Judy Garland: The Voice of MGM

Brogan (longtime webmaster of thejudyroom.com and judygarlandnews.com) pens a biography of legendary singer and actor Judy Garland (1922–69) that focuses on her years working for MGM Studios from 1939 to 1950. Garland, the youngest child of vaudevillians, toured with her two older sisters, but her distinctive singing voice made her stand out. A contract with MGM followed in 1935, when Garland was only 13 years old. Brogan chronicles Garland’s rise to fame and her grueling schedule of radio shows, publicity events, and recording sessions, which led her to use stimulants, appetite suppressants, and sleeping pills, often encouraged to do so by the studio. The Wizard of Oz catapulted her to stardom in 1939, and Garland became one of MGM’s most significant assets in films like Meet Me in St. Louis, The Harvey Girls, and Easter Parade . She was released from her MGM contract after the 1950 musical Summer Stock. The text is illustrated with over 200 images from Brogan’s collection. A useful filmography and discography are included.