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Rainbow Review |
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Ovations and Tribulations - 1965 - a year in the life of Judy GarlandBy Gary Horrocks This article was originally illustrated with forty three high quality photographs. You can see the article with all the photographs, along with many others, in Issue 26 of the Rainbow Review. Table of Contents:
Introduction1965 was the year Judy Garland couldn't stop singing. And touring. Acutely aware of this relentless activity she employed an apt analogy. "I'm like a train with many cities in my repertoire." This was a year of television appearances, nightclub and theatre performances, press conferences and official welcomes all played out under the exhaustive scrutiny of the media. It opened on an optimistic note with Judy's much-heralded return to the United States. The air was filled with sentiment and retrospective longing for the huge successes of only four years earlier that had been immortalised by the legendary Carnegie Hall recording. This nostalgic yearning followed her wherever she went. With the benefit of hindsight we are aware that life was far from satisfactory at this stage in Judy's career and the fault lines were beginning to show. It's hard to believe that Garland was only 42, that she had been "in the business" for forty years and had already founded an impressive legacy. There was nothing left to prove; she was already a living legend. Judy could have retired into peaceful solitude and we'd still be here celebrating some aspect of her life and career. Let's begin with the downside, a necessary context to any review of this roller coaster year. Judy Garland kept on singing partly because her financially precarious position forced her onto the road. A cocktail of huge fiscal burdens (legal fees, outstanding tax bills) compelled her to work. Earnings in this period were often sequestered to settle outstanding debts, so she often didn't benefit from the huge workload. On the eve of one appearance she joked to the press: "Here I am going back to Forest Hills - an old lady - when I have one kid on Broadway and two more loaded with talent. Why not throw them all out to work?" Severe illness in Hong Kong in May 1964 had taken its toll. Judy was increasingly less able to sustain the extensive repertoire that had wowed audiences in the early 1960s. During this period her shows borrowed more from early vaudeville roots (with supporting musical acts and stand-up comedians taking the strain from her) than from the marathon "stay all night and sing 'em all" sessions. The voice was sometimes strained; lyrics were sometimes forgotten. What made the situation even more painful was that Judy was trapped in a vicious circle. She worked because she needed the money, but the extensive professional schedule was punishing both to her voice and to her general well being. 1965 was also a year dogged with litigation, divorce haggles (often with attendant adverse headlines and publicly aired dirty washing), bouts of illness and painful press intrusion. Privately Judy was enormously proud and protective of her children, bitter about the state of the Luft divorce deliberations and convinced that Mark Herron was "Mr. Right". It would be foolish to ignore that she was also suffering from manic mood swings resulting from the adverse effects of her increasing drug dependency. On the other hand, there were great highs in 1965. There are many glowing contemporary reviews of her television and stage performances that reveal her enormous talent, fortitude, wit, humour and love of life. 1965 was also a year full of fond memories for the many fans who were fortunate enough to follow her tour across the States. Standing ovations, thunderous applause, demands for encores and cries of "We Want Judy" greeted her wherever she went. Enormous support, love and affection bolstered her. Many themes began to develop as I studied press clippings, reviews and personal recollections. Assessed as a whole they piece together an extraordinary picture of Garland's professional life during this period. The Live PerformancesTorontoJudy's extensive portfolio of live engagements began when she arrived in Toronto on Saturday 6th February to open at the O'Keefe Centre for a week of engagements between Monday 8th and Saturday 13th. She disembarked from her jet and was greeted by a throng of press photographers. O'Keefe Centre representative David Palmer presented a bouquet of long-stemmed yellow roses to her. The Canadians embraced her with open arms. Toronto's Telegram reported: "Fans at the airport held up their children to see her. 'I should've brought the camera,' cried one. 'I wonder if Harry knew he was on the same plane?' sighed a housewife waiting for her husband." Had Judy brought much luggage? "Only the usual one hundred and eighteen suitcases," she joked. The Telegram also observed that she "carried a black leather handbag large enough to conceal two large bowling balls and apologised to airport porters for her heavy luggage. ('That one ... and that one ... and those four ... and that big trunk ... and those two, I'm afraid'.)" One journalist pronounced that Toronto would be "a much more exciting place while she is here simply because she IS here." Judy went on to receive an equally warm ovation at a press conference at the King Edward Hotel on the Sunday. Judy would arrive on stage at around ten o'clock in the evening in the second half of the show when the supporting comedian and the Allen Brothers (whose career she was championing at the time) had done their bit. She sang an impressive subset of her repertoire including: "When You're Smiling", "Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love", "His Is The Only Music That Makes Me Dance", "Smile", "Sing Low Sweet Chariot/He's Got The Whole World In His Hands", "Joey", "Swanee", "By Myself" and "I Wish You Love" - the latter with the Allen Brothers. Songs would be chopped and changed until a popular and manageable repertoire was identified. "Just In Time", "Smile" and "Make Someone Happy" were added on the second night, for example. Every evening the "Where? Where" response segment of "Chicago" transmuted into a new town or place to delight the Canadian audiences - Oshawa, Manitoba, Quebec. A persistent cold and laryngitis hounded Judy throughout the week and had a deleterious effect on her performances. On opening night her voice broke during "Joey" and "Swanee" and she was forced to ask the audience to sing "Over The Rainbow" for her. On the second night she complained that her throat was bothering her, and Wednesday's performances were cancelled on the advice of doctors. She rallied, and was back on stage on Thursday. On the whole the Toronto critics were not very sympathetic to her plight. One kind soul from the Toronto Star advised: "What Judy needs is a good, long vacation. It would get her off the treadmill she's on, and enable her to recover and nurse her poise and lyrical gifts." The Toronto Globe was painfully harsh in its analysis: "Judy's Voice Is Gone But They Still Love Her". It was unfortunate that the critics based their opinions on opening night because she closed with two triumphant shows on the Saturday. Reviews of these performances were in sharp contrast to the opening. She sang encores for thirty minutes and ended with a beautiful rendition of "Over The Rainbow" that induced a standing ovation. MiamiStill nursing laryngitis, Judy took her act to the Fontainebleau Hotel's La Ronde room, Miami, Florida between Thursday March 11th and 20th, where she played to an enthusiastic crowd and received rave reviews. The Miami Beach Sun noted that she'd "arrived in a cloud of nostalgia with fellow plane passengers serenading her on the way in." She walked on stage nervously clasping her hands and was greeted by a standing ovation before she'd even begun to sing. "There's Just One Judy" proclaimed a headline. Playing on the theme of her opening number "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" the reviewer went on to say that "by the time she was half way through the [song] it was obvious that the petite singer had the whole world in her hands." She could've "walked on water," waxed one devotee. Jean Wardlow composed an extraordinarily poetic review in the Miami Herald Sunday Magazine of March 14th: "Silver-white, gossamer dusted, it flicked on - the gown Judy Garland knows best: the spotlight. She moved in it like a rich man moves in velvet slippers - softly, surely; it's not something borrowed for a moment - it's hers; it's a symbol of her world. Its white cone of cafe moonlight slashed through the blue-blackness of night-pretend in the Fontainbleu's La Ronde room to glisten on mahogany eyes too big for the sad-sweet face; long hands too nervous for the disciplining wrists; a voice too big for the small figure. And she sang. She stood in the man-made moonlight in the dusk of the stage and she sang. She held the silver-flashing mike in her left hand and as the orchestra roared higher, she flung her dark brown head to one side, like someone had just slapped her across the face, her lower lip quivered as she held on tight. She was free. Swinging. Happy. Smiles. She was sad. Alone. In tears. The songs took her. Wrapped her. Transported her. Long fingers of the other hand reached out into the nightclub air, raised high in Hallelujah, smoothing unseen rumples of air or being pulled back to her chest slowly, slowly in a fist. The hands keep time to the music when they move. But the body - small, nervous, tense - keeps its own time. And when she moves, the steps are long - semi-circled cat-like if the skirt is long and tight - but usually sudden-stopped, short like dance steps not quite danced." The Miami Beach Reporter called her "alive, vibrant, fantastic." Another onlooker beamed: "This is one of those delightful show business experiences, which don't happen too often. When they do happen, you just feel lucky you were able to be a part of it." CharlotteJudy flew into Charlotte on Wednesday April 21st to perform on Thursday 22nd at the Coliseum and was greeted by girl scouts and mobbed by young fans wielding autograph books. The Charlotte Observer welcomed the announcement of her appearance with huge sentiment and enthusiasm. "I'd walk some bloody miles to hear her sing. If she croaked like a frog I'd [still] walk those miles to hear. This is because nobody, but nobody could or can make me feel so much in a song. I am not talking about on TV or in movies even. I am not talking about live radio or set-up recordings. I am talking about Judy when she sings for people with no gadgets in between, which is the way it was here before [1961] and the way it was in Carnegie Hall and the way it will be this time. Something happens to her with an audience like this, and it is only like this that she goes searing up to Cloud 9 and takes you for a darned good look at the rainbow and both ends of it and what is above and beyond it." It was one hell of an idyllic remembrance to live up to. Judy was in good spirits, and joked at the press conference that she might sing "Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte." Unfortunately her illness persisted and the resulting vocal performance was below par. The Charlotte News noted: "Judy Garland was having trouble last night, but her sympathetic audience was with her all the way. She couldn't hit the high notes, and she knew it." No one was more painfully aware of her failings than Judy herself. "I've got a bug or something. I'm in a mess ... can you people hear?" she asked. "Trouble is I can hear too, and it isn't too good." Vocal problems towards the end of "What Now My Love?" resulted in an exasperated "Aw hell". Once again, she was forced to ask the crowd to sing for her. Even now she received a standing ovation and demands for "More". ChicagoOn May 7th she played the Arie Crown Theatre, McCormick Place, Chicago. Her entrance at a press conference in the Astor Tower caused a stir even with celebrity-tired journalists and television people. ("Well, shall we get started or is everyone just going to sit around and stare at me?") The Chicago American was in raptures: "Judy went through the endless questioning with dignity, wit and charm. We were filled with admiration once again." Elements of underlying conflict were never far from the surface. "What a tremendous price this talented, courageous woman has paid for her success. The scene haunted us, a beautifully groomed and talented woman, watching all of us through her enormous, dark, little-girl-lost eyes that still seem to be searching for the end of the rainbow." On stage she was received by screaming and cheering crowds some of whom literally hung from the balcony to greet her. She walked on blowing kisses. Once again it was a massive and heart-warming reception from over 4, 500 people who stood in ovation even before a note had been liberated from her tiny frame. Some contemporary observers found the scene breathtaking. Although Judy was obviously concerned by her throat problems and vocally well below what she was capable of, she managed an extensive repertoire which warmed as the evening wore on. John Fricke, author of "Judy Garland: World's Greatest Entertainer" was 14-years old when he attended this his first Judy concert. He recalls: "Judy came on in the first half, following a twenty-or-so-minute warm-up act by The Allen Brothers. After Mort Lindsey conducted The Overture, she entered to a tremendous standing ovation. As I recall, the management spontaneously turned on the house lights for a few moments shortly after her entrance so that Judy herself could see all the people in the hall were on their feet in acclamation. She then sang 'My Kind Of Town', 'The Whole World In His Hands', 'When You're Smiling', 'Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love', 'Do It Again', 'What Now My Love' and 'San Francisco'. After intermission, she returned for 'That's Entertainment', 'The Man That Got Away', 'Zing! Went the Strings Of My Heart', 'Just In Time', 'You Made Me Love You/For Me And My Gal/The Trolley Song', 'Rock-a-Bye', 'Chicago' and 'Over The Rainbow'. Unfortunately, it was artistically one of the poorer shows of that year. Judy had a bad case of laryngitis, and in her apparent worry about what sounds might or might not come out next, she was somewhat disoriented for many moments of the concert. She forgot the lyrics to six of the eighteen songs on the bill. Jeanette MacDonald had died a few months before, and Mort had done a new four-bar orchestral introduction to San Francisco, eliminating the comedy verse to the song. When he struck it up at the Arie Crown, Judy started to sing Swanee. Her humour, some solid belting notes to climax some of the numbers (especially in the second act) and a very indulgent audience helped save the evening. They seemingly 'willed her through' the earlier portions of the show; by the second half, when she was loosening up vocally, there were slam-bang renditions of 'Just In Time', 'Trolley', 'Rock-a-Bye' and 'Chicago'. The subsequent Rainbow remains an especially treasured memory. She really couldn't sustain any soft singing by that point and abandoned the melody line at the top of the second eight bars, saying 'I'll have to talk it.' It was incredibly moving and meaningful and beautiful. With Mort and the thirty piece orchestra behind her, Judy spoke the lyric to 'Rainbow', infusing it with all the underplayed, subtle drama and sincerity that was her hallmark. Then, for the perfect capper, she sang the last eight bars, hitting those final notes with power and force and melody - a rapturous end to a night that had been somewhat of an up-hill struggle for all concerned. When she dropped several lines in her opening 'My Kind of Town', she rhetorically asked, 'How many lyrics can you miss?' and suggested that she read all her songs (indicating imaginary cue cards draped from the balcony rail) from then on or 'just sing 'Over The Rainbow' all the time!' During 'When You're Smiling', she got snarled mid-verse on the line 'When a cop walks up and hands you a subpoena' and immediately cracked: 'They've handed enough of them to me!'" CincinnatiA persistent 'flu virus forced her to cut short a performance at Cincinnati Gardens, Ohio on May 29th after only twenty minutes. An enthusiastic and impatient crowd had interrupted the supporting acts in anticipation of her arrival and gave her a warm welcome. She managed to negotiate her way through an abridged repertoire but was feverish and obviously out of sorts. She sang "Whole World In His Hands", "When You're Smiling", "Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love", "What Now My Love", "Do It Again" and "San Francisco". Analysis of her performance was favourable and her rendition of "What Now My Love" was particularly notable. An apparent offer to return and perform for free didn't prevent a small crowd from besieging her dressing room for refunds. Las Vegas, ThunderbirdBetween June 15th and 27th Judy performed once nightly "full throttle" at the Thunderbird Hotel, Las Vegas and was again greeted by capacity audiences with enormous warmth and enthusiasm. Previously she had checked into the UCLA Medical Centre in a concerted effort to quit her drug dependency but was forced to cut short the programme in order to fulfil the Thunderbird engagement. She received a standing ovation on opening night that was a rare acknowledgement from most entertainment blasé Las Vegas audiences. She was visibly overcome by this welcome. One fan recalled that on several occasions she would be all set to begin her first number when the over-excited audience diverted her. She would respond with incredulity to comments like "doesn't she look gorgeous" and would joke: "Let's not sing tonight - let's just talk." On one evening her entrance alone was greeted with cries of "More". Thunderbird management described her return as "magical". Even the waiters stopped waiting on tables to applaud her. "Las Vegas patrons seldom demand encores, standing ovations are few and waiters haven't been known to cheer in recent years," observed one Vegas regular. Her performances brought an evocation of the glories of '61. ("I could sing all night for you.") There were still some vocal problems, which she readily acknowledged. ("They call it the Las Vegas throat, but I get it anywhere, especially in Cincinnati!") The Las Vegas Sun of June 16th enthused: "Many of the Garland devotees in the room jumped to their feet, and we were watching a unique scene, a standing ovation for a performer before the show started. Never has this writer heard such a continuous roar of affection for a performer." One member of the audience noted that Judy sang her heart out: "The voice had power, sparkle and resonance, and the old magic was working overtime." The most profound irony of opening night and an indication of her resilient and determined nature was that she'd collapsed and suffered convulsions in the lift of the hotel that very afternoon. Forest HillsOn July 17th a buoyant and confident Judy played the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. If the audience had had its way she may well have had to sing all night. Ten thousand turned up in spite of the inclement weather conditions. It rained during her opening numbers and she alluded to the fact by altering the lyrics to "When You're Smiling" by shouting "Let It Rain". In the second half Judy stepped off the stage and onto the grass at the request of the crowd. The New York Times noted that the enhanced proximity served to galvanise the "emotional electricity" between them. One fan recalled: "The crowd went wild and she strutted, pranced, sauntered around the fields, tossing off each number as carefully and expertly as the tennis pros volley the ball across the nets." The audience was so enthusiastic that it wanted Judy to continue without an intermission but she joked that her girdle was too tight and that she had to get into something more comfortable. The second set included moving renditions of "The Man That Got Away", "By Myself" and "As Long As He Needs Me". It was a "full scale, all out performance." Billboard noted that she was back to her old form of "pure magic ... she is simply one of the rare artists who can transfix an audience by sheer personal magnetism. Every mannerism, every nuance, every gesture drew wild shouting and enthusiastic applause." The fans in attendance that evening were struck by the magnitude of the standing ovation, cheers and screams for more. One enthused: "She gave and she gave and she built with every number and as her confidence grew, her voice grew and the applause grew. She sang, she clowned, she danced, she told stories, she directed the orchestra, she gave everything she had to give." Observers noticed that she was visibly moved by the magnitude of her reception. The New York World Telegram was equally impressed: "Just the overture - Judy's coming was still five minutes in the future - drew more rabid applause than Sinatra's opening night." Police had to restrain the fans that swarmed towards her at the end of the show. She was carried to safety. It wasn't until twenty minutes later, as the stage was dismantled around them that the boisterous elements of the crowd left. San CarlosOn August 25th an ebullient Judy held a press conference at the Top of the Mark in San Francisco to announce that she would open at the Circle Star Theatre, San Carlos between August 31st and September 5th. One local hack called it: "the biggest turnout of newsmen of all media since President Johnson campaigned here last year." Her show opened the same night as the Beatles. ("My God, the same night! Maybe we can work a deal - they'll cancel one show and come to the Circle Star," she quipped, "and I'll cancel one show and go to the Cow Palace.") Observers noted her self-deprecating sense of humour and witty professionalism. What was her first movie? "Pigskin Parade," made "about 1473, as I recall." For two hours she sat with Mark Herron and answered a barrage of questions, posing for photographs and signing autographs. "The ardour, the clamour and the unqualified adoration Judy Garland inspires in her fans was evidenced again last night when she met with the press and completely bowled them over, and she wasn't even singing," remarked one local columnist. "These jaded chroniclers of countless movie stars succumbed to the same Garland charm and defencelessness that has her legions of fans weeping and screaming in the aisles after every concert. They lined up with the latest album, which she and daughter Liza recorded at the Palladium [released in the United States a few weeks earlier] like schoolboys before a celebrity and were counted among her loved ones." Opening night did not go well. The badly footlit circular stage and all-encompassing audience had an undoubted deleterious effect on her opening night performance and she wandered the stage joking about not being able to find the orchestra. Regularly she forgot lyrics and needed to be cued for each song. Gerold Frank reported in his biography "Judy" that she had been adamantly against performing in the round. ("Never. I can't do that. I'm not a record. I'd fall down. I'd get dizzy.") Disoriented and vocally well below standard she fought to save the day and received mixed reviews. "She was like a proud circus horse prancing about, shuffling her feet, raising her arms high above her head when she pulls the final notes up, not only from her toes, but from some secret hiding place under the floor. She wasn't about to give in. There were times when she almost couldn't get her notes out; her voice was so raspy and congested. A moment later it was back, swelling to a crescendo that filled the theatre with happiness." Another critic noted: "Sometimes her struggle through the songs seemed almost unbearable, and she practically gave out completely on 'Over The Rainbow'. That last song - despite all - was an especially moving experience. When the audience joined in, giving her support as she stood in a single spotlight surrounded by thousands who loved her, one could almost understand why there is a Judy phenomenon." "Few seemed to mind [the cracked notes and forgotten words.] I didn't," enthused critic Barbara Bladen of the San Mateo Times. "If Judy only comes out on stage, the show is worthwhile. She knows how to sell herself, how to recover lost ground, how to turn on the brightest lights inside herself and in us. Even if there are rough spots in her performance, there's always another song, this one better than the last, or maybe not as good. It doesn't matter because she's performing; like those capsules that explode inside you at intervals - she's on, she'd off, she's up, she's down." Ralph Gleason of the San Francisco Chronicle massacred her. "Her audience loves her for her weaknesses, more for what she cannot or can no longer do than for what she can. As Miss Garland trembled on the brink of utter disaster all evening, they screamed and clapped and were delighted. Over The Rainbow, once her tour de force, is now a combination of pantomime and sing-along. The truth is the Emperor, or in this case, I suppose, the empress, has no clothes." Her performances notably improved throughout the run. Judy admitted to subsequent audiences that on opening night she was nervous because it was her first time performing in the round and that she wished she could stand still and have the audience revolve around her. Los AngelesOn September 13th Judy performed to a "warm homecoming" at the open air Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. "Garland's back and the Greek Theatre has got her" opened one triumphant review. "Those fortunate enough to obtain tickets should come away with a memorable evening made so by the most thrilling singer this generation has produced. What if she does blow a line or two in a song here and there? Or clowns, talks and walks her way through some of the songs. She's still Judy Garland and because of it she can get away with almost anything. Even when she's not at her maximum she's still great, using her resonant voice with all the consummate skill and intelligence that many years of show business have given her. Her deep sense of drama, the single, most notable evidence of her singing, comes through again and again as her vocal sounds take shape and form to the accompaniment of precise and correct phrasing and an eluctable sense of showmanship that sets her apart from all the others." After a nervous start where she hesitantly pitched and forgot the words to "As Long As He Needs Me" she soon hit her stride and went on to display her "everlasting, euphonious voice." The Hollywood Reporter observed: "A star-studded audience welcomed back Judy Garland with screams and a standing ovation. Not many performers deserve either, but this is a giant. Looking slim and chic Judy strode the stage belting out one number after another, as only she can. Even when she forgot the lyrics and ad-libbed her way out, the aficionados forgave. 'I'll have to rehearse more,' quipped Judy to the delight of her fans. After several great numbers, she broke up the audience by picking up a tumbler and toasting them with 'To you ... and it's water!'" She broke her arm after opening night but in true show biz tradition appeared on September 14th with her left arm in a sling. It gave the pundits the perfect opportunity for the ultimate theatrical play on words. "Show goes on with Judy and cast" went one headline. Not "the usual cast of nonentities often found supporting a star. Instead, this cast was another kind of cast - plaster and water and gauze, and stuff like that." Her friends Mickey Rooney, Johnny Mathis and Martha Raye supported her, singing and joining in with Judy. "This was a nice gesture," noted a light-hearted Chicago Sun Times, "particularly since show business is rumoured to be full of egotists, egomaniacs, the selfish, the self-centred and even a few people who look in the mirror a lot. But Mickey and Johnny and Martha showed that the entertainment world has other kinds of people too, people who are willing to give up a free night of staying home and watching TV or signing autographs in a supermarket and instead of having all that fun they'll sacrifice themselves to come to a capacity filled theatre and get under hot lights to help an ailing friend who might need them. That is a good example for the world." Judy, who had been under heavy sedation all day, sat on a cushioned chair and jokingly invited the entire audience to come up and sign her cast. Christopher Finch in "Rainbow" reported that it was apparent that the four stars had convened for a drink or three in the dressing room before the show. Judy was forced to cancel her remaining performances. It was an unfortunate incident that served only to add another unwarranted layer to an image of unreliability. Even more so it was seen by some Californians as a defection on 'home' territory. The press speculated on the cause of the break, which had apparently occurred after returning home from a celebratory opening night party the night before. The Los Angeles community was up in arms when they saw Judy on "The Andy Williams Show" on September 20th without a cast - misunderstanding that the show had been pre-recorded in July. Las Vegas, SaharaBetween Tuesday November 30th and Monday December 13th Judy played at the Congo Room, Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas. Herron compared her rave reviews to "love letters" and some onlookers even proclaimed that she was in better voice than the Carnegie era. Media observers put it down to the after-glow of her November 14th marriage to Herron. The Las Vegas Sun was wildly enthusiastic. "It was a new Judy Garland we watched the other night at the Sahara as she dazzled a capacity throng of Garland worshippers who marvelled at her carefree, wondrously relaxed attitude onstage. Judy was now a blushing bride and hubby Mark Herron sat at the ringside watching a Judy he'd probably never heard in such great voice and seen in better spirit." Variety noted: "The rainbow still shines brightly and vividly for Judy Garland. A distinctly partisan opening-night crowd gave ample proof that Miss Garland remains one of the stellar attractions of our times. There are times when Miss Garland's voice lacks the vibrancy of her earlier years, but these few moments are inconsequential. The throb in her voice, the emotional appeal that she manifests in her lyrics - these are qualities that few singers in our time have been able to project." The Las Vegas Review-Journal commented that: "The affection of the audience is manifest in anything she does, whether it's a rhythm tune or a sentimental, nostalgic ballad. She is the Crown Princess of Song and there is hardly anything she can do wrong." Fabulous Las Vegas magazine remarked: "There is no excitement to equal Judy Garland in peak form - she sings the heart right out of you." She clowned around, flirted with Herron and "pulverised" her audience each night with a string of classics including "Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love", "Just In Time", "As Long As He Needs Me", "Joey, Joey", "Do It Again", "What Now My Love", "Stormy Weather", "By Myself", "Rockabye Your Baby", "San Francisco", "Swanee", "You Made Me Love You", "For Me And My Gal", "The Trolley Song", "Chicago" and "Over The Rainbow". One journalist exclaimed: "She was simply great, and I've never been much of a fan. She brought tears to my eyes and I'm not ashamed to admit it." TexasIn a peculiar pairing Judy was supported by the Supremes at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas on Friday December 17th. She was the first solo performer to appear at the venue. Sinatra had purportedly turned down $65,000 to appear there and was watching to see how Garland fared. She arrived with her entourage early on Tuesday 14th and was greeted at a rain swept Houston International airport before making her way to the Shamrock Hilton. There was a press conference on Wednesday in the Hotel's Grecian Room where Herman Short, chief of Houston's police force, proclaimed that Friday would be Judy Garland day in Houston. The conference spawned one of the great Garland stories. Lighting a cigarette during the question and answer session Judy commented "Instant cancer." A journalist responded, "Well, we'll all go with you," to which Judy immediately retorted "I always do a solo." The Dome was huge and certainly not designed for a solo performer. Judy sang her heart out anyway and the audience warmly rewarded her for it. "Judy was in great voice and rang the rafters with the Garland touch, but her special magic of communicating with an audience was lost in the vastness of space." The Dallas Times Herald noted: "The acoustics were murder - the sound bounced around the building like a ping-pong ball, with the echoes coming in so badly Garland's conductor Mort Lindsey had trouble following the music." The reviews were kind to Judy but critical of the venue. "The sound system," noted Variety, "left much to be desired." The Houston Chronicle of December 18th reported: "While Gemini-7 was conquering outer space Friday night, Judy Garland was sending some 10, 000 earthlings into orbit in the Astrodome, but not even the great Garland could work enough of her personal magic to overcome the wide open spaces and bad acoustics of Houston's answer to the Grand Canyon. Never mind, Judy can still send you to the other side of the rainbow with her unique voice, her pulsating stage presence and her thorough professionalism." Club member Charlotte Stevenson was in the audience and recalled that Judy was greeted by a tremendous ovation. "She seemed to warm to the reception, repeating thank-yous, blowing kisses and bowing to the sides." In addition to her usual repertoire she sang a combined "My Kind Of Town, Houston Is" and "Going Back To Houston." Charlotte recalled that "the lyrics were on the tricky side and, in order to take no undue chances, Judy whipped out some Ben Franklin spectacles and a written copy of the lyrical adaptation. The jaunty number was warmly received by the predominantly local audience, naturally." She also remembered that Judy's delivery of "Joey, Joey" proved "conclusively that it was possible for at least one performer to bounce notes off the elevated Dome top. The final 'Goodbye' [in 'What Now My Love?'] may well still be reverberating around the stadium." On Friday evening a party was held in Judy's honour at the Warwick Presidential suite where Judy was presented with a solid gold miniature replica of the Dome. On Saturday Judy and Mark left for Los Angeles to enjoy a well-earned rest with the children until the New Year. Garland SectWherever Garland appeared, whatever the quality of the performance, observers never failed to notice the sheer dedication of her loyal band of followers. It was "a phenomenon ... truly something to see." Analysis of contemporary press reviews provides much insight into the formulation of the "cult" of Garland. The phrase "Garland sect", "Garlandites" and variations thereof slipped into common journalistic parlance: a "persistent, forgiving, demanding" following. Shows became "tribal rituals". "Garland people," observed one New York publication, were "the most rabid coterie a performer has ever known." The Toronto Daily Star observed: "Garland devotees have some strange desire that forces them to hold out their hands trying to touch the girl of their dreams. Between each song Judy walked along the stage touching them, and seemingly gathering strength from their adoration that allowed her voice to soar once again." Variety noted that "Few stars have commanded such steadfast loyalty through the years." A core of fans paid meticulous attention to her schedule. Judy once joked that they knew more about her whereabouts than she did. ("There are three Garland magazines," noted Mark Herron in July 1965. "The Garland News, The Garland Gazette and in London the Rainbow Review." "I read them all," joked Judy, "to find out where I am going.") Her audiences were compared to a Beatles crowd. "The difference between Garland fans and adorers of Liverpool singing groups seems to be that Garland's group roars in a lower key - and keeps absolutely quiet while she is performing" noted one newspaper - tongue firmly in cheek. Often at the front there was a devoted and highly enthusiastic core that passionately cheered her. No one was more aware of this presence than Judy. She would wave her arms shouting "Down team, down." In Toronto she broke up laughing during "The Man That Got Away" because she was amused by the scrum of kneeling fans at the front of the stage. "Oh, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't help it. You look so funny, all crumpled down like that, like Munchkins." In Chicago she begged crowds at the front to kneel down so that others could see. After her Forest Hills appearance The New York Times attempted to analyse the relationship - which it labelled a "fascinating phenomenon of modern showbusiness." The article - entitled "Judy's Special Public Pays Its Homage At Forest Hills" - painted an image of an insatiable core of fans goading Judy to sing long after she had given her all; of cliques clashing angrily over suggestions for numbers. You can do no wrongJudy could do no wrong in the eyes of her fans even when she was not on her best form. When she was suffering vocally and was forced to ask the audience to support her, they still loved her. In Toronto when she asked the audience to sing "Over The Rainbow" the Toronto Globe noted: "They did so willingly, helping out a childhood friend who was having a rocky time of it." The Hollywood Sun-Tattler in March observed: "Some performers reach a plateau in their profession where they can do no wrong. They have reached the summit and behind them are years of successes and failures that have made them living legendary stars in their field. Judy Garland, whose career has taken her to the heights of heaven and to the depths of hell, is certainly among this limited group. She has been there and she's been back." At San Carlos an analogy was made. "Miss Garland's fans are like guests who go to a dinner party to be in the presence of a remarkable hostess rather than diners who go to a restaurant and judge the quality of the food. Her devotees know what she has to offer and even if it were no more than a glass of water they would accept it and love it as much as a gourmet feast, such is the Garland magic." Even after the Cincinnati debacle "many people thought that if Judy had come back and begged off by singing a chorus of Over The Rainbow it would have satisfied the audience. That's probably true. The audience was fervently on her side. Even as she was being finally led off the stage, people clutched at her for just a touch." Indestructible magicHer "mercurial" mystique and "magic" was continually assessed in the media. "You don't listen to Judy," noted one rehearsal musician during her Miami appearances, "you experience with her. It's something that happens. You feel it. You know when it's there. You know when it's over. But you don't know what to call it. You simply know she made it happen." The spectacular highs and lows, "peaks and valleys" that punctuated Judy's life were public knowledge and this, coupled with the eternal legacy of Dorothy and Oz enabled journalists to wax lyrical about her staying power. "She seems to rise, phoenix-like, from her own ashes with remarkable regularity," observed one writer. She was "unpredictable" but "indestructible"; America's "Eternal Waif ... destined always to be the child Dorothy following the yellow brick road searching for hearts and wisdom and courage." Most cities on her tour invariably profiled her in verbose and analytical pre-concert publicity. The Toronto Telegram ran a piece on "The Ups and Downs of Judy Garland ... The name JUDY - in big, bold letters - has become as famous as GARBO, as beloved as PIAF. A living legend that exploits herself, a delicate dynamo who seems to be her own worst enemy, Garland is an original. There is only one Judy, and Judy is the girl who makes you laugh while she tears your heart out. When Garland flops, she has a big flop. When she has a hit, theatre walls tremble with applause and cash registers snap their springs. Moderation is not one of her talents." She was described as "a national monument" and her stance belting out on stage compared to the Statue of Liberty. Her illness in Cincinnati served to add another distorted layer to the image of trooper. Her arrival on stage after a protracted intermission accompanied by her doctors remained in the memory of one leading Cincinnati critic. It offered "yet another little piece of Judy lore, a weird contribution to the legend of the sick, ailing woman who has greatness despite her monumental problems." UnreliableThe stigma of unreliability stuck to her sometimes to her advantage. Appearances were surrounded by "will she, won't she" scenarios. Her arrival in Las Vegas for the Thunderbird engagement hours after she had checked out of the UCLA Medical Centre where she was trying to wean herself off medication smacked of The Palladium "Night of 100 Stars" appearance a year before. In the midst of all this speculation the Thunderbird opening created such an upsurge of affection and enthusiastic outpouring that, noted one Santa Monica newspaper, "it would have done credit to the resurrection." TragedianJudy was irritated by the image of tragedy that permeated her public persona. "I'm always being painted as a more tragic figure than I am and I get awfully bored with myself as a tragic figure," she told one journalist during an interview in Miami. "I enjoy being able to laugh. Life has been very good to me. I'm grateful for what I have." In a poignant comment she exclaimed: "I'm going to live eight hundred years. I'm going to have the last laugh on all you guys who've been writing about me being sick." Vocal crisisThere was considerable analysis of Judy's vocal problems in 1965; an awareness that things weren't quite what they used to be. ("The trolleys may not clang as of old ... the rainbows don't have as much gold behind them ...") The reviews of opening night in Toronto were harsh. "Judy Garland: Flat, Sour and Idolised" headlined the Toronto Star. "The tremolo is now an uncertain quaver, the power sporadic ... the pathos ... forced." Observers during her Thunderbird shows noted that she was inclined to hesitant starts and the occasional wayward notes ("wear and tear in the pianissimo numbers") and that she found complex vocal manoeuvres that she wouldn't have normally batted an eye lid at difficult to negotiate. However, she always warmed up and brought her songs to rousing climaxes. Her haunting interpretation of "What Now My Love" was popular with audiences and permeated memories of her live shows - even the aborted Cincinnati performance. Variety's review of her Sahara appearance noted: "There are times when her voice assumes somewhat of a brittle quality that is not reminiscent of the old Garland voice, but this is comparatively inconsequential." The irony was that critics were never unanimous. Those observers who noted that she transcended cold analysis were often passionate about her performance (and there were many passionate reviews in 1965.) On the other hand, those who didn't "get" Judy Garland often focused on the broken notes and forgotten words. The real truth often lay somewhere in between biased passion and bitchy invective. The Toronto Daily Star posed the ultimate question: "Which of Judy's concerts is the real Judy?" Gleason's nasty review of Judy's San Carlos opening provides the perfect example of a review that failed entirely to understand the nature of a Garland performance. Her tongue in cheek, self-deprecating comment that she was neurotic was taken out of context as self-pitying. Asked one evening later in the run what she thought of Gleason she replied that the only Gleason she knew was Jackie. Showbiz savvyCritics continually alluded to her showmanship - "show business at its showy best." Her interface with the audience showed the sheer depth of her expertise and experience. One review of her opening night in Miami referred to her as a "fantastic showman ... Miss Garland knows when to move, how long to wait off stage while the audience tries to rush her back for more, how long to pause between numbers for ultimate effect, which numbers to sing in sequence, building up to her closing songs which all were waiting for." Variety called her "mistress of the change of pace and mood." Judy was no fool. "I know I'm a craftswoman of showmanship. I know - I think I know - how to handle an audience. You do it with love - through songs, through telling stories, through making mistakes. I forget lines or I trip or fall or the mike goes off. Usually these [unintentional] mistakes are important. They make people out there realise I'm no different than they are. And there's nothing that doesn't happen to me out there on stage." Most reviewers of the period alluded to flubbed lyrics but noted how she "quickly regained her composure and, with the bold confidence of a show business veteran, recaptivated [the audience] with her spirited feeling for words and melodies." Judy also employed a clever end-of-night encore banter as she negotiated with crowds begging for more songs. (They often shouted out the entire Garland back catalogue to her.) At the Thunderbird requests for Rainbow usually resulted in "Oh, I'll get to that one, I've been getting to it since the Neolithic ages." One request to just stand there resulted in the response: "For how long?" Downplaying the legendJudy often downplayed "the legend" and was keen to present herself as a normal, happy and well-adjusted woman with children who made a mean shepherd's pie. ("It's an English dish and it's supposed to be sort of cheap... leftovers with mashed potatoes but when I make one it costs millions of dollars because I go out and buy - you know - special cuts of meat.") Lorna Luft alluded to this culinary talent in her visit to the Club in 1998. Judy often underplayed her musical abilities by saying that she couldn't read a word of music. Mark Herron observed after her death that she was a fine and beautiful piano player but would not play with anybody watching her. Sense of humourGarland's sense of humour was legendary. She didn't take herself too seriously and was able to make light of even the most dismal scenarios. She joked about the litigious nature of her existence. "They should call me 'Sweet Sued' because I'm always being sued. I've been in more courtrooms than I've been on stage and I, not Louis Nizer, should have written My Life In Court." When her agent David Begelman once arrived and told her that her 'phone had been out of order she joked: "I probably missed about thirty-five law suits." Judy was able to make light of any crises that beset her on stage. She'd joke: "You'd think that after all these years I'd know what key I was singing in." In Forest Hills she floundered on "When You're Smiling" and quipped: "I've never done a straight performance without something disastrous happening." One evening in Toronto as the orchestra played the introduction to "The Man That Got Away" she faltered and said: "I've sung this song eight million times but I can't think of the first line!" She had to be prompted by someone in the crowd. Another time she was sat with Mort Lindsey at the piano during the opening bars of "Just In Time" when she realised she had forgotten her mike. Forced to stop him and retrieve the offending item, she got up and tiptoed centre stage and tip toed back. During the Saturday matinee on the 13th February she got one of her heels caught in the mike cord and lamented having to wear high heels. "I've been walking on my nose since I was two!" "Every year I get louder," she quipped to Thunderbird audiences. "No, I was loud when I was two, and that was about ninety years ago." One evening she recalled the perils of dressing backstage. "I slipped into my pants, blouse and boots, then I made the mistake of bending over. The pants split right down the back. My maid was frantically trying to sew them up. I said, forget it, I'll wear this black skirt. As I started out the door I took a drink of water and splashed it all down the front. So there I stood, while the band is playing my music, my maid is ironing my blouse ON me. I finally said to hell with it and here I am." There were the usual jokes punning the rumours of excessive alcohol consumption. "Excuse my back while I take a sip of this ... This is water, damn it! Blugh!" Judy also was able to put unsuccessful appearances and negative reviews behind her. One evening at the Thunderbird before she launched into "Chicago" she quipped: "I know a lot of songs about cities - San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis, and so on. I didn't know a song about Cincinnati when I was there, so I left before the second act!" Attitude to fansObservers noted how hugely professional she was in her dealings with fans. She always found time for them and made them feel important. People who got close always noted her "elfin" appearance, those huge soulful brown eyes and the enormous pleasure with which she greeted praise. Often she evaluated the audience: "You were all so marvellous tonight" or "Wasn't that a fabulous audience." Humour aside, she was acutely critical of her performances and aware of the debilitating results of her ailments. "I can look at myself objectively usually with a little too much self-criticism. I'm a little too harsh on myself, I think. But what I get in return from audiences compensates." In Chicago she apologised for forgetting the words by saying: "I've got all these geographical songs to remember. I'm like a train caller. I've got a song for Detroit (laughter), Chicago ... almost everywhere." "You'll have to hit these high notes. It's obvious I can't," she told her Charlotte audience. As she left the venue she goaded herself for not being able to perform better. Liza, Lorna and JoeJudy always introduced Liza, Lorna and Joe when they were in attendance. One evening during the Thunderbird engagement she asked Joe: "You've seen enough of these shows - what song comes next? You don't know? Well!" She would often bring them on the stage, and introduce them to the crowds. On September 4th and 5th (closing night) at San Carlos Lorna sang "Zing" and Joe played drums. ("We may not be as big as the King family, but we're louder!") At the Sahara Lorna and Joe appeared ringside at two weekend shows and were introduced by Judy. Lorna was persuaded to join her mother on stage for impromptu performances of "Jamboree Jones" on one evening and "Bob White" on the other. A fan observed the look of consternation on poor Lorna's face when Judy jokingly made to climb down from the stage seemingly leaving Lorna to do a solo. Travails on the roadHer Toronto season was indicative of the travails of being "on the road." Judy was regularly besieged by fans at the stage door each night and asked to pose for photographs and to sign autographs. A regular clique of devoted followers followed her from state to state and showered her with gifts. She was always friendly and responded to their enthusiasm with goodwill. During her performance on Friday the 12th February a drunken woman in the audience interrupted her. "Judy, you're great," she shouted and proceeded to mumble incoherently to the amusement of the audience. Judy managed the situation with comedic diplomacy by thanking her and then said: "Wait a minute darling, just wait till I finish the next song then I'll hand you the mike and you can make a speech!" Later on the inebriated lady's mood had swung and she called out: "Judy, you make me sick," to which Judy replied: "Go and have another drink and then you won't feel so bad." One evening at the Sahara during the climax of "The Man That Got Away" a drunk cried out for an alternative song that resulted in a diplomatic interchange to silence him. Backstage she joked with fans about two "drunken broads" in the front row who had persistently asked for "Over The Rainbow" before she had sung anything else. There were nicer interruptions. One evening at the Sahara Judy's rendition of "Over The Rainbow" was accompanied by somebody sobbing. It led to a chain reaction of tears amongst the audience. When she got to "If happy little bluebirds... " Judy replaced "fly" with "cry" and gestured in the direction of the source of the sobbing saying "Don't Cry". Sometimes the fans that mobbed Judy would be too close for comfort or too demanding. In Toronto she declined one request for yet another photograph with: "Oh darling, my poor eyes. Flashbulbs have been going off all week." An overzealous minority in Cincinnati visibly annoyed her by running to the front of the stage with cameras and flash bulbs. Changes in venue, in state and in temperature often played havoc with her health and vocal prowess. She fought with a cold in Toronto in a week of appalling fog, rain and snow. One evening she joked that it had been so icy that she'd slid all the way into the O'Keefe and had been caught just in time before sliding onto the stage in the middle of comedian Nipsey Russell's act. On another she joked that she should supply surgical masks to the audience. She "wheezed, coughed, cleared her throat, drank from a glass and even gargled" admitting, "I have a terrible cold. You have very peculiar weather up here. You also have some funny bugs flying around getting into everybody's noses and throats." In Forest Hills, after weeks of dry weather, her show was threatened by rain, and adverse conditions could often affect attendance. Judy often joked that microphone cords were her "constant trip hazard." She would play on stage with the long cord attached to the microphone, and in Chicago gathered it up in her arms and threw it off stage. In Charlotte the venue was hot, and one journalist noted "her heavy white dinner dress didn't make it any cooler." Judy was often at the behest of local arrangements. Her Cincinnati show had been badly stage managed and badly promoted. The appallingly decorated, smelly and cavernous sports arena with bad acoustics and an inferior sound system had not been designed for a musical show. "Even the Shrine Circus decorates the elephant entrance better," wrote one observer. "What sound system was used, an old one tossed out by Union Terminal?" "The stage held only two potted plants," sighed the May 31st Cincinnati Post. "Worse, the stage and wall behind her were hung with yellow tablecloths, with wrinkles showing and each flapping independently in the breeze. She seemed to be in good voice, but the incredible acoustics at the Gardens made her singing impossible to decipher." A show's success depended on the nature of the audience, perhaps even the temperament of the state she was playing in. (Comparisons with her 1964 Sydney/Melbourne concerts are suitable here.) Subtle nuances in reviews often reflected the venue she was singing at. Some venues were less "showbiz" than others. Her Las Vegas reviews were superlative but here she was in her element singing to celebrity audiences. Eddie Fisher, Matt Monro and Lee Marvin had been in the front row on opening night at the Sahara. However, audience enthusiasm could vary from night to night in a club environment. Some had come for Judy; others had simply booked in advance to see a Las Vegas show. Performing in the round at San Carlos spooked her and she joked that there were no wings to hide in if she got "nervous and neurotic like Judy Garland does." Undoubtedly the size of a venue affected how her show was received. Some fans were horrified when the news broke that Judy was to play at the Houston Astrodome, which had the capacity to hold 45,000 people. One wrote: "It is ten times bigger than Forest Hills. I was in the front row at Forest Hills and Judy looked like a tiny orange ant from where I sat." Lorna Smith, then editor of the "Rainbow Review" sympathised: "Part of the joy of a Garland performance is visual. It lies with her warm personality and sense of fun, her impish facial expressions, the sense of friendly rapport and 'nearness' which she establishes with her audience." The sound system at Houston was notoriously inadequate. Her appearance was an experiment to see whether the vast venue was suitable for future musical events. The Houston Chronicle noted that: "Perhaps Judy would have sung much longer if she had been in a building designed for solo performers. It was as if she knew that even with Dorothy's red shoes on, she couldn't overpower the Wicked Witch of the West, who was somewhere in the stadium tampering with the sound system. Besides, not even Judy, with her individual magnetism, can stop the draughty effects of the Astrodome, which has all the intimacy of a Rose Bowl." Another journalist succinctly summarised: "The Astrodome may be the eighth wonder of the world for sports, but it bats zero as an entertainment centre. Not even Judy Garland and the Supremes, a double-barrelled entertainment package if ever there was one, could surmount the problem of giving a performance in a showplace designed for anything but the performing arts. The sound system in the vast Dome reverberated like an echo chamber during the show. The Supremes sounded like an ensemble of six, their songs and vocal stylings distorted out of all proportion." The intimacy of smaller venues ("When you can smell her perfume when she's standing on the runway, brother, you've got a good seat") was lost on these venues. Touring was exhausting, and flying could be a nightmare for Judy. When she arrived in Houston at seven in the morning she noted: "I just wish I could find out who booked this flight." She had only just closed in Las Vegas the night before. "It was a terrible flight. The pilot informed us as we were boarding that we only had a 50-50 chance of landing in Houston anyway. I was all for getting off, but my agents were determined to get my body on that aeroplane and to Houston ... Just get her there, and be sure she sings ... Sometimes I feel like a 'thing' instead of a person. Nobody gives me credit for thinking. You know, I was really so scared of that flight that I pulled out my bible and read it! And I'm not kidding." The Television PerformancesThere were a number of memorable television appearances in 1965. Quotes from various chat shows have been incorporated into this article. There were appearances on Lee Phillip's Chicago in May (where Judy discussed her memories of the city), Les Crane in July and Gypsy Rose Lee in August. Earlier, on January 7th Judy and Sammy Davis were featured on the Les Crane Show in an item about the Cue Awards. She was greeted with applause and shouts of "Bravo". Sammy tried to kiss her but she pushed him away joking that it was bad for her make up. On Broadway TonightHer first major TV appearance came a few weeks later when Judy appeared on the talent hour programme "On Broadway Tonight" for CBS on Friday February 5th introducing the Allen Brothers to the USA. The announcement of her appearance generated 27, 000 requests for tickets. She emerged from a circle of lights singing "When You're Smiling" to a rapturous ovation and highly favourable reviews. "For a short time last night our TV screen lit up like a Broadway marquee and all too briefly the pulse and excitement of real show business was there. Judy Garland was back," exclaimed the Daily News. The Hollywood Reporter referred to her segment as "magic time". She was, in the words of one follower "the queen of all she surveyed." She performed for nearly twenty minutes without commercial breaks which gave her the opportunity to build a mood in a repertoire that also included "Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love", "I Wish You Love" with Peter and Chris Allen, "The Music That Makes Me Dance" and "Rockabye Your Baby." It was a positive return to her homeland and a robust performance. While her confidence seemed to build with the climax of each song I couldn't help but notice watching a video of the show late one evening that she was ill at ease, vulnerable and certainly less sure of herself than the classic Judy of only one year earlier. Academy AwardsJudy was especially chosen by producer Joe Pasternak to perform live on the Academy Awards ceremony on April 5th. It was twenty-five years since she'd sung "Over The Rainbow" at the ceremony in acceptance of her juvenile Academy Award, and almost ten years since the prized trophy had so cruelly been denied her for "A Star Is Born". It was a courageous mission to sing this hugely demanding Cole Porter medley of twelve songs that included "Night And Day", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "You're The Top", "It's De-lovely", "Let's Do It", "Don't Fence Me In" and "My Heart Belongs To Daddy". Gene Kelly introduced her as "a lady of monumental style" but sadly on this occasion the material was lacking her stature. Roger Edens delivered an eclectic, unwieldy and uninspired vocal arrangement that was a minefield of tunes and tempo changes. It became a vocal assault course for Judy. Author John Fricke also cited John Green's shoddy orchestration observing that "there was nothing for Judy to really 'dig into' save at sporadic, disconnected moments." She looked wonderful, but very much ill at ease. "Her manner was decidedly restrained," recalled Club member Charlotte Stevenson, "perhaps too much so for those accustomed to her spirited stage approach." Live on national television it did little to galvanise Judy's reputation. Almost aware of the unfolding crisis Judy's gestures were mechanistic and the presentation listless. "Judy Garland sang a Cole Porter medley in a memory of her old voice," went one critique." Her voice was "only a shadow of what it was." Fricke recently provided an interesting postscript to this event. Critic Judith Crist was in the audience that evening and later recalled that Judy's performance was the "only aspect of the whole evening in which the audience stopped its own egomaniacal preening and self-awareness and instead totally concentrated on what was happening on stage - positively, supportively willing Judy to 'do it'." The Andy Williams ShowOn July 9th Judy was special guest on "The Andy Williams Show" (which aired on September 20th). There were comedic elements that were successful, but her voice was strained. She sang an alternative rendition of "Get Happy" after which Andy Williams rolled on a make-up table asking her to assist him (to which she retorted: "I think you want me to wash up, get my money and get out of here.") There followed a scene where she attempted at Williams' request to make him up like a clown. Judy also sang "On the Aitcheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe", "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", "Rockabye Your Baby", "You Made Me Love You" and "The Trolley Song". The Ed Sullivan ShowJudy performed in Los Angeles on Ed Sullivan's first colour show on the 3rd October. She gave hearty renditions of "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Rockabye Your Baby" and delivered a brilliant "By Myself" rounded off by a suitably dramatic exit. Sullivan called her "one of the all-time greats" and the audience needed no encouragement to applaud her enthusiastically. She was on excellent form with controlled and strong interpretations. The late Sonny Gallagher was in raptures. "Hurrah! Bravo! and Hallelujah!" He particularly noted her improved timing: "I have long noticed something that seems to have escaped many people and that is what I'd call a 'slowing down' process in Judy's timing, both in her reaction timing and in her speaking and singing. She was more like the legend of old in this brief 11-minute slot." Other observers also felt that this was Judy back to pre-1964 strength. Hollywood PalaceOn November 8th "incomparable" Judy appeared as MC in glorious "ABC Colour" to host the TV Company's "Hollywood Palace" talent showcase (it was aired on 13th November). She opened with "Once In A Lifetime" and in between introducing acts and joking with the audience went on to sing a "Couple of Swells" alone in full tramp outfit, "I Loved Him" (still in tramp costume) and the "West Side Story" medley with Vic Damone. She ended with a brilliant rendition of the "Judy at the Palace" medley. One fan recalled: "Her magic was working so well that I thought I was actually in the Palace on Broadway." In her "Couple Of Swells" get-up she looked amazingly familiar to the original film sequence with Fred Astaire and showed off her extraordinary sense of comedy. Her performance was so effective that her joking evocation of Astaire at the end ("Get off Fred - get off") almost had you believing that he was indeed present. The producer William O. Harbach noted her professionalism and enthusiasm during rehearsals. She was relaxed and beautifully turned out in two Ray Aghayan evening gowns (which contrasted beautifully with the tramp costume). HarlowIn 1965 Judy withdrew from a project to play Jean Harlow's mother Jean Bello in the Electronovision version of "Harlow". The role finally went to Ginger Rogers. RelaxationThere were some opportunities for socialising, rest and relaxation in 1965. In February en route to New York from Toronto Judy visited Niagara Falls with Mark and Liza. Herron also accompanied her, Lorna and Joe for a much-needed vacation in Honolulu in early April. Judy was never far from the headlines, even in the relative seclusion of paradise. They rented a beach house beneath Diamond Head and Judy was painted as heroine when a small fire started there on April 14th. The Honolulu Advertiser reported that: "Judy Garland helped to put out a small fire in her rented home yesterday afternoon by tossing glasses of water on the blaze. Miss Garland told police she was on the beach in front of her home with Herron and the children when fire broke out in a bedroom closet." The Honolulu Star-Bulletin noted: "Miss Garland, clad in a blue, two-piece bathing suit and broad-brimmed straw hat, was unruffled." The scene was farcical with Herron in his swimming trunks, all his clothes burned. The children were asked how they liked Hawaii. "It's beautiful," Lorna replied. Joe added that he also enjoyed the venue but regretted that he didn't know how to surf. Lorna Luft in her autobiography "Me And My Shadows" revealed that Judy had set the fire herself. Apparently, after a violent confrontation between Mark and Judy she had retaliated by burning his clothes. When neighbour Steve McQueen (who went on the make Towering Inferno!) offered to extinguish it she delivered a classic line: "Don't be a hero Steve, this isn't the movies." Lorna recalled that the firemen had queued up to get Judy's autograph. On May 11th Judy toasted Liza's Broadway success in "Flora - The Red Menace" at the Alvin Theatre. Reports circulated that she would not be at the event, that it would make her daughter nervous. Garland brushed off the rumour. "I'll be right in the front row. That's where I belong." Judy bought Liza a diamond flower pin from Tiffany's as an opening night gift. During the big party at Ruby Foo's Nancy Barr recalls that Judy walked from table to table crying with pride for her daughter. Mother and daughter got up and sang "Together". "Liza's the toast of Broadway," beamed Garland "and it's made me the happiest mother in the world." Judy was the first person in the audience to get to her feet and applaud her daughter. She hugged Vincente Minnelli in the intermission and refused to sign autographs at the event: ("This is Liza's night.") She explained to the press how she'd been more nervous than Liza herself. On television in Chicago in May she said of Liza: "There's no stopping her. She has great talent and great determination. She's made me proud of her, very, very proud." Judy went to see 'Flora' on a number of occasions and took Lorna and Joe along in July. Often on these outings they'd go to a club like Arthur afterwards. One evening Joe, who was taking drum lessons, got up on stage at Arthur and played the drums while Judy "hopped up and down weeping for joy." Liza "howled with rapture" and Lorna "screamed ecstatically." On June 10th Peter Lawford hosted a surprise party at his home for Judy's 43rd birthday. "This is the first time I've ever been surprised in my life," she apparently howled. "Usually I'm so nosy and sneaky that I find out about these plots long in advance." She danced with Roddy McDowell and scolded him for using an alien dance step. "The trouble with you, Judy, is that you have no rhythm." In November Judy sang "San Francisco", "Chicago" and "The Man That Got Away" for Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon at Le Bistro. David Shipman's biography of Garland reported Judy's response to the initial request to sing and used it as an example of her increasingly erratic behaviour. "Go and tell that nasty, rude little princess that we've known each other long enough and gabbed in enough ladies' rooms that she should skip the ho-hum royal routine and just pop on over here and ask me herself. Tell her I'll sing if she christens a ship first." If this quote was reported correctly it's a splendid example of Judy's wonderful wit and off the cuff repartee. Judy's divorce from Sid Luft was announced mid May. On November 14th Judy was all smiles as she walked down the aisle at 1.30 in the morning to marry Mark Herron in Las Vegas at the Little Church of the West Wedding Chapel (self-professed "Wedding Place of the Stars.") The couple had gone to Clark County Courthouse at around midnight to obtain the license. After changing into their wedding outfits at their Sahara Hotel suite they made their way to the chapel. Snowy (Snowda Wu, who had cared for her in Hong Kong) and Guy and Pamela McElwaine made up the wedding group. Fans purchased a gold charm and bracelet with "A day To remember 11-14-65" engraved on the front and "J.G - M.H." on the back. Mark received silver cufflinks and tiepin set. Liza debuted at Coconut Grove in November, and Judy went along with Mark and the children. Liza was due to open at the Sahara on Christmas Day and Judy closed her run there by singing "Liza" as a tribute to her daughter. ConclusionWe'll never know the direction of Judy's life without show business. She certainly hadn't a clue. "I've been on the stage since I was two. I don't have any idea. I'd imagine there'd be a little less pressure here and there, but I can't visualise it, because when you start to sing at the age of two, you just keep going." She hit the ground running in 1965 was still sprinting as she approached 1966. And wherever she went, the rainbow followed her. Whether she sang it or spoke it she was compelled to perform it: "She had to or they would have stormed the stage." Some reports noted that she'd hoped to do more acting and it is unfortunate that she didn't. A venture into the recording studio (her favourite way of singing) would have been a better idea. A late night session after a day's rest with none of the attendant stresses of a live show. A glass of wine and a cigarette. Laying down her legacy in vinyl. She once joked: "Some day I'm just gonna shut up - for good." Her punishing schedule was making that eventuality sooner rather than later. There was never any consistency in Judy's life. There were up days and down days. Some reviews declared that she'd never been worse; others that she'd never been better. A 1965 Rainbow Review editorial summed it up in a nutshell. Only mediocrity is consistent. Find out about: Judy Events... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
