THE MUSICAL JUDY GARLAND

To post on Judy Garland is a vast undertaking. I would contest that there are very few women who have done as much for Hollywood as her. From a little girl in "Pigskin Parade" (1936) to her last film "I Could Go Singing" (1963), every performance was astounding and mesmerizing. She did it all: Singing, Dancing & Acting.

Generally, an Actor can only go so far before they lean on their crutch of musical or comedic talent. Judy, however, used her other talents to expound her acting not conceal it. She was the female voice of Christmas and the poster child/adult of MGM.

AS AN ACTOR:
How can you mention Judy without mentioning "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). This film catapulted her out of the Hardy neighborhood and over the rainbow. It wasn't just her singing that got her there though. Even at the age of 16, she amazed audiences with her acting, which won her one of the youngest Oscars ever presented. My favorite acting of hers is in "The Judgement of Nuremberg" (1961). Her performance is gripping and moving.

AS A SINGER:
Her voice was mellow, pure and original. "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944) showcased a range of her singing talent and gave her a new list of popular songs to perform. My personal favorite is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Trolley Song." It's amazing that with all the personal struggles in her life she could sing songs that were so beautiful and encouraging. Later in her concerts she would sing the song "San Francisco," which was originally Jeanette MacDonald's song in the movie with the same name. Jeanette was asked if she was upset by this, of which she replied: "Oh, I don't mind... as long as it's Judy!"

AS A DANCER:
From Mickey Rooney to Gene Kelly to Fred Astaire she held her own on the dance floor. Her favorite of mine is "Easter Parade" (1948). Though their wasn't a lot of swooshing and flying through the air, her dance was right on step. In the dance sequence of "When The Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves For Alabam'" we see her fast paced feet which generally moved a little slower with the tempo in her other films.

Though she had a rough life, the films she was in contained a Judy that enjoyed what she did and knew how to do it better than most. Her musical talent far surpassed many of the other Actresses in her day, as her acting grabbed a hold of the audience who filled the box office every time her name was on the screen. What a talent was Judy!