Judy Garland made 5 short films prior to signing with MGM in the fall on 1935. Her film debut was in the 1929 short The Big Revue singing "That's The Good Old Sunny South" with her sisters Dorothy Virginia and Mary Jane (see photo above, far left). This is also the earliest known recording of Judy Garland singing. At this point, she and her sisters were known as "The Gumm Sisters". By the time they filmed the 1935 short La Fiesta de Santa Barbara they had changed their name to "The Garland Sisters" and "Baby" was going by the name of "Judy Garland".

In the years between 1930 and 1935, Frances Gumm's (Judy Garland's) voice developed and matured to a remarkable degree. When one compares the early film recordings to her short solo line in "La Fiesta", one can hear the difference. The vibrato and quiver and power in her voice is already there. All it would take would be a mentor to shape and mold her raw talent. She found her mentor in the fall of 1935 when she was signed by M-G-M Studios and was placed under the guidance of Roger Edens. It was Edens who would be the greatest musical influence of Garland's career. However, it must be noted that Judy already had the voice and talent as evidenced in the early recordings. What Edens provided was some polish and more importantly, some special musical material suited to her unique talents.

All images on this page from the collection of Scott Brogan.

The following is a listing of Judy's pre-MGM shorts, including her songs and where to find them:

THE BIG REVUE (aka The Starlet Review) (1929 - Mayfair Pictures filmed at Tec-Art Studio) The title card on the film says "Associated Films/The Starlet Review" however it was promoted at "The Big Revue" with "Ethel Meglin's Hollywood Wonder Kiddies" (see advertisement above). The film has also been listed as a "Meglin" production, using the name of the children's performing school/company (The Ethel Meglin Dance School) that the Gumm Sisters were then a part of, professionally known as "The Meglin Kiddies". Note: The film was made on June 11, 12, & 13, 1929 just after Judy's seventh birthday on June 10th. Song: "That's The Good Old Sunny South" (The Gumm Sisters) A clip of this short is on the laser disc set "Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M". Photo at right: Studio photo of the sisters in their Big Revue costumes, 1929.

A HOLIDAY IN STORYLAND (1929 - Vitaphone, filmed late 1929 at the First National Studio, Burbank, CA) (Vitaphone Varieties - Presented by Vitaphone - a Subsidiary of Warner Brothers Pictures - Produced with Western Electric Apparatus - "The Vitaphone Kiddies" - Directed by Roy Mack) Songs: "When The Butterflies Kiss The Buttercups Goodbye" (The Gumm Sisters) & "Blue Butterfly" (Baby Gumm - this is Judy Garland's first film solo). The recordings is on the laser disc set "Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M" as well as the 1998 CD boxed set "Judy". Photo at right: "Baby Gumm" on the Warner Bros./First National Studios back lot, circa 1929.

THE WEDDING OF JACK AND JILL (1930 - Vitaphone, filmed late 1929 at the First National Studio, Burbank, CA) (Vitaphone Varieties - Presented by Vitaphone - a Subsidiary of Warner Brothers Pictures - Produced with Western Electric Apparatus - "The Vitaphone Kiddies" - Directed by Roy Mack) Song: "Hang Onto A Rainbow" (Baby Gumm). This recording is on the laser disc set "Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M" as well as the 1998 CD boxed set "Judy".

BUBBLES (1930 - Vitaphone, filmed in December 1929 at the First National Studio, Burbank, CA) (Vitaphone Varieties - Presented by Vitaphone - a Subsidiary of Warner Brothers Pictures - Produced with Western Electric Apparatus - "The Vitaphone Kiddies" - Directed by Roy Mack) Song: "The Land Of Let's Pretend" (The Gumm Sisters - Baby Gumm gets a 2-line solo in the middle of the song). The video of this short is on the laser disc set "Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M". A clip of the audio is on the 1998 CD boxed set "Judy". Photo at right: "Baby Gumm" sings her solo lines during "The Land Of Let's Pretend" number.

LA FIESTA DE SANTA BARBARA (1935 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Judy and her sisters filmed this short in the summer of 1935, just prior to Judy's audition for, and subsequent signing with, M-G-M. This is also the last performance of The Garland Sisters. This is the first time Judy was filmed in (the then new) 3-strip Technicolor. The short was basically an excuse to show off this new process. Several major stars, including Clark Gable and Randolph Scott, made brief appearances in the film solely to see how they would look in this new color process. Judy would not appear in another color film until The Wizard Of Oz in 1939. Song: "La Cucharacha" (The Garland Sisters - Each sister gets a short solo in the song). It's amusing to see Judy and her sisters sing about marijuana! The video of this short is on the laser disc set "Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M" as well as the DVD of For Me And My Gal. Photo at right: The Garland Sisters perform "La Cucharacha" - detail from the lobby card promoting the short.