THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Ethel Merman
metalman091 — 12 years ago(March 09, 2014 03:13 AM)
Judy, Ethel Merman and Barbra Streisand. A historical moment on THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW.
Judy was a supporter of Barbra Streisand's and wanted her on the show. Streisand had triumphed at the Grove, and Judy, who went to see her, was blown away by her. But she was one of the few who were impressed, and Judy was not pleased with the way they dismissed Streisand's talents, but felt that if she could get Streisand on the show the public would would see how talented she was.
In January 1969, six months before her death, Judy revealed that it was she and not Mel Torme who came up with the idea to pair 'Happy Days Are Here Again' and 'Get Happy' as a duet between her and Barbra, as Judy recalled during an appearance at the National Film Theatre in London, "The Velvet Smog was supposed to arrange all of the songs for whatever guests came on, and he was constantly fighting with his wife." Judy went on to say that Torme was absent because of the squabbles with his wife. Judy was not aware that Streisand hadn't gotten any music written for her to sing their duet.
Judy continues, "I was driving home by myself [thinking], I can't find Mel Torme and I can't read music. But she was famous right then for that one record, 'Happy Days Are Here Again' and I once did a version of Harold Arlen's 'Get Happy' at a slow tempo. I don't know how to read music, in the first place or play the piano. [I'm really hopeless, but I've been getting away with it.] So I went home, and there was a great big piano, and I was sitting in the living room, trying to figure out and I [started to sing] 'forget your troubles' and it all worked out very well."
Judy and Barbra respected and loved working with each other. In 1991, Streisand remembered her duets with Judy as "Sheer bliss," and defined Judy as "miraculous soulful devine." Judy always brushed off comparisons between her and Streisand. Judy remained a champion of Streisands' until her death.
There were some tensions, however. Streisand alienated some of the cast and crew. Some saw her as "kooky", while Jerry Van Dyke saw her as rude as he recalled, "I'll never forget this. I said, 'I'm a big fan of yours.' I just said it because everybody else was saying it. And she said, 'Yeah, you, too, huh?' She wasn't very nice to me. She didn't impress me. Except her singing with Judy."
Mort Lindsey says about the duet, "Judy gave a lot more to Barbra than Barbra gave back to her, I feel, but perhaps it was because Barbra was so young. Barbra is very self-confident, but she is there with Judy- two legends. I noticed Judy giving so m5b4uch, and Barbra was looking at the camera and not reacting. Judy was always generous that way. It was her show, she wanted it to happen, but she could sense that this girl wasn't giving back."
Ethel Merman also made a surprise appearance on the show. Singing a few bars of 'You're Just In Love', Ethel would then rise and join Judy and Barbra onstage. The "Three Belters" would then sing 'There's No Business Like Show Business.' After that, they would banter about Streisand's next "big thing" [FUNNY GIRL on Broadway].
Judy and Ethel had been friends since the late 1930s. As Merman wrote in her 1978 autobiography, "Judy was a pal of mine. I often visited in her home when I was in Hollywood. Anyone who knew her only through the headlines must have thought her personal life was hell. 'Poor soul,' people would say. Poor soul nothing. Judy had a wonderful sense of humor. There might have been quite a lot of melodrama in her life, but what saved her was that she always saw the funny side of her troubles. There was a wide streak of the clown in her. Judy was a very thoughtful girl. Over the years, I seldom made an appearance that I didn't receive a congratulatory telegram from her on opening night- when she didn't show up in person."
A previous commitment following her concurrent taping of a Red Skelton program ["Across the Hall"] forced Ethel to beg off from socializin1c84g with Judy after their "Tea For Two" segment, as was explained in a letter;
"Dear Judy
I'll call you as I had to leave- had a date made and couldn't very well get out of it. You look great and it was a "gas" being with you and Barbara [sic]
Much love Ethel" -
metalman091 — 11 years ago(December 20, 2014 12:03 AM)
Judy with Ethel Merman and Mae West
http://chamblee54.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/judy-garland-mae-west-et hel-merman.jpg?w=720&h=447
Judy and Ethel Merman were close friends since the late 1930s. Merman appeared twice on Judy's television series and dismissed the inaccurate myth that Judy was a tragic figure.
Judy and Merman were penciled in for an appearance together in the aborted SAY IT WITH MUSIC. It was rumored that Judy would be one of several dozen stars who were to make cameo appearances in IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD which featured Merman.