Profile of the Day: Judy Garland

Posted June 10, 2021 by Amanda | No Comment

Today we remember Judy Garland on what would have been her 99th birthday. A star by the age of 16, Garland is remembered as one of the greatest performers in film history.

Image: Judy Garland / Wikimedia Commons

She was born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922 to Ethel Marion and Frances Avent Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The daughter of vaudeville performers, Garland had a knack for song and dance and made her first public appearance in her father’s theater at the age of 2.

After starring in a string of B-movies alongside Mickey Rooney, Garland got her big break when she was cast as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. The film would become a tremendous success and go down in film history as a much beloved classic.

Despite facing significant personal struggles throughout her life, Garland continued to find success in film, such as Meet Me in St. Louis and A Star is Born, and as a recording artist. Sadly, she died of an overdose in 1969 at the age of 47.

Do you have a favorite Judy Garland film?

Explore Judy Garland’s family tree and share how you’re related to the legendary star.