Here is the biography of Judy Garland:
Judy Garland was a renowned American actress, singer, and vaudevillian born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922, in Minnesota. She was the youngest daughter of vaudevillians Ethel and Francis Gumm. Her mother, an ambitious woman, recognized her daughter's talent at a young age and drafted her into a dance act, "The Gumm Sisters," with her older sisters Mary Jane and Virginia.
As a child, Judy's family life was marked by unhappiness, largely due to her mother's drive for her to succeed as a performer and her father's closeted homosexuality. The family would often be forced to leave town due to her father's illicit affairs with other men, and they would sometimes live out of their automobile.
Judy's career began when she was signed by Louis B. Mayer, mogul of leading film studio MGM, after hearing her sing. Her name was changed from Frances Gumm to Judy Garland, after a popular '30s song and film critic Robert Garland.
Tragedy struck when her father died of meningitis in 1935. Judy's career did not officially kick off until she sang at Clark Gable's birthday party in 1937, which caught the attention of Louis B. Mayer. Prior to this, her film debut in "Pigskin Parade" (1936) had left her career hanging in the balance.
Judy's breakthrough role came in 1939 with "The Wizard of Oz," in which she portrayed Dorothy, an orphaned girl living on a farm in Kansas who gets whisked off into the magical world of Oz. Her poignant performance and sweet delivery of her signature song, 'Over The Rainbow,' earned her a special juvenile Oscar statuette.
As she grew older, Judy began to yearn for meatier adult roles and took an interest in men. She got engaged to bandleader David Rose in 1941 and married him in 1942. However, their marriage was marked by tragedy, including a forced abortion and a subsequent separation.
Judy's career continued to flourish, with her starring in "For Me and My Gal" (1942),"Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944),"Easter Parade" (1948),and "A Star Is Born" (1954). She won a Golden Globe for her performance in "A Star Is Born" and received an Oscar nomination for her role in "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961).
Judy's personal life was marked by struggles with addiction, weight fluctuations, and multiple marriages. She married Vincente Minnelli in 1945 and gave birth to their daughter, Liza Minnelli, in 1946. However, their marriage was marked by tension and infidelity, and they eventually divorced in 1951.
Judy married Sidney Luft in 1952 and gave birth to their daughter, Lorna Luft, in 1952. She also married Mark Herron in 1965 and had an affair with young journalist Tom Green. She eventually married Mickey Deans in 1969, just months before her death.
Judy Garland died on June 22, 1969, at the age of 47, due to an overdose of barbiturates. Her legacy as a talented actress, singer, and performer continues to be celebrated to this day.
