Judy Garland on Judy Garland (32 page)

In the days of the Gumm Sisters, “playing the Palace” was the dream of every vaudevillian, but by 1951 the once-sacred showplace was a dilapidated RKO movie house. Prior to her October 16 premiere, Judy participated in this interview for
Milkman's Matinee,
a popular all-night radio show on WNEW.

Art Ford:
A few years ago, we were standing outside of Loew's State's stage door. A whole bunch of kids were waiting around because a very talented young lady was making a personal appearance there. They were waiting for her autograph. We were just watching to see what was going to happen. All of a sudden, a little kid came running down the street, tearing down at about ninety miles an hour, and sort of made her way through the crowd of kids that were waiting for their autographs and said, “Gee, kids, I'm awfully sorry but I've got an awful lot to do! I'll see you after the show!” Well, of course, the little girl was Judy Garland! And she had a lot to do; she's done a lot and she's gonna do a lot more, starting October 16th. It's our pleasure to have in front of our microphone tonight, Judy Garland, to tell us about her plans for her opening at the Palace Theatre here in New York. But before we do that, I'd just like to say hi!

Judy Garland:
Hi!

AF:
How are you?

JG:
Fine.

AF:
How was London, Judy?

JG:
Oh, London was
wonderful
! It was very exciting. It was hard work, but it was certainly gratifying. The people were lovely to me.

AF:
The Palladium didn't frighten you too much?

JG:
Oh, of course it did!
[Both laugh.]
It scared the heck out of me! But it really was quite exciting!

AF:
I walked in there one afternoon when it was empty and just stood on the stage. And I know what you must have felt when you walked out and looked at that place, because I don't think I've ever seen a more frightening theater from the stage anywhere in the world!

JG:
It's
terrifying
!

AF:
It looks ten times bigger than it is!

JG:
I know, I know!

AF:
The reception that the English gave you is now a matter of record. But I'm curious to know what songs did the people in London like that you did in the show?

JG:
Well, they seemed to like the songs that I've done in pictures before. They were especially fond of “Over the Rainbow” and several other things I've done in pictures. “The Trolley Song” and “The Boy Next Door,” and those kinds of things. They have a certain nostalgia about them, you know?

AF:
Who played for you? Did you have a big pit orchestra or did you use a piano?

JG:
No, we had a pit orchestra [led by] Woolfie Philips. He's a very talented man. Then I had a pianist, too … Buddy Pepper. He was onstage with me and he was very good.

AF:
How long were you onstage at each show?

JG:
Well, about fifty-five minutes.

AF:
Wow! You had to work in London. You didn't have a vacation at all!
[Judy laughs.]
Did you see much of England? Did you do any shopping in London?

JG:
I didn't do much shopping in London, no. I was working too hard. But I did some in Paris.

AF:
How did you like Paris, Judy?

JG:
I love Paris! I think it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I think it's really a woman's town because of all those beautiful clothes and …

AF:
All those beautiful women!

JG:
And all those beautiful women, you're right!
[Laughs.]
No, I thought it was enchanting and I did adore it.

AF:
Are you gonna go back?

JG:
Yes, whenever I can.

AF:
I don't blame you. How was the food in Europe? Did you like it?

JG:
I didn't mind it.

AF:
Well, you didn't have a chance to enjoy it in London and I suppose in Paris you were too busy shopping. You've had a lot of big moments in your career, and you've had too many big moments. You've had so many big pictures and so many wonderful records, it's not even fair! And now here you come along with October 16th, which I guess is just about the biggest day of all, isn't it? Opening at the Palace Theatre, two-a-day. Those are words that might have been taken from the front page of an issue of
Variety
or a story about American show business. And I guess that if you really stop and think about it from the point of view of just plain artistry, you couldn't bring your songs and your work to an audience in a more perfect spot than the Palace Theatre.

JG:
Do you think that, really?

AF:
I think an awful lot of people are gonna be watching you that day, Judy. Not just the people in the orchestra, but all the great names of vaudeville who've played the Palace will be up there looking down and saying, “Well, look [at] that kid! How did she get there? And I bet she's having a wonderful time!” What tunes are you gonna do at the Palace? Do you know yet?

JG:
Well, I'm going to do practically the same program that I did in Europe, with a few added things. I'm going to do the tramp number from
Easter Parade,
and lots of the things that I've done in pictures, and also some added ones that people haven't heard.

AF:
What about the quick costume changes? In Hollywood you can take all the time you want for a change, but in a show like this, for example,
changing into the tramp thing, you have to run backstage and it's really show business again, isn't it? You really get to work!

JG:
Yes, yes! Well, I don't think we're going to run offstage to do that because that's too much of a stage wait. I think we're going to just dress right onstage. You can put that great big silly costume on over your dress, you know? And rather than have a stage wait, I think it's better. And also I think the audience would like the idea. It sort of lets them in on it. You don't go off and make a big mystery of it every time you change.

AF:
I understand that you're heading out to California. Is that to prepare for the appearance at the Palace?

JG:
Yes, it is. I'm leaving in a few days. And Roger Edens, who is …

AF:
Your right hand!

JG:
[Roger's] such a talented man. He's with M-G-M. And Bob Alton and Chuck Walters. They're all going to help me.

AF:
Speaking of Roger Edens, Judy, here I am on a record show, I see a record in front of me which reminds me of Mr. Edens. He was the chap, I think, who did the arrangement on “You Made Me Love You.” That sort of helped things go for you, didn't it?

JG:
Yes, that's right!

AF:
Gee, that was a wonderful record! Do you remember the time you cut it, or, rather, the time you played the scene? Was it in front of a mirror you were writing a letter in
Broadway Melody [of 1938]?

JG:
I was writing a letter in front of his picture.

AF:
Oh, Clark Gable's picture. Gee, I guess every kid that has ever heard that record and for those of us who were fortunate enough to see that picture, sort of find that that was the personification of hero worship and fan worship. I wonder if we can take time out from our interview right now to have you play, Judy, your own wonderful record of “Dear Mr. Gable.”

JG:
Well, if you can listen to it, I can!

AF:
“You Made Me Love You,” Judy.

[Plays “Dear Mr. Gable (You Made Me Love You).”]

AF:
We're auditioning a young lady disc jockey here tonight in our special salute to Hollywood. Her name is Judy Garland. Frances Gumm.
[Judy laughs.]
And that record, of course, needs no comment. And I'm sure that, as I am, many of you are very curious about Judy and her appearance at the Palace Theatre. Judy, I know that you did some dancing around the stage at the Palladium. Are you gonna dance at the Palace?

JG:
Well, as a matter of fact, I didn't dance at all at the Palladium, but I want to dance here at the Palace. I want to try to incorporate as many things as I can do … you know, comedy and a little acting.

AF:
Are you going to do a scene or a little bit?

JG:
Yes.

AF:
Oh, wonderful! Gee!

JG:
Yes, and dancing and so forth.

AF:
Do people in London and places that you go still associate you with Mickey Rooney and say, “How's Mickey, Judy?” Do they remember the Hardy series? Did that make an impression on them?

JG:
Well, I imagine they do. I don't particularly recall that, but I'm sure they do, you know.

AF:
That was such a long series and such a wonderful one. Say, how's Liza, the Judy Garland of tomorrow? How's she doing?

JG:
Liza? Oh, Liza's fine!

AF:
I hear she's one of the reasons you're heading back for the coast.

JG:
That's right! She's
wonderful
!

AF:
Did she want to go to Europe?

JG:
She
was
in Europe.

AF:
She did go to Europe. You sent her back to the coast.

JG:
Well, it was too hot here, you know.

AF:
I agree!

JG:
And she had to get back to school, too. She's a big girl now. She's a young lady. She's going to school.

AF:
What about your apartment hunting in New York? Have you found a place? Are you going to stay in a hotel, or what are you going to do?

JG:
Well, I don't know yet. I'm looking like crazy for a place to live because I expect to be here for quite some time and I don't want to stay in a hotel.

AF:
Do you do your own cooking, Judy?

JG:
My own cooking?

AF:
Do you ever cook?

JG:
Are you kidding?

AF:
[
Laughs.]
I don't know!

JG:
Not me!

AF:
Not you? [
Laughs.]
Well, I knew you were a little bit busy to be cooking.

JG:
No, I just don't know how! I've just been a real dope about it. I just don't know the first thing about it.

AF:
Well, now here's the first girl I've met to have mentioned … Most of them say, “Oh, you'd be surprised” or something if they don't cook. But here Judy just comes right out flatly and says “No!” You know, another thing, Howard Dietz was telling me a few minutes ago that this filling the last half of a two-a-day is something that has been done by very few people. I believe he said that Nora Bayes did it at the Nora Bayes Theatre, and Joe Cook did it. I suppose that it'll sort of go down as a record once you've finished this engagement. The show is divided into two parts: the act that precedes you and your part, which is the end. Is that right?

JG:
That's right.

AF:
And who's going to play piano for you in New York? The same fella you used in London?

JG:
No, I'm very fortunate. Hugh Martin is going to play piano for me.

AF:
Hey! How'd you get him to want to work that?

JG:
Well, he wanted to do it. And you know we're very good friends and he felt a certain amount of sentiment about it. And the excitement of going into the Palace. He just wanted to do that for me, and I think that's very fortunate for me because he's one of the best accompanists in the world, besides being such a fine composer.

AF:
Well, you can't kid me, I know! When you played Loew's State, you used to have Roger Edens down in the pit for you, and you just want to have a good time backstage when you're not on. You don't want to be bored, and I don't blame you. I don't see how you could be bored with this particular engagement. How long is this for? Is it two weeks? Three weeks? Four weeks?

JG:
Well, it's for
four
weeks, but with an option to go longer than that if anybody comes to see it!
[Laughs.]

AF:
I'll be there to see it! What about motion pictures now? I know that they must be calling you up every day and asking you to come and work for them. Have you been submitted any scripts to consider?

JG:
Yes, I've been delivered a lot of scripts and I do want to go back into pictures because I like them very much. I like making pictures, but I just haven't found quite the right thing. And besides that, I'm having so much fun doing what I'm doing now, you know, so I want to sort of go along with this for a while and then, when I find just the right vehicle, I'll go back and do a picture.

AF:
Well, you'd better. That's all I can say, because you've had too much fun playing to just people. You've got to reach the world again, and of course motion pictures is the way to do that. Judy, I wonder if we could play this record I have over here, which sort of is, I think, an acting record as well as a singing record.

JG:
What's that?