was born on June 10, 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the third child of vaudeville entertainers Francis Avent Gumm and Ethel Marion. Talent was in her blood, so at the age of two she made her debut on stage and sang “Jingle Bells”. The audience went crazy with delight, which her parents unscrupulously decided to take advantage of. In this way, she quickly joined her older sisters, with whom she began performing as the Gumm Sisters in nightclubs.
Everyone envied her success. Behind closed doors, Judy Garland was living a nightmare
However, her childhood was not a happy one, because her mother blamed Judy for the loss of her career opportunity and soon began to pursue her own unfulfilled ambitions at her expense. She constantly criticized her for every, even the smallest, mistake and demanded perfection in everything she did. The girl quickly stopped enjoying the performances and increasingly asked for more freedom. However, she could not count on this, and the despotic Ethel was ready to do anything to fulfill her plan. At one point, she even started giving her pills – before performances to give her energy, and after them to help her fall asleep faster.
The biggest one began when Judy signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which was supposed to be the fulfillment of her American dream. The 13-year-old made over 20 films in total, most of them alongside Mickey Rooney, but no one really knew what was happening behind closed doors. Her contract, which was signed by her mother, provided for the possibility of controlling every aspect of her life, and since she was already a teenager and began to mature, it became a problem for the producers. At one point they even said she was a “fat little pig with pigtails” and needed to go on a diet. This was not only restrictive, but also devastating. All she could eat was broth and black coffee, and she was required to smoke up to 80 cigarettes a day. In addition, she was constantly given drugs to suppress her appetite, which caused Judy to develop an eating disorder and become addicted to drugs.
The record company told her to lose weight. A restrictive diet was the beginning of her problems
The breakthrough in Judy’s life was undoubtedly “The Wizard of Oz”, in which she appeared at the age of 17. The producers wanted to keep her childish appearance, but they were hampered by her clearly defined breasts, so the main element of her characterization were the belts that tied her breasts, as well as uncomfortable corsets. She was also subjected to many other problems – she was required to wear, for example, dental caps and a rubber ring on the tip of her nose, which made it optically smaller. She also experienced harm from cast members who committed, among other things, harassment.
They thought they could get away with anything. They made Judy’s life miserable on set by putting their hands under her dress. These men were 40 and older
her third husband, Sidney Luft.
All the painful childhood experiences made Judy unable to find her place in adult life. She was constantly looking for approval and recognition among men, which led to her getting married five times in total. She always dreamed of a big family, and although she had three children, her first pregnancy was a nightmare for her, because her then partner and mother forced her to have an abortion. She also struggled with drug and alcohol addiction until the end of her life. On June 22, 1969, Judy Garland was found dead in her home in London. She was 47 years old at the time of her death.
Sexual violence is any unwanted sexual contact. According to UNICEF data, approximately 15 million teenagers between 15 and 19 years of age have experienced this type of violence around the world, but only 1 percent of teenagers seek help from a professional. Research shows that 80 percent Rape victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you are a victim of sexual violence, you can get help by calling, for example, the “Niebieska Linia” Telephone Clinic – 22 668 70 00 (7 days a week, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.) or the 24-hour emergency hotline of the Women’s Rights Center – 600 070 717.
If you are struggling with addiction or want to find out how you can help a loved one, you can contact the specialists on duty at these numbers:
- National Addiction Helpline (daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.): 800-199-990
- Telephone Trust for behavioral addictions (daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.): 800-889-880
- Orange line for parents of children drinking alcohol (Monday to Friday, 2-8 p.m.): 801-140-068
- National Emergency Service for Victims of Domestic Violence Blue Line (24 hours a day): 800-120-002
More information can be found on the websites
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
