"You've got only one life to live, so make it a hell of a ride." (Judy) "What good is sitting alone in your room?" (Liza) Judy and Liza were the greatest, most colorful, and most tragic mother-daughter saga in show biz history. They live, laugh, and weep again in the tear-soaked pages of this remarkable biography from the entertainment industry's most prolific archivists, Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince. They've compiled a compelling "post-modern" spin: As MGM's tap-dancing Ann Miller predicted, "It's unlikely that the world will ever see the likes of these two ever again." According to Liza, "My mother--hailed as the world's greatest entertainer--lived eighty lives during her short time with us." Their memorable stories unfold through eyewitness accounts of the typhoons that engulfed them. They swing across glittery landscapes of euphoria and glory, detailing the betrayals and treachery which the duo encountered almost daily. There were depressions "as deep as the Mariana Trench," suicide attempts, and obsessive identifications on deep psychological levels with roles that include Judy's Vicky Lester in A Star is Born (1954) and Liza's Sally Bowles in Cabaret (1972). Lesser known are the jealous actress-to-actress rivalries. Fueled by klieg lights and rivers of negative publicity, they sprouted like malevolent mushrooms on steroids. As Judy faded into the 1960s, Liza roaringly emerged as a star in her own right. "I did it my way," Liza said. She survived the whirlwinds of her mother's drug addiction with a yen for choosing all the wrong men in patterns that weirdly evoked those of Judy herself. Their story includes tantalizing details about their husband and father, the acclaimed director, Vincente Minnelli, famous for his steerage of schmaltzy classics (Meet Me in St. Louis, Gigi, and An American in Paris). Judy complained that her lipstick-wearing husband spent more time in bed with Gene Kelly than with her. For millions of fans, Judy will forever remain the cheerful adolescent (Dorothy) skipping along a yellow brick road toward the other side of the rainbow. Liza followed her down that hallucinogenic path, searching for the childhood, the security, and the love that eluded her. Judy Garland, an icon whose memory is permanently etched into the American psyche, continues to thrive as a cult goddess. Revered by thousands of die-hard fans, she's the most poignant example of both the manic and depressive (some say "schizophrenic") sides of the Hollywood myth. A recent film portrayal by Ren e Zellweger helped promote and perpetuate her image. Deep in her 70s, Liza is still with us, too, nursing memories of her former acclaim and her first visit as a little girl to her parents at MGM, the "Dream Factory," during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Categories:

• History
  • Historical Study & Educational Resources