FROM THE JUDY GARLAND CLUB
The Judy Garland Club is based in London and is the oldest Judy Garland club in existence. It's also the only club approved by Judy, herself. The club also issues a wonderful club magazine. So if you're going to be in London, be sure to check out this great two-day event!

Press Release
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Announcing: Judy Garland - A Celebration

June 10th 2005 marked what would have been the 83rd birthday of the diminutive singer/actress/dancer who was alternately billed as ‘Miss Show Business’ and ‘the little girl with the great big voice’ - but who was unhesitatingly heralded, cheered and acknowledged by audiences, peers and critics as the ‘world’s greatest entertainer.’

On the weekend of June the 11th and 12th 2005 the international Judy Garland Club will be hosting a major event celebrating her life and work. Over two days Garland devotees from all over the globe will descend on London for a series of big screen film shows and presentations of rare Garland material. There will be a compilation of highlights from the best of her concert year’s television repertoire, solo and duet, in the 1960s. (Most of these performances were never broadcast in the United Kingdom.) New York Garland historian John Fricke, co-producer of the multi-Emmy Award winning, 2004 American television documentary, ‘Judy Garland: By Myself’ will recount the challenges that were encountered in bringing to the screen a new approach to the oft-told tale of Garland's life and times. His presentation will include clips of discarded segments and concepts, unused in the program before the entire two-hour documentary has its UK debut. There will be a presentation of Judy’s MGM film career, including deleted musical sequences and an exclusive preview of the new deluxe DVD of The Wizard of Oz (due for Christmas release, 2005). The Judy Garland Video Scrapbook will include seventy-five minutes of rare newsreel, home movies, and television interviews, covering the years 1935 to 1969. The majority of this material was discovered during research for ‘By Myself’ and has either never before been publicly shown or has been locked away in film vaults since its original use. The weekend will end with Judy Garland and Friend - one of Garland's rarest mid-1960s television guest appearances, in which she's partnered by one of her best friends a legendary male entertainer, which the club will be keeping as a surprise.


On top of all of this there will be champagne and refreshments, lunch options and a special celebratory wine reception on the Saturday evening.

Rainbow Review editor Gary Horrocks says: ‘This is going to be a fantastic appreciation of all things Judy. Very often her phenomenal influence and prolific out output as an artist in all forms of entertainment is lost in a morass of half-baked rumour and misinformation. This event restores Judy to her rightful place as a great entertainer and icon of the 20th century.’ The Judy Garland Club was established in London in 1963 with Judy's blessing and approval. She considered London her second home and through the Club her growing fan base continues to celebrate her life, career and legacy by promoting her films, recordings and live performances. It has an extensive international membership, holds regular meetings and publishes the widely acclaimed Rainbow Review – a journal with in-depth analysis and rare photographic coverage of Garland’s extraordinary career.

Judy’s relationship with her fans was unique. She actively embraced and appreciated her supporters and arranged for Club members to attend recording sessions, first night parties and back stage get-togethers. In 1964 Judy attended a meeting of the Club at the Russell Hotel in London and sat in the front row for a screening of one of her movies joking and making light-hearted comments throughout. Much to the joy of the crowd she stayed for five hours and sang for everybody. In 1970, the Club organized a memorial service in London exactly one year after Judy’s New York funeral. A plaque was also placed in the London Palladium, the first time such a celebratory gesture occurred at the famous theatre. In 1998 the Club arranged for a plaque and photograph commemorating Judy's 1957 Dominion Theatre success, to be placed in the Dominion’s Judy Garland Suite. The inscription described her as the ‘essence of star quality.’

The Club has many honorary members including Judy’s daughter Liza Minnelli who said: ‘I am so thrilled that the Judy Garland Club continues to honor and remember my mother. She would be so touched that her fans still cherish her great body of work.’

Venue: Weston Education Centre, King's College London, Denmark Hill SE5.

For ticket prices and further information please contact:
Ronnie Smith at: ronnie.smith@sohoclubsandbars.co.uk or call: 020 8330 3096
Gary Horrocks at: gary@judygarlandclub.org or call: 0208 299 5864

Visit the Club website at: www.judygarlandclub.org

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Saturday June 11th 2005

11.30
Doors Open - a Bucks Fizz welcome

12.00
News & Introductions

12.15
Judy…As Judy!
A compilation of highlights from the best of her concert years’ television repertoire: solo, duet and in conversation in the 1960s. Most of these performances were never broadcast in the United Kingdom.

1.45
Social hour, buffet & refreshments

2.45
The making of ‘Judy Garland: By Myself’
John Fricke, co-producer of the multi-Emmy Award winning 2004 American television documentary, recounts the challenges that were encountered in bringing to the screen a new approach to the oft-told tale of Garland's life and times. Includes clips of discarded segments and concepts proposed for but unused in the final programme.

3.30
Judy Garland: By Myself
The complete programme, as telecast in the United States on February 25, 2004. It provides an exemplary overall view of Judy's career – and on a BIG screen!

5.30
Question & answer session with John Fricke

6.00
Gala reception

Sunday June 12th 2005

11.30
Doors Open – accompanied by wine, refreshments & nibbles

12.00
News & Introductions

12.15
Judy at Metro Goldwyn Mayer
The recently released ‘dailies’ of ‘Mister Monotony,’ Garland's musical number deleted from Easter Parade - a very unique chance to experience what life was like during two days of repeated ‘takes’ in November 1947; plus: a special, exclusive preview of the new deluxe DVD set of The Wizard of oz (for Christmas release, 2005), assembled especially for the Garland Club and a celebratory ‘Get Happy’ mélange - melding the MGM footage and track, but overlaid wherever possible with home movies taken on three occasions from three angles during the 1951-52 Palace Theatre engagement in New York. This was created for but not used in ‘Judy Garland: By Myself’

1.15
A special picnic lunch served in individual hampers, with surprise gifts for half a dozen lucky winners

2.45
The Judy Garland Video Scrapbook
John Fricke narrates 75 minutes of rare newsreel, home movies, and television interviews, covering the years 1935 to 1969. The majority of this material was discovered during research for ‘Judy Garland: By Myself’ and has either never before been shown or has been locked away in film vaults since its original use. This compilation has never before been publicly shown and receives its debut at The Garland Club weekend.

4.15
Club Business – with tea, coffee and cookies

5.00 – 5.30
Judy Garland & ‘friend’
One of Garland's rarest mid-1960s television guest appearances, in which she's (sometimes) partnered by one of her best friends, another legendary entertainer. This was shown on 16 mm at a couple of Club gatherings in the 1960s but has gone virtually unseen publicly since that time.

 

10th Anniversary!

The one and only Judy Garland Database is celebrating its TENTH anniversary! Congratulations to Jim Johnson for 10 years of the absolute best Garland website ever created!

Jim has always been supportive of The Judy Room from the very beginning. I thank you Jim for all of your support and encouragement.

Be sure to check out the new pages and updates to the Database. I'm sure there will be more to come.

*And if you haven't already bookmarked the site, be sure to do so. It's an invaluable resource for all things Garland.

http://www.jgdb.com


Congratulations Jim! Here's to your continued success in the decades to come!