The Real Woman

“Something that I love to do is talk about a woman that I’ve always adored. I never tire of it, and we’ll always talk about Judy. I can give lectures on what kind of human being she was-and the talent she was.” – Mickey Rooney [1994]

"EVERYBODY SING was a light, sophisticated musical comedy- and Judy was a delightful child. I fell in love with her, and I taught her all the dirty tricks a leading man could do, so that she'd be prepared. Because I knew this girl was going to have a great career. And she never forgot it. Whenever we went to a party, and she was there or came in, she'd run over and throw her arms around me and kiss me and thank me. This went on for years." - Allan Jones

"The story was light, and it was played lightly. I was Judy's mother [the first of a long career of 'Mothers for Metro']... and working with her was sheer joy. She was warm and affectionate and exuberant... and, even then, belted out her songs with more emotional quality than any fourteen-year-old[sic] should have. She was [also] young and vital and got the giggles regularly. You just couldn't get annoyed, because she couldn't help it-it was no act. Something would strike her funny, and her face would get red, and 'There goes Judy!' would be the cry. And we just had to wait until she got over it. She was a kid, a real kid.... During the picture, I went riding one Sunday and took a bad fall from my horse and was laid up in the hospital for a couple of weeks. When I returned, I had a gimpy walk; I did scenes where I didn't have to walk. But the gimpy walk was all Judy needed; 'I'm sorry, mom, but you just look so funny!' And there would go Judy." - Mary Astor [1971]



"We spent almost every Sunday afternoon at L.B. Mayer's beach house. It was sort of a command performance. I think people wanted to go, but those who didn't want to felt they pretty damn well better, anyway1 But I used to love it there because he would run movies- he'd always run movies in the living room- and there I would sit and hold hands with Judy Garland... because Judy and I were very much in love. I may be phrasing that in the wrong way. I certainly was in love with Judy." - Freddie Bartholomew [1991]

"All the little people thought very highly of Judy because they knew she had been in the theater and had already worked for so many years as a singer. She treated all the little people as troupers and, shall we say, in the same category as herself. There was never any feeling of being above or below; we were all part of the game. And whenever there was a break in the action, she would chat with us very amiably. My most treasured possession is a personally autographed picture, on which she wrote, 'To Meinhardt; a perfect coroner and person too. Love from Judy.'" - Meinhardt Raabe [1993]




"She [Judy] was so sweet- a darling. Everyone was enchanted by her." - Jack Haley



"From the moment she walked on the soundstage, there was no question she was a star. I think she knew it too, yet [when the work was a strain, there was] never a complaint, never a murmur." - Billie Burke




"Oh, I just adored her. Judy was an absolute darling, a warm human being and very professional. In the scenes between her and me, you see fear and distress in her eyes. Judy was just a young girl when she made that film. But there was a ladylike quality about her. Judy was one of the happiest people on the set, too. She was cooperative and fun. We chatted while we were in-between scenes. Judy was excited about her part in this picture. I think she realized it was going to be a wonderful thing in her career, as well. Everybody on the set loved her. She was busy, as she had to attend school with a tutor during filming. She was just a darling and sweet person. She was a true sixteen-year old. Not like some sixteen-year olds who act as if they were sixty." - Margaret Hamilton




"I had great admiration for Judy both as a person and a performer. Judy had a magic quality, a special presence. She liked to have fun, but once the cameras were rolling she was serious and dedicated. You'll read stories about difficult Judy became to work with. But I never saw any evidence of that and I made two pictures with her. She was always so respectful of her fellow performers and the technicians. We never had any problems with her, and she never had any problems with us." - Ray Bolger




"Judy was such a doll, a lovely person. She was as lighthearted a person as I've ever met and she was in seventh-heaven making the picture. You hear stories about her. But I never saw any of that. She was a lovely, happy young girl with impeccable manners. She was a wonderful person and it was a great pleasure working with her." - Jack Haley