Garland Judy, born Frances Ethel Gumm, *10 June 1922 Grand Rapids (Michigan), †22 June 1969 London, American singer and actress. She began performing at the age of three in her parents’ vaudeville theater alongside her two sisters. In 1935, following successes in Chicago and California, she signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and, until her first breakdown caused by overwork and nervous exhaustion (1950), appeared in approximately 30 musical films. These included The Wizard of Oz (dir. V. Fleming, 1939), Ziegfeld Girl (dir. R.Z. Leonard, 1941), and Ziegfeld Follies (dir. V. Minnelli, 1946). After 1950, she enjoyed success on the stages of London (Palladium 1951, 1960, 1964) and New York (Palace Theatre after 1951, Carnegie Hall 1961) and other American cities; she also starred in several famous films: A Star Is Born (dir. G. Cukor, 1955), Judgment at Nuremberg (dir. S. Kramer, 1961), and I Could Go On Singing (dir. R. Neame, 1963). From 1962 onward, she frequently appeared on television programs. Garland, an outstanding show artist, possessed exceptional vocal and acting skills; with impeccable diction and phrasing, she varied her performance style depending on the character of the song. She was also an excellent dancer. Her performances conveyed a sense of complete freedom and sincerity of expression. Similar talents were evident in Garland’s daughter, Liza Minnelli (*1946), also an actress, singer, and dancer, who became famous for her leading role in B. Fosse’s film Cabaret (1972).
