guest Ernest Borgnine had a running joke that Judy was to be Soupy’s guest but her plane was late so Borgnine played “Judy.”
The special never aired, but this footage has survived. Judy’s wearing the same knee-length white gown outlined in black fur that she wears on the Davis show.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
March 6, 1968: Nancy Barr-Brandon took this snapshot of Judy at Gail Martin’s opening at the Persian Room in New York. According to Earl Wilson’s column, Judy sat ringside with her children “wearing a miniskirt and ostrich feather hat which she said she had glued together herself. Judy’s hat had more material in it than her skirt, but doesn’t everybody’s?”
As an FYI, included are two versions of Wilson’s column, one that shows what Gail Martin looked like.
Check out The Judy Room’s “Judy Garland – The Concert Years” here.
Wow. Today’s entry really focused on Judy’s negative press in the late ’50’s and ’60’s. You mention the constant commentary on her weight, but I get annoyed with “LITTLE Judy Garland” (even when she was an adult) and “Pug-nosed.” The press was so unnecessarily vicious.
It IS kind of odd how these things seemed to come in waves. The late 40s were all about Judy’s issues at the studio – and her weight. The late 50s and into the 60s were about Judy’s various legal issues – and her weight! In 1964 she went from a brutal day in the courts to singing her heart out on her show the next day. Amazing.