Young Judy or Old Judy?

My favorite is actually middle Judy--from the Carnegie Hall tour to the end of the television show.

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Updated On: 2/18/08 at 08:56 PM

I completely disagree, PJ.

I've posted this on BWW before, but I understand the question completely, and my answer has changed over the years.

When I was an adolescent, I loved "young Judy." She had so much talent and charisma. She was fresh and new. She had the whole world in front of her, and it showed from the sparkle in her eyes. She was "hope" to me. I couldn't relate AT ALL to the older, faltering, "druggy" Judy.

Yes, DRUGGY. She slurred her words beyond recognition. She even forgot them, at times.

She was feeble. She struggled to hit some of the notes, to get to the end of each song. She could belt it out there, but she was seriously DISTURBING to me. Not entertaining in the LEAST. A lame duck.

As I got older, I began to understand "older Judy." I began to appreciate her... to CELEBRATE her, even.

She defied the odds. She had a rough, horrible life off-stage, but she could square off and belt one to the rafters, when she felt like it. She was beat-up by life. So was I (thankfully, not to that extreme). I found I was rooting for her to "get there." To succeed. To "kill the people" with her talent and her incredible voice.

I like "old Judy" now, better than "young Judy."

But it took a lot of personal history to get me there.

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What are the criteria you're using for 'young' and 'old'? I don't think her career is divided that neatly.

Young, but then she's great later when Liza got there for the "potential" aspect....

It may be blasphemy, but I think I prefer Isabel Keating's version of her to the real thing....but not Adrienne Barbeau's.

The young "Judy" of ME AND MY SHADOWS on TV was pretty captivating as well, though.

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For me, it's the MGM Years, and the Post-MGM-Years.

Although, I agree the transition was gradual.

She died when she was 47, ultimately. She looked 75.

So "old" for her was 34.


EDIT: Exactly, Pippin. You and I agree fully.

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Updated On: 2/18/08 at 09:09 PM

Like the close-up she gets at 0:42 in this snippet from "The Land of Let's Pretend" from the 1930 Bubbles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxDjHVErJ9o

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Updated On: 2/18/08 at 09:10 PM

PalJoey in drag would NOT be as pretty.

But Gene and Judy made a sexy duo.

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This is my favorite from the TV series--Vincent Youman's "Through the Years."

A gorgeous song to begin with, but in Judy's hands, it becomes the equivalent of a Schubert or Schumann art song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwVCRqAq1Ao

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Updated On: 2/19/08 at 09:17 PM

I prefer my Judy 'Norned'

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hilarious, DAME!

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mmousefan---There are no outtakes from Easter Parade with Gene. Kelly broke his leg prior to filming and Astaire was "begged" out of retirement to step into the part.

No film was shot with Kelly in "Easter Parade."

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Besty--I can confront and embrace older Judy--I adore this performance of "I'd Like to Hate Myself in the Morning" from one of her 1968 Merv Griffin appearnaces, even though she forgets the lyrics and makes the band start all over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZEWw0dR7rk

I just get defensive when older Judy is treated as a joke, which is what I mistakenly thought Pippin was doing at first.

This clip mixes audio only clips with silent footage.

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