Happy Birthday Frances Gumm

On this day back in 1922 one of the most amazing entertainers ever known was born, Frances Gumm. You know her as Judy Garland. Anyone who knows me, and, in fact, the very first post of this blog addressed it, I am borderline obsessed with "The Wizard of Oz." I can't remember exactly when I first saw it. I don't remember a time it was not in my life. Back in the days before DVD, video, or even cable the movie was broadcast once a year on network television, and I never missed it until my senior year in high school when competing in the State Forensic tournament prohibited me from seeing it. I was devastated! Needless to say, I LOVE the movie! There are many reasons for this adoration, but the most prominent is "the little girl with the BIG voice, " Judy Garland. When she sings, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," at the beginning of the film, you have to stop and tell yourself, this girl is only 15 years old. It's effortless, her voice just flows out. Many, many people have covered "Over the Rainbow," but none can hold a candle to Judy. As I grew older, my love for movie musicals grew, and in my teen years I purchased the double album soundtrack of "That's Entertainment," a documentary of the movie musical. I played it over and over. There was one section of the album that I particularly loved. It was a section of the film devoted to Judy Garland. It started with "You Made Me Love You," where a very young Judy is singing a letter to Clark Gable and ends with "Get Happy" from "Summer Stock" At the age of 14, I knew every word to every song she sang on that album. She was the personification of the term, "triple threat." Not only could she sing like an angel, but she could hold her own hoofing it up alongside Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly, and she was also a great comedic and serious actress. If you've never seen Judy Garland in anything but "The Wizard of Oz," do yourself a favor and rent "Easter Parade," "Summer Stock," "Meet Me in St. Louis," or scores of others. It's pure joy to watch her. She left us far too soon, and there will never be another like her. She was here such a short time, but during that time she gave everything she had and at great cost to herself for the world's entertainment. So...Happy Birthday, Judy, and thanks for making me love YOU!