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Born Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, she was born into a family of vaudeville players. One year, her parents and her two older sisters were performing in a Christmas show. Young Frances got on the stage and stole the show with a rendition of Jingle Bells; she was two and a half years old. The family soon moved to Lancaster, California and the Gumm Sisters began work on stage and in movies. Frances was soon known as Baby Gumm.
In 1934, the Gumm Sisters were performing in Chicago with George Jessel . Jessel encouraged the group to choose a less humorous name. They settled on the Three Garlands, and young Frances chose the name Judy.
Garland was signed at the age of 13 by Louis B. Mayer to a contract with MGMFor alternate meanings of "MGM", see MGM (disambiguation . Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM for short, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. Its principal subsidiaries are MGM (Metro-G without a screen test. At the age of 16, she got the role of Dorothy in the film of The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz is a 1939 musical fantasy film based on L. Frank Baum's turn-of-the-century children's story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in which a resourceful American girl is snatched up by a Kansas tornado and deposited in a fantastic land of witches, ( 1939See also 1938 in film 1939 1940 in film 1930s in film 1940s in film years in film film Events Movie historians and film buffs often look back on the year 1939 as "the greatest year in film history. Hollywood was at the height of its Golden Age, and this p), and was forever afterwards associated with the song, " Somewhere Over the RainbowSomewhere Over the Rainbow music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Yip Harburg, is one of the most famous and beloved songs of the 1930s. Many feel the song epitomizes the hopes and dreams of youthful aspiration for an ideal world of love and joy. The song wa". After Oz, Garland became one of MGM's most important stars, proving particularly popular when teamed with Mickey RooneyJoe Yule, Jr. born September 23, 1920), better known as Mickey Rooney is an American film actor. Rooney was born into a vaudeville family. He moved into film in 1927, making his name with a series of over forty silent two-reel comedies (1927 to 1933) wher in a string of "let's put on a show!" musicals.
Throughout the 1940s her films increased in popularity, the most critically and financially successful being Meet Me in St. LouisMeet Me in St. Louis is a 1944 romantic musical comedy from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which tells the story of four sisters enjoying life in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's fair. It stars Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary A, in which she introduced three classics standards: "The Trolley Song," "The Boy Next Door," and " Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ." Her other famous films include The Harvey Girls (1946) (in which she introduced "On the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe"), Easter ParadeEaster Parade is a 1948 musical film starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. It features music by Irving Berlin. The film was originally to have starred Gene Kelly, but Kelly was injured just prior to production and Astaire, who had announced his retireme (1948), A Star Is BornA Star Is Born is the title of several successful movies. All are variations on the same plot: talented girl meets and falls in love with successful actor. His career wanes as her popularity increases, with their relationship ending in tragedy. Its earlie (1954), and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). She received an honorary Academy Award for her performance in The Wizard of Oz, and was nominated for Best Actress in A Star is Born, and Best Supporting Actress for Judgment at Nuremberg.