I have long been a huge fan of musicals. Musicals just transcend everyday life. It is so gratifying to see musicals making a resurgence of sorts. Glee is tremendously popular, and there are major stars doing Broadway. When I was a kid I used to look forward to the Channel 9 pledge drives, because they would play musicals all night long! I was in heaven. Early on I became a devoted fan of Judy Garland’s, mostly based on her portrayal of Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. In the days preceding DVDs and movie-on-demand, those yearly showings of The Wizard of Oz were a huge treat. I still love to see when it is being shown on TV. It’s like hearing one of your favorite songs on the radio. You may have it on a CD, but it’s still a kick to hear it out of nowhere. Well, getting back to Judy Garland, if you have only ever seen her in The Wizard of Oz you should check her out in other films. Here is a great clip from Meet Me in St. Louis[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0odXnKhKBxQ&w=425&h=349]. She was such a dynamic performer. June 22 marks the anniversary of her death, and the world lost a wonderful entertainer. She has had countless biographies written about her, and she had an up and down life. We have many of them here at the Library, along with many of her films. I have heard that Ann Hathaway is going to be playing her in a film.
In 1997, Judy was posthumously awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Several of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 1999, the American Film Institute placed her among the ten greatest female stars in the history of American cinema.
Posted by Estel