Judy Garland

When people think of Hollywood and classic movies, one of the names that first pops up in discussion is Judy Garland. Judy Garland is a timeless actress who will always be remembered for her illustrious career. Along with this brilliant career came the illusion of the “perfect woman” with the “perfect” life. This is an image that many actresses (through the modern day) face everyday. Like most actresses it is an impossible image that Garland never achieved in her “rocky” life. Furthermore, this image is what ultimately led to the downfall and end of her career and ultimately her life.

Judy Garland was born on June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. She was born with the name Frances Ethel Gumm, which she would later change it to Judy Garland. She was the youngest of three sisters, that were all enamored with the entertainment world. Garland was an early entertainer, first performing when she was only two years old. She is said to have performed in the Christmas show at her parents theater, where she sang her heart out and enchanted the audience. Starting to perform on stage at the age of six she already displayed a remarkable ability for singing well beyond her age. “Showing no signs of shyness, she would sing the righ

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As the drugs took progressively greater hold of her life, her behavior on the set became erratic, disruptive and demoralizing to the remaining crew. Her life revolved around the drugs she had hopelessly become addicted to. By the late sixties, she was on even more powerful psychiatric medication, such as Valium and Ritalin. org)

Unaware of their long term consequences, doctors continued prescribing drugs to their trusting patients. Garland and her sisters entered into the industry with their mother as their agent. The public expected the actress to be a reflection of the character they saw on screen. org) She, along with many actors throughout Hollywood, were under the misconception that the drugs they were being prescribed was done with their best interests in mind.

Although her life was in chaos, she still strived to portray the woman that her audience saw on screen, and on stage. ” It wasn’t long before she first encountered drugs; Benzedrine and phenobarbital were prescribed to control her appetite, and hence her weight. At the age of seventeen, she earned the starring role in the “Wizard of Oz. In Judy Garland’s case, the endeavor for perfection cost her to lose her career, and ultimately her life.

Approximate Word count = 2068
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

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