Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows

Last updated
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows
LifeWithJudyGarland.jpg
Based on Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir by
Lorna Luft
Written by Robert L. Freedman
Directed by Robert Allan Ackerman
Starring Judy Davis
Tammy Blanchard
Victor Garber
Hugh Laurie
Narrated by Cynthia Gibb
Music by William Ross
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers Craig Zadan
Neil Meron
Lorna Luft
Robert Allan Ackerman
Kirk Ellis
Producers Robert L. Freedman
John Ryan
CinematographyJames Chressanthis
Editor Dody Dorn
Running time170 minutes
Production companies Alliance Atlantis
In-Motion
Storyline Entertainment
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseFebruary 25 (2001-02-25) –
February 26, 2001 (2001-02-26)

Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows is a 2001 American two-part biographical television miniseries based on the 1998 book Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir written by Lorna Luft, the daughter of legendary singer-actress Judy Garland. The miniseries was directed by Robert Allan Ackerman and originally broadcast in two parts on ABC on February 25 and 26, 2001.

Contents

The miniseries is notable for its meticulous recreations of Garland's films and concerts, and verisimilitudinous impressions of her by Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis. Her original recordings are used to dub Davis' singing.

Overview

The miniseries, which chronicles Garland's life from her first public performance in 1924 until her death in 1969, is divided into two parts: the first part depicts her rise to fame in the 1930s, her descent into drugs, and her fall from grace in the 1950s. The second part begins with her marriage to Sid Luft, and proceeds to chronicle her successful return to movies with A Star Is Born , concert performances, her personal issues and her death at the age of 47.

Plot

Part 1

Christmas 1924: Two-year-old Frances Gumm performs in public for the first time, singing "Jingle Bells" in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Her mother, Ethel, watches from the audience while her father, Frank, watches from backstage. Ethel is unhappy with her marriage because of Frank's romantic interest in men. To help herself cope, she moves her family to Hollywood with the hope that her daughters will break into the movie business.

1935: Frank takes Frances, now using her stage name of "Judy Garland," to the studios of Metro Goldwyn Mayer to audition. MGM chief Louis B. Mayer is not impressed with her rendition of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart', but when she sings a different song an impressed Mayer says, "Little girl. Big voice." Thirteen-year-old Judy (played by Tammy Blanchard) signs an MGM contract but, because of her age, they do not know what to do with her and keep giving her radio appearances. Tragedy strikes one night when she is told her father has been rushed to the hospital. She is also told that the doctors have put a radio beside his bed, so he will be listening. While her sisters, Suzy and Jimmie, are in tears over their ill father, Ethel shows no emotion at all. He dies the next day.

1938-1939: Judy's movie career is now blooming. Now sixteen, she finds herself in competition with MGM's new glamorous star, Lana Turner, who is everything she is not: tall, thin, and blond. Judy also becomes jealous as Lana steals everybody's, including Mickey Rooney's, attention on her birthday. MGM purchases the rights to L. Frank Baum's classic children's book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . Rumors spread that Shirley Temple might be playing Dorothy, but when 20th Century Fox refuses to lend her out to them, Judy is cast. She is prescribed some pills to help her sleep and to give her energy to work, and she is also forced to lose weight. She is then seen filming the "Yellow Brick Road" sequence with the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. On the first take, they all close in and shut her out, prompting director Victor Fleming to yell, "You three dirty hams! Let that little girl in there!" The film turns out to be a huge success and she is catapulted to international stardom.

Early 1940s: Judy begins a romance with bandleader Artie Shaw, who has already been married twice. This causes much concern, especially for Ethel, who has now remarried. Judy continues to see him and is shocked when he elopes with Lana Turner, leaving her heartbroken and reluctant to return to the studio since she feels she has to compete with all the goddesses. While filming the "I Got Rhythm" sequence for Girl Crazy , she is continually being reprimanded by the director, the no-nonsense Busby Berkeley, over not putting enough energy into her performance. Eventually, she collapses on the set and is granted three weeks rest, despite the doctor's instruction that she needs six. Aged just nineteen, she marries composer David Rose, but the marriage lasts only nine months.

1944: Judy (now played by Judy Davis) meets Vincente Minnelli (Hugh Laurie), who is the director of her next film, Meet Me in St. Louis . She is then shown filming "The Trolley Song" sequence. She and Vincente marry in 1945. On their honeymoon, she tells him she plans to quit MGM when her contract expires and that she is pregnant. She then throws away a bottle of her pills and vows never to take them again.

1947: Now mother to Liza, Judy is forced to renew her contract with MGM. While filming The Pirate , she has a mental breakdown and Vincente finds out she's taking the pills again. The marriage spirals downward from there.

1950: Judy is suspended from MGM and from filming Annie Get Your Gun (she was replaced with Betty Hutton). She also tries to commit suicide by slashing her throat with a broken glass. She is fired by MGM and her marriage to Vincente falls apart due to his exhaustion at her mood swings. During this time, she meets Sid Luft (Victor Garber). He helps her with her show business comeback at the Palace Theatre on Broadway.

Part 2

Early 50s: Judy marries Sid in 1952 and a few months later she gives birth to her second child, Lorna. In 1953, Ethel dies in a parking lot after suffering a heart attack. Initially, Judy does not react to the news, having been estranged from her for years, but while filming "The Man That Got Away" sequence for A Star Is Born , her first film since MGM fired her, she misses her mark, and starts crying in her dressing room, not exactly sure if she is upset over Ethel's death. She receives an Academy Award nomination for her performance. However, shortly after the film's initial release, Sid is enraged to see some of their best scenes (and important ones too) have been cut under orders from distributors who felt the film was too long, thus killing both the flow of the story as well as its box office potential. In 1955, a day before the 27th Academy Awards, Judy gives birth to her third child, Joey, but on the night she loses the award to Grace Kelly, much to the shock and disappointment of her friends, and much of the film world.

Late 1950s: Judy is now struggling with debts, her weight has ballooned, and at this stage, her marriage to Sid is starting to crumble.

Early 1960s: After overcoming a life-threatening illness and slimming down, Judy tours America, the high point being a concert at Carnegie Hall. As her marriage to Sid continues to collapse, she wins custody of their children.

Mid 1960s: Judy gets her own television series, but she is forced to go on the road again after it is cancelled, due to low ratings, for playing in the same time slot as "Bonanza" and for critics at the studio complaining about her touching the other guests on the show, which was a strict taboo at that time on the networks. [1] Her tour of Australia starts off well, but her concert in Melbourne is a flop; she has trouble remembering the words to her songs, stumbles, and is heckled by the audience before being booed off stage. She later marries for a fourth time, this time to Mark Herron. This marriage lasts a mere five months as he turns out to be gay and is discovered in bed with a male pool cleaner, and she throws him out. Lorna begins to understand the connection between her mother's erratic behaviour and her medication. Judy reconciles with Sid, who books her at the Palace Theatre, this time with Lorna and Joey. He gives Lorna some instructions on how to take care of her mother. However, life with Judy (which included constantly—and secretly—moving from one place to another because of her inability to pay bills) and looking after her and Joey becomes too much for Lorna, who collapses from exhaustion. Fearing for his children's safety, Sid takes them to live with him in Los Angeles.

1969: Judy marries for a fifth and final time. Her new husband is Mickey Deans. They settle in London. Liza, Lorna, and Joey call her on her 47th birthday, and say they will come and spend the summer with her when school finishes in two weeks. Twelve days later, she dies from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. A hysterical Lorna sobs in Sid's arms. The film ends with Judy performing "Get Happy".

Cast

Production

Principal photography began from 31 July 2000 to 29 September 2000. [2]

Awards and honors

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2001
 Artios Awards Best Casting for Mini-SeriesMary V. Buck and Susan EdelmanWon [3]
Online Film & Television Association AwardsBest MiniseriesNominated [4]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Judy Davis Won
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Victor Garber Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Tammy Blanchard Nominated
Best Direction of a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Costume Design in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesWon
Best Editing in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Lighting in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Music in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best New Theme Song in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Production Design in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Miniseries Peter Alan Sussman, Ed Gernon,
Craig Zadan, Neil Meron,
Robert Allan Ackerman, Lorna Luft,
Kirk Ellis, Philip von Alvensleben,
John Ryan, and Robert L. Freedman 		Nominated [5]
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Judy DavisWon
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Victor GarberNominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Tammy BlanchardWon
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Movie Robert Allan AckermanNominated
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Movie Robert L. FreedmanNominated
Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie Dan Davis, Ian Hall, and Stephanie Ziemer
(for "Part 1")		Nominated
Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Movie Deirdre Bowen, Mary Buck, Susan Edelman,
and Tina Gerussi		Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie James Chressanthis (for "Part 1")Nominated
Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries or Movie Dona Granata, Ann Peiponen, and
Brian Russman (for "Part 1")		Won
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Movie Marie-Ange Ripka and Andrea TraunmuellerWon
Outstanding Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Debi Drennan, Kevin Haney, and Pamela RothWon
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Movie Dody Dorn (for "Part 1")Nominated
Television Critics Association Awards Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials Won [6]
2002
 American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Motion Picture for Commercial Television Dody DornNominated [7]
American Film Institute Awards Actor of the Year – Female – TV Movie or Mini-SeriesTammy BlanchardNominated [8]
Judy DavisWon
Costume Designers Guild Awards Excellence in Period/Fantasy for Television Dona GranataWon [9]
Critics' Choice Awards Best Picture Made for TelevisionWon [10]
Best Actress in a Picture Made for TelevisionJudy DavisWon
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television or Miniseries Robert Allan AckermanNominated [11]
Directors Guild of Canada Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound EditingBrandon Walker, Angie Pajek, Janice Ierulli,
Phong Tran, Grant Bone, Kathy Choi, and
Garrett Kerr		Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [12]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Judy DavisWon
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Tammy BlanchardNominated
Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing in Television – Dialogue & ADR, Long Form Brandon Walker, Janice Ierulli, Angie Pajek,
and Phong Tran		Nominated [13]
Best Sound Editing in Television – Music, Movies and Specials Yuri Gorbachow and Jim HarrisonNominated
Prism Awards TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic SpecialWon
Producers Guild of America Awards David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television Nominated [14]
Satellite Awards Best Miniseries Won [15]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Judy DavisWon
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Tammy BlanchardNominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Judy DavisWon [16]
Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Adapted Robert L. Freedman;
Based on the memoir Me and My Shadows:
A Family Memoir by Lorna Luft		Nominated [17]
Young Artist Awards Best Family Movie or Special (Network or Cable)Nominated [18]

DVD release

The miniseries was released on DVD in region 1 on January 22, 2002, and re-released on DVD on May 22, 2012.

It was released in Australia by Starz Home Entertainment as a full-length film in a "Limited Edition 3 Disc Gift Set" of region 4 DVDs together with Beyond the Sea and The Buddy Holly Story .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Garland</span> American actress and singer (1922–1969)

Judy Garland was an American actress, singer, and vaudevillian. She attained international stardom and critical acclaim as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage. Renowned for her versatility, she received a Golden Globe Award, a Special Tony Award and was one of twelve people in history to receive an Academy Juvenile Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liza Minnelli</span> American actress, singer, and dancer (born 1946)

Liza May Minnelli is an American actress, singer and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades, and is one of the few performers awarded a non-competitive EGOT. Minnelli is a Knight of the French Legion of Honour and subject of the 2024 documentary, Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Deans</span> American musician and entrepreneur (1934-2003)

Michael DeVinko, Jr., known as Mickey Deans, was an American musician and entrepreneur. He is best known as the fifth husband and widower of actress and singer Judy Garland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorna Luft</span> American actress and singer (born 1952)

Lorna Luft is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of Judy Garland and Sidney Luft, the sister of Joey Luft and the half-sister of Liza Minnelli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincente Minnelli</span> American stage and film director (1903–1986)

Vincente Minnelli was an American stage director and film director. For a career spanning over half a century, he is best known for his sophisticated innovation and artistry in musical films. As of 2024, six of his films have been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidney Luft</span> American film producer and businessman

Michael Sidney Luft was an American show business figure, the second husband of actress Lynn Bari, and later the third husband of actress and singer Judy Garland.

"The Man That Got Away" is a torch song written for the 1954 version of A Star Is Born. The song, with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Ira Gershwin, is performed in the film by Judy Garland. "The Man That Got Away" was ranked #11 by the American Film Institute on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs list. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 27th Academy Awards but lost to "Three Coins in the Fountain".

Roger Edens was a Hollywood composer, arranger and associate producer, and is considered one of the major creative figures in Arthur Freed's musical film production unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the "golden era of Hollywood".

<i>The Pirate</i> (1948 film) 1948 film by Vincente Minnelli

The Pirate is a 1948 American musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. With songs by Cole Porter, it stars Judy Garland and Gene Kelly with costars Walter Slezak, Gladys Cooper, Reginald Owen, The Nicholas Brothers, and George Zucco.

<i>A Star Is Born</i> (1954 film) 1954 film by George Cukor

A Star Is Born is a 1954 American musical tragedy film directed by George Cukor, written by Moss Hart, and starring Judy Garland and James Mason. Hart's screenplay is an adaptation of the original 1937 film, based on the original screenplay by Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell, and from the same story by William A. Wellman and Carson, with uncredited input from six additional writers—David O. Selznick, Ben Hecht, Ring Lardner Jr., John Lee Mahin, Budd Schulberg and Adela Rogers St. Johns.

<i>Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir</i>

Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir is a 1998 memoir written by Lorna Luft, the daughter of singer-actress Judy Garland.

<i>For Me and My Gal</i> (film) 1942 film by Busby Berkeley

For Me and My Gal is a 1942 American musical film directed by Busby Berkeley, and starring Judy Garland, George Murphy, Martha Eggerth, Ben Blue and Gene Kelly in his film debut. The film was written by Richard Sherman, Fred F. Finklehoffe and Sid Silvers, based on a story by Howard Emmett Rogers inspired by a true story about vaudeville actors Harry Palmer and Jo Hayden, when Palmer was drafted into World War I. The film was a production of the Arthur Freed unit at MGM.

Robert L. Freedman is an American screenwriter and dramatist. He is best known for his teleplays for Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997) and Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001), and for his Tony-winning book and lyrics of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Garland as a gay icon</span> Overview of the actress in gay culture

American actress and singer Judy Garland (1922–1969) is widely considered as a gay icon. The Advocate has called Garland "The Elvis of homosexuals". The reasons frequently given for her standing as an icon among gay men are admiration of her ability as a performer, the way her personal struggles seemed to mirror those of gay men in America during the height of her fame, and her value as a camp figure. Garland's role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz is particularly known for contributing to this status. In the 1960s, when a reporter asked how she felt about having a large gay following, Garland replied, "I couldn't care less. I sing to people!"

<i>Midwives</i> (2001 film) 2001 television film by Glenn Jordan

Midwives is a 2001 American television film, starring Sissy Spacek, Peter Coyote, Terry Kinney, Alison Pill and Piper Laurie. It was directed by Glenn Jordan. The film is based in the 1997 novel Midwives written by Chris Bohjalian. It was Lifetime's 100th Original Movie and had the highest rating in the network's history.

<i>Judy</i> (film) 2019 film by Rupert Goold

Judy is a 2019 biographical drama film based on the life of American entertainer Judy Garland. Directed by Rupert Goold, it is an adaptation of the Olivier- and Tony-nominated West End and Broadway play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. The film stars Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, and Michael Gambon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gumm Sisters</span> American vaudeville group (1924–1935)

The Gumm Sisters, later also known as The Garland Sisters were an American vaudeville group consisting of the three daughters of Frank and Ethel Gumm: Judy Garland, Dorothy Virginia Gumm, and Mary Jane Gumm. They gained popularity in the 1920s and 1930s and were known for their harmonious performances and charming stage presence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Avent Gumm</span>

Francis "Frank" Avent Gumm was an American vaudevillian and theatre manager. He is the father of the American actress, singer and vaudevillian Judy Garland.

References

  1. ↑ Article on the "Judy Garland Show", plus the dialogue in the mini-series itself
  2. ↑ "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows".
  3. ↑ "2001 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. October 4, 2001. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ "5th Annual Television Awards (2000-01)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  6. ↑ Goodman, Tim (June 17, 2001). "The critics have their own awards / If nothing else, July's ceremony proves that we don't hate everything". SFGate.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Nominees/Winners". IMDb . Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  8. ↑ "AFI Awards 2001" . Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  9. ↑ "The 4th Costume Designers Guild Awards (2002)". Costume Designers Guild . Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  10. ↑ "The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards :: 2001". Broadcast Film Critics Association. January 11, 2002. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  11. ↑ "54th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards . Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows – Golden Globes". Golden Globe Awards . Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Sound editors tap noms for Golden Reel Awards". Variety . Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  14. ↑ McNary, Dave (March 3, 2002). "Producers plug 'Rouge'". Variety. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  15. ↑ "International Press Academy website – 2002 6th Annual SATELLITE Awards". Archived from the original on February 1, 2008.
  16. ↑ "The 8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards . January 29, 2002. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ "WGA Awards 2002". Writers Guild of America Awards. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  18. ↑ "23rd Annual Young Artist Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.