Tammy Blanchard as Judy Garland

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 7:36pm

Well I just watched Me And My Shadows and was so stunned at how much she looked and sounded like Judy. What a great movie. I love it.

[singnyc]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 7:49pm

I heard that Jayne Paterson ( Jane Eyre & Les Miserables) did a lot of Tammy's singing for the movie while Tammy lip-synched. Updated On: 1/29/04 at 07:49 PM

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 7:56pm

I wasn't talking about the singing I mean the speaking voice.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 8:00pm

She really was incredible. SO convincing, and really made her one of my favorite actresses. She is one of the strongest actresses currently on Broadway, in my opinion.

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 8:02pm

I agree- her tranformation in Gypsy is outstanding.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 8:02pm

Actually, Tammy didn't do her own singing, it was ALL Judy. Same with the omwan who played older Judy (forgot her name). Tammy looked so much like Judy Garland, especially when she was Dorothy.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 10:33pm

The one thing I hate about that show is that they never aged John Benjamin Hickey who played Roger Edens. You seem him when Judy is a teenager and he looks 40ish. You see him 30 years later and he still looks 40ish.

[A_Boy_From_Oz]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 10:19am

I love Tammy Blanchard. I have been a fan of hers since she first stepped foot on "Guiding Light" way back in '97. I think she has a very nice career ahead of her.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 11:18am

I really wish they would have let Tammy play the entire role rather than splitting it up with Judy Davis (who looks nothing like Judy Garland). They could have just done a good makeup job to make Tammy look like the older Judy.

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 3:05pm

Didnt Judy Davis win some sort of an award from Judy Garland? I thought Tammy was ten times better. I just think they should have let her sing. Like in the Shirley Temple movie Child Star, they let the girl playing Shirley, Ashley Oar(something like that) Rose, sing all the songs. I thought she did a very good Shirley Temple, except for the fact that she looked nothing like her and sang with a vibratto.

[PJ]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 3:12pm

Tammy and Judy Davis both won Emmy Awards if I'm not mistaken for their portrayals of Judy Garland. I know for sure Tammy won, but I'm not 100% sure about Judy Davis. But, I do know she won a Golden Globe and Tammy was only nominated.

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 3:46pm

It must have been the Golden Globes I watched.

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 3:53pm

"I really wish they would have let Tammy play the entire role rather than splitting it up with Judy Davis (who looks nothing like Judy Garland). They could have just done a good makeup job to make Tammy look like the older Judy."

I completely disagree TheaterBaby. Judy Davis is a phenomenal actress and her transformation to play Judy Garland is outstanding. In my opinion her performance is the best I've ever seen in a television movie. Judy Davis also looks exactly like Judy in her final days and there is no way that they could have made Tammy look anything like Judy in those final days. Her mannerisms are dead on as well as the timber in her voice. Tammy was wonderful and so was Judy. Updated On: 1/30/04 at 03:53 PM

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 5:30pm

Judy Davis did deserve the award. Judy Garland isnt an easy role. Hows Isabel Keating do with it?
Go Tammy Blanchard!

[moljul]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 5:37pm

I agree that both Tammy Blachard and Judy Davis looked just like Judy G. I do think Judy Davis took over the role too soon. She definitely looks more like Judy G. in her later years but didn't quite pass for her in some of the earlier scenes. Would have been nice for Tammy to take it until Judy was about 30 or so and then let Judy Davis take over. It seems like Tammy played her barely into her 20s.

[Bway_Mill_Fan]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 5:49pm

in the director's commentary-they were actually planning on cutting Tammy a while back, but they decided that Meet Me in St.Louis was a good part to switch. they also said that when tammy had on the dorothy costume it was scary how much she looked like her.

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 5:49pm

I agree Tammy would have been much more fitting for the Meet Me In St Louis stuff.

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 6:42pm

I think the reason they switched to Judy Davis for Meet Me In St Louis is due to the fact that that was the first time Judy Garland felt like she was beautiful on the screen. And despite playing a young character she finally felt like a woman. Also I think it would be quite odd to switch actresses during the middle of her relaitonship with Vincent Minelli.

When Tammy came out in the Dorothy Gale costume it was truly scary how much she resembled Judy. Both of these actresses are amazing.

[PJ]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 8:12pm

Tammy is wonderful in "Gypsy." Her confrontation w/ Rose in the dressing room right before "Rose's Turn" was chilling. You could have heard a pin drop when Tammy through down a chair and yelled back at Bernadette. It's Bernadette's show, but Tammy blew me away just as well.

[Bway_Mill_Fan]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 8:17pm

Also I think it would be quite odd to switch actresses during the middle of her relaitonship with Vincent Minelli.


that's exactly what they said! well similar. like it would be odd for the audience to all of a sudden have a new person come out of a door. it was better to start from a "new chapter" in judy's life. it was the begining of her adult life. the dvd is great! they say a lot of things, Lorna and the director, that you would otherwise not know.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 10:29pm

I totally agree that Judy Davis looked too old for the "Meet Me in St. Louis" section of the movie, but I don't think Tammy should have played the whole role by herself. Davis was perfect for the role, just not the younger portion of it.

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 1/31/04 at 2:01am

I just watched it for the second time...it gives me the chills every time I see that scene where Tammy first appears as Dorothy..it's exact. wowwy

[Belter]

Posted: 1/31/04 at 3:15am

Shows you how the underdog can succeed, if they get the chance.

Tammy is originally from Bayonne, NJ. (or thereabouts) I know someone who knew her in school and told me that Tammy was considered to be from the "wrong side of the tracks" (I'm being delicate) -- as much as anyone is in this day and age, and everytime Tammy's on TV, this person I know screams at the TV in frustration ..... She feels Tammy only made it because of her fortunate resemblance to Judy. And yeah, she's jealous!

Well, so what! Good for Tammy! In the biography of her years from now, they'll show her as the unnoticed diamond in the rough kind of girl who shocks all the nasties, I think.

And it sounds like she's good, in addition to resembling Judy, right? I haven't seen Gypsy, but more than ever, now intend to go.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 1/31/04 at 5:00am

"I heard that Jayne Paterson ( Jane Eyre & Les Miserables) did a lot of Tammy's singing for the movie while Tammy lip-synched."

You're correct.

http://www.unofficialjaynepaterson.com/film.html

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 1/31/04 at 8:28pm

"How is Isabel Keating do with it?"

Isabel is amazing as Judy Garland! Her mannerisms are exact, as well as her speaking voice. The singing is about as close as it's going to get...and it's pretty damn close. The cd doesn't do her justice because you have to see her be Judy; not just hear her.

I totally agree with PJ. Tammy is awesome in Gypsy. Her transition from a shy young girl to an outgoing stripper is great, and that dressing room scene is spine tingling. I remember when she was first in the role (back during previews) and she seemed a little uncomfortable in the part; but my God she has come a long way. I just saw the show again yesterday after not having seen it for months and I was in the front orchestra. It was great to see the expressions on Tammy's face. She really is a very good actress.