Interesting Judy Garland stuff — Page 2

Temple 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.

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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:
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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

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All 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.

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If 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.

People have pointed this out to Shirley Temple MANY times.

But Shirley is a Republican. Truth doesn't matter.

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Tom14850--you have your PMs tuned off. Turn them on so I can say hi.

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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...

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Updated On: 5/16/06 at 05:02 PM

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.

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Updated On: 5/16/06 at 05:13 PM

justme2 --- LOL!

Now, you KNOW that was scripted for her by some adult in her "camp."

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What a talent! I think she would have made a great Mamma Rose in "Gypsy" or Desiree in "A Little Night Music".

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Who? Garland, the thread topic...or Shirley...the one in debate?

(I assume it's Garland, of course)

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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.

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