Born Frances Gumm, Judy Garland lived, loved and died entirely in the public eye. On the thirtieth anniversary of her death, Sheridan Morley and Ruth Leon set the record straight about this much misunderstood film star, who, despite her troubled personal life, captivated audiences the world over.
The story of Judy Garland is that of an underrated screen talent, not just a tale of chemical abuse and disastrous relationships. While her life was often more dramatic than her work, she is an actress who starred in countless classic movies, including 'The Wizard Of Oz', 'Meet Me In St Louis', and 'A Star Is Born'. Her Palace Theatre concerts in early 1950s New York set attendance records that have to this day never been broken. She danced with, among others, Mickey Rooney, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly, was twice nominated for an Oscar and recorded many albums that are still being re-released today.
To underrate her screen talent is to overlook the main reason why we still care about her essentially tragic life. Comprehensively packed with 120 images chronicling her extensive movie career and rare photographs from her personal life, this is the definitive biography of one of Hollywood's most tragic stars.
