Interesting Judy Garland stuff- Page 2
Interesting Judy Garland stuff
#25re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 2:07pm
Shirley Temple was the number one box office star in the world when MGM was casting The Wizard of Oz. She was also at Fox, not MGM. The execs at MGM tried very briefly to see if they could negotiate to get Temple for The Wizard of Oz, but they were turned down. However, the "rumors" of her being cast as Dorothy even made it into the trade papers. The deal fell through (for any number of possible reasons), and MGM decided to go with Judy for the role. They then concentrated their efforts on building a "star vehicle" role to feature her talents. So, yes, "Over the Rainbow" was written FOR Judy, and only after they knew she was going be doing the part. If Temple had gotten it, her songs would have been simple little ditties, and probably featured her tapping a lot with the Scarecrow and Tin Man. It would have been a different movie.
Much as I love and appreciate Shirley Temple, I'm glad things worked out the way they did.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#26re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 2:19pmTemple was only 9 in 1938, I think. It would indeed have been a different type of song set, for a much younger actress. Not as wistful as the version we know and love today. I'm a great fan of Temple's work myself, but am glad we have Garland in Oz instead.
#27re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 2:21pm
judy's mother ethel took all three gumm girls to dance class from the time the family moved to california from minnesota. judy took class and did recitals for years.
you should see her tapping along with buddy ebsen when she was 13. fabulous!
#28re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 3:01pm
Aaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhh!
For once and for all, Shirley Temple was NEVER considered for Dorothy by the producers and writers of The Wizard of Oz.
From the Judy Garland Database:
==
The Shirley Temple story has been greatly exaggerated over the years. Shirley was never seriously considered for the part of Dorothy. Arthur Freed had approached L.B. Mayer in 1937 to get permission to buy the movie rights to The Wizard of Oz expressly as a vehicle for Judy Garland. Everyone on the lot was certainly aware of Judy's talents, and they were all determined to make Judy into a major star.
During early stages of planning, it became clear that Oz would be a costly project - it turned out to be MGM's most expensive film to date. Executives at Loewes, Inc., owner of MGM, were nervous about having Judy in the lead of such an expensive film, since her box office popularity was -- as yet -- not well established. So they insisted that Mayer test Shirley Temple for the part. Shirley was the biggest box office draw in Hollywood at the time. Roger Edens, Judy's vocal coach and greatest supporter was sent to Twentieth Century-Fox to test Shirley's singing voice, and of course he reported back to MGM-boss Louis B. Mayer that there was no way Shirley could play the part. Besides, there was no way Fox would even consider loaning her out. So that's all there was to that.
The Shirley Temple story has been greatly exaggerated
#29re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 3:25pm
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland (and I heard this personally from Mickey) travelled to New York and headlined live nine times a day when "Girl Crazy" came out in the late '30's. Imagine paying 50 cents to see Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and I think it was Tommy Dorseyand his orchestra AND the movie. She sang, Rooney sang, danced, payer dozens of instruments and ad libbed.
Apparently Judy collapsed onstage from exhaustion during the run.
And that was no additional charge!
#30re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 3:46pmAll of this is greatly documented in the DVD/TV movie Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows starring Judy Davis and Tammy Blanchard in the title role. Great movie for any Judy fan(big or small). The only grip I have is that they didn't include her years recording for Capitol. It might have been wise to include that she made numerous records while doing concerts in the late 50's and early 60's.
#31re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 3:53pm
Well Pal Joey, someone should tell Shirley that:)
(In her bio it is suggested she was a strong contender for the role)
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#32re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 3:58pmIf you didn't ever see Garland live you can't possibly understand the immense talent that she had. I was lucky enough to see her perform in person 11 times and you can take it from me that she'll never be topped.
#33re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 4:06pmGYSPY - Me and My Shadows = fantastic. I watch it all the time. Tammy Blanchard scared the **** outta me with how much she seemed like Judy... creepy. But amazing film.
#34re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 4:15pm
People have pointed this out to Shirley Temple MANY times.
But Shirley is a Republican. Truth doesn't matter.
#35re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 4:26pm
ouch! where's the fire department cuz i think someone just got BURNED
lol paljoey that made my life
#36re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 4:32pmTom14850--you have your PMs tuned off. Turn them on so I can say hi.
#37re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 4:50pm
PJ---Even the blurb you posted suggests Shirley was considered for the part, so I'm not sure why you're SO frustrated about it.
Arthur Freed bought the Oz film rights with Judy in mind, and was also hoping that HE would be the one to produce the film. After Snow White came out and was HUGE, they went into high gear on pre-production. Mayer wanted to make this a "big spectacle" movie and put a lot of money into it, so he considered getting a bankabale star like Temple because he was nervous about his investment... And Temple incidentally would NEVER have tested for the part at that time. Especially not for another studio. She was the biggest box office draw in the country. They toyed with negotiating with Fox, including some inter-office memos that suggest they were willing to loan out Gable AND Harlow in exchange for Temple (but then Harlow died suddenly). THAT part is a lot of speculation... but ulitmately it fell into Judy's hands (thank God). And, again, the fact that they were considering Temple made the trade papers at the time. It was published for all the world to see, with a big "fat chance"-type comment after it. Oh, and Arthur Freed did not get to produce the movie after all, even though he bought and nurtured the property. He was made an associate producer on the film (un-billed) and Mervyn LeRoy produced the movie... again, because they needed someone with experience on a job of that size.
Now, count to three, and relax. It's okay.... really!
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#38re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:02pm
best12bars--are you suggesting I was responsible for Jean Harlow's death?
According to the recollections of Roger Edens and other from the Freed unit, NO ONE at MGM took the idea of Shirley as Dorothy seriously. The only people considering it were the money people in New York. Hence the memos. But Shirley and her mother wove this into a story that Shirley was "supposed to play the part," which was silly.
I mean, think of it...
#39re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:10pm
Yeah, I remember reading Shirley's Child Star biography and she talked about Oz a couple of times. She may have been made to believe she had a shot...after all, she was a young child at the time and that's probably how she remembers it.
#40re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:13pm
Okay, first of all, I've only HEARD about your connections to Harlow's death... and I understand that NOTHING can be proven...
...yet.
Second, I LOVE that freaky GIF of her! Way wonderful!
Of course it was the money people getting worried about putting a (then almost) unheard-of amount of $2 million into the picture. Money people had a huge amount of "pull" back then.
My own grandfather was one of the major "money people" at Warner Bros. You can actually read memos in a published book going back and forth with Jack Warner asking my grandfather if he would consider firing Joan Crawford! (And Joan was one of my grandmother's best friends.) My grandfather set the budgets and salaries for all films at Warner Bros. (from the mid-'20s to the mid-'50s when he left after "A Star Is Born.") He hired and he fired, and he negotiated all the time.
But these sort of "rumblings" went on behind-the-scenes every day. Sometimes (like this particular time) it leaked into the press. For all I know, SHIRLEY's "people" leaked it. Fox was NEVER going to seriously consider loaning out Temple. Ever. They knew her days as a "cute little kid" were numbered, and to have her tied up on a rather LONG production schedule for another studio would have been completely insane, regardless of how sweet the offer was.
Shirley made it known publicly back then with little on-camera "hints" that she wanted the part. There is a news reel of her getting a bike (or simething like that) where she says (paraphrasing): "It's so wonderful, just like going to see the Wizard in Oz!" Nice try, Shirley. T'ain't gonna happen.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#41re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:15pmHA! I've seen those...there's another one of her getting off a boat after a vacation in Hawaii with her parents, and she says "there's no place like home" to the press!
#42re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:18pm
justme2 --- LOL!
Now, you KNOW that was scripted for her by some adult in her "camp."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#43re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:21pm
oh hell yeah! It's painful to watch some of those "candid films" of Shirley "playing". She talks at length about it in her book.
jimnysf
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/10/05
#44re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:28pmWhat a talent! I think she would have made a great Mamma Rose in "Gypsy" or Desiree in "A Little Night Music".
#45re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:29pm
re: Temple
I'm amazed she can even poop for herself... and she didn't turn out to be a total MESS. She had the entire hopes, dreams and finances of FOX STUDIOS riding on her little 6-year-old shoulders.
If THAT doesn't drive someone to the medicine cabinet... I don't know what would.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#46re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:29pm
Who? Garland, the thread topic...or Shirley...the one in debate?
(I assume it's Garland, of course)
#47re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:32pm
jimnysf---Garland desperately wanted to play Mama Rose in the movie "Gypsy" but sadly she was "uninsurable" at that point. They couldn't get anyone to finance the policy, so that was that.
She would have been a force of nature in that part, though.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#48re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:46pm
re: Gypsy
It is to my understanding that in the mid 60's, there was industry talk of Judy and Liza starring in Gypsy together. I believe after seeing Liza on Judy's talk show. Now that would have been frightening, if you ever saw the palladium concert you'll know what I mean.
PJ
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#49re: Interesting Judy Garland stuff
Posted: 5/16/06 at 5:54pmImagine what a treasure the 1962 film version would have been with Judy as Rose and Liza as Louise. Damn.
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