| JUDY GARLAND |
JUDY GARLAND LIVED HER ENTIRE LIFE IN THE GLARE OF PUBLICITY AS A CHILD STAR AT MGM EVERY ASPECT OF HER LIFE WAS MANAGED BY THE STUDIO AND DUTIFULY RECORDED BY THE FAN MAGAZINES. HER CHILD CAREER WOULD COME TO A GLORIOUS END WITH THE WIZARD OF OZ BUT IT WAS A HOLLOW TRIUMPH FOREVER ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROLE OF DOROTHY AUDIENCES NEVER WANTED HER TO GROW UP. AS LATE AS THE 1960'S SHE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THEY STILL EXPECT ME TO COME OUT IN THAT BLOODY GINGHAM DRESS SINGING OVER THE RAINBOW. WHILST THE STUDIO CONTROLLED HER LIFE COMPLETELY THEY ALSO HELD THE FRAGILE JUDY TOGETHER AND WHEN AFTER HER FINAL FILM FOR MGM , THE BANDWAGON, FINISHED SHE WAS LEFT TO FEND FOR HERSELF. WITHOUT A STUDIO JUDY ROLLERCOASTED FROM TRIUMPH TO TRAGEDY AND BACK AGAIN. MANY HAVE FOCUSED ON JUDYS TROUBLES HER ADDICTIONS, HER SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, HER PSYCHOSIS AND HER UNTIMELY AND UNDIGNIFIED DEATH AT ONLY 47. IT IS TRUE WHEN JUDY WAS DOWN SHE WAS REALLY DOWN BUT WHEN SHE WAS UP SHE WAS A BUNDLE OF RAW TALENT THE LIKES OF WHICH WE WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN. HER TRIUMPHS WERE AS MANY AS HER LOWS AND JUST AS SPECTACUALAR. IN THE 1950'S SHE ROSE PHOENIX LIKE FROM THE ASHES AND SCORED ONE OF THE GREATEST EVER COMEBACKS WITH A STAR IS BORN, SHE THEN TRIUMPHANTLY BEGAN HER CONCERT CAREER AND HER CARNEGIE HALL CONCERT NMUST RANK AS ONE OF THE GREATEST LIVE PERFORMANCES EVER GIVEN. FURTHER CONCERT SUCCESS CAME HER WAY AS WELL AS BEST SELLING ALBUMS AND SOME GOOD FILM ROLES. SHE ALSO CONQURED THE MEDIUM OF TELEVISION WITH HER TOP RATED TELEVISION SHOW,HER PERFORMANCE OF THE BATTLE HYM OF THE REPUBLIC SHORTLY AFTER KENNEDYS DEATH BROUGHT TEARS TO THE EYES OF AN ENTIRE NATION. BUT EVENTUALLY HER TROUBLES OVERWHELMED HER AND HER BODY WHICH HAD SUSTAINED YEARS OF ABUSE JUST COULDNT GO ON AND IN 1969 SHE WAS GONE. THOUSANDS FILED PAST HER COFFIN AT CAMPBELLS IN NEW YORK AND THE SORROW FELT BY HER LEGION OF GAY FANS FANNED THE STONEWALL RIOTS. IM SURE EVERY FRIEND OF DOROTHY'S WOULD AGREE JUDY GARLAND HAS MORE THAN EARNED A HOME AT THE QUEENS OF CAMP. |