Nico Lehmann FILM 1001, 02 March

2010

Assignment 2

North Devon Journal

Sunday, May 29, 1949

Life in Hollywood

Judy Garland –
up and now down the
Hollywood roller
coaster
Hollywood has its ways to “make” stars.
Recent events show that Miss Garland was
not spared. She has been suspended in two
films – in Annie Get Your Gun she devotedly
played Ethel Merman from the million dollar
stage musical, however, three weeks ago her
exhaustion ended her part in the film.
Hollywood is not as innocent as it acts – my
research surfaced evidence that Miss
Garland’s moodiness and medicine addiction
Judy Garland
is a knock-on effect of Hollywood’s star strategy. Is this
the price you pay to be a queen?

Judy Garland is not even her real name. Born as Frances

Ethel Gumm in Minnesota, US (10th June 1922), Miss
Garland was the youngest child and started singing and
acting when she was barely three years old. Thanks to
their vaudevillian parents, she and her two older sisters
played early in vaudeville as “The Gumm Sisters”. The
arrival of sound cinema in the late 1920s furthered their
success even more. Their inherited singing talent could
bloom in Vitaphone shorts such as A Holiday In Young Miss Garland
Storyland (1930).

DeMontfort University, Leicester Tutor: Dr. James Russel

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Nico Lehmann FILM 1001, 02 March
2010

It did not take long before the pressure of fame in the film business assailed her
vulnerable identity. George Jessel from the Chicago Oriental Theater advised her
to change her name in 1934.

Miss Garland faced
difficulties because of
her appearance from
the beginning of her
long career with
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
– Hollywood’s biggest
studio formed out of
the production
company Metro Picture
Corporation, the studio
Goldwyn Pictures,
Mayer Pictures and
Loew’s Theaters. She
signed a contract in
1935, but was too old
for a child role and too
young for an adult role
- her “cute” look did
not fit the glamour that
was required for
women roles.
Metro school companions
Elizabeth Taylor and Lana
Turner deliberately over-
shadowed her with their
beauty, so it is not
surprising that she became
insecure with her looks.
Called “little hunchback” by
Louis B. Mayer, head of
MGM, did not improve her
insecurity.
Director Charles Walters -
with whom she made
several films - referred to
her as a “big money maker,
but ugly duckling.“ One
does not need to wonder
why she on one occasion
said: “Lana Turner. That is
beauty.”
The fact that Turner
took her first love, the
band leader Artie
Shaw, just added to
her inferiority feeling.
To make things worse,
MGM fooled with
Judy’s body to create a
girl-next-door image –
clinging to her for a
very long time - which
is hardly what we
would call human. Miss
Garland was forced to
wear removable caps
on her teeth and a
rubberized disk to
shape her nose. Plain
garments and juvenile
gowns were chosen for
her photographs which
Hollywood distributes
to promote their stars
in common magazines
and newspapers.
Leaving nothing
unattempted, Mayer
creates memorable
characters to keep
MGM the leading star
studio. The throne
sounds less appealing
to me with that in
mind.

DeMontfort University, Leicester Tutor: Dr. James Russel

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Nico Lehmann FILM 1001, 02 March
2010

Bette Davis and Theda Bara did not rise like phoenixes out
of the ashes, either. They both wear invented names and
play a character off-screen - which means outside of the
production studios. So-called “fan-magazines” encourage
such business strategies insomuch as they make the private
lives interesting to the public. That is why “fans” watch films
in which their favourite stars take part.
Theda Bara
Now, when Miss Garland himself - was put straight
was merely 13, Mayer into Broadway Melody of
struggled to decide 1938 in 1937. It did not
whether to keep her or take long for Judy to be
not. It is ironic that she paired up with Mickey
finally convinced the Rooney. They formed a
studio with a heartfelt talented singing team for
performance at Clark nine films and became close
Gable’s birthday party friends, certainly partly due
shortly after her father to their similar background:
died on the 16th of Rooney was also a son of
November 1935. “You vaudevillians and adopted a
Made Me Love You” – new name as well, being Bette Davis
sung for the MGM star contracted by MGM only a
who fills the cinemas with year before Miss Garland.
enthusiastic audiences

The “backyard musicals” she

acted in with Rooney turned
out to be a sensation and
contributed to the image of
high quality musicals for
which MGM is now
recognized. Despite the
appreciation of her audience,
Miss Garland was only second
Little Rooney and Miss Garland
choice for The Wizard of Oz (1939) and had to
endure a special corset and tape bound breasts to
appear younger, whilst a blue gingham dress was
chosen to tarnish her figure. I wonder whether
that actually follows the Motion Picture Production
Code, a set of guidelines formed in the early
1930s to ensure the appropriateness of films. It
clearly states that “correct standards of life” must
be represented, but MGM twists the reality where
they can.
Miss Garland in The Wizard of Oz
DeMontfort University, Leicester Tutor: Dr. James Russel
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Nico Lehmann FILM 1001, 02 March
2010

One must question how far studios will go to secure the success of their films.
MGM exploits its big stars on a grand scale, so a great deal of the young girl’s
youth was practically stolen. After finishing The Wizard of Oz, which was a
stepping stone to her stardom, she not only toured cross-country to promote
the film with five shows a day, but also shot the next film Babes in Arms.

Nevertheless, the power

of her chemistry with
Rooney really shows in
their songs. The receipt
of the Academy Juvenile
Award in 1940 for her
achievements in 1939
proves that and elevated
her status at MGM –
unfortunately entailing a
high price. Miss Garland and her first husband, David Rose
Amphetamines and bar-
biturates were adminis- The love in Miss Garland’s life did not blossom as it
tered to ensure that she should have, either. Eventually, she became a Mrs.
sustained the pace. This in 1941. Even there she had to endure studio
surely introduced her to intervention for reputation purposes. At the age of
the addiction problem 21, she was finally elevated to a woman’s role in
with which she struggled her films. In Little Nellie Kelly (1940), she has
for the last decade. already had a dual role as a mother and daughter.

Soon after, the A divorce, an abortion

Miss Garland in glamour
“glamour treatment”
allowed her to make a
stunning performance
on screen and photos -
pulled up hair and
grown up dresses
underlined her beauty
wonderfully. I fear too
much damage has been
done until then. She
complained:
“The picture was swell,
but I looked terrible.”
and mean-spirited pro-
duction overseers called
executives did its due to
further downplay Miss
Garland. She struggled
with her weight and with
executives labelling her
“unattractive”.
A modified appearance
thorough make-up artist
Dorothy Ponedel gave
her back some
confidence.

DeMontfort University, Leicester Tutor: Dr. James Russel

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Nico Lehmann FILM 1001, 02 March
2010

These happy times of the stars. I only

did not last long. Her hope the recent
5am to 9pm work Supreme Court de-
schedule and fasting cision in the “Sherman
impositions ended in Anti Trust Act” against
a nervous breakdown the monopoly of the
in 1947 while she studios releases some
was filming The pressure from em-
Pirate (1948). After ployees of the film
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
some rest, she was industry.
– a very successful
able to complete the
romantic musical about four Miss Garland is
shooting, although in
sisters – helped her find currently struggling
retrospect that only
next husband Vincent with her medicine
made things worse.
Minnelli and to receive addiction. Friends re-
The following suicide
daughter Liza Minnelli. port she even stole
attempt where she
tried to slash her from their bathroom
throat spread cabinets. The doctor
through the public prescribed long rest
like wildfire. periods, except with
Moreover, she stayed the pressure of the
in the psychiatric studio it will be
hospital for only two uncertain whether she
weeks. I blame the will be able to
one-sided contracts complete another film
that limited the lives soon.
Miss Garland cares for her look
If the film Annie Get Your Gun - that Miss Garland so longingly accepted - did
not give her back that power and ease her exhaustion, then what needs to be
done to get her back? To bring it to the root of the thing, we have to hope
that Miss Garland will be released from her binding contract with MGM - many
actors and other technical staff in Hollywood already have.

This might be the only thing to save this gorgeous girl. I myself would rather
be normal than undergoing the procedures of Hollywood’s star-making
machinery.

DeMontfort University, Leicester Tutor: Dr. James Russel

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