1951 - 1960 Timeline


At the London PalladiumIn 1951, Judy Garland began the next phase of her career which would come to be known as "The Concert Years." After leaving MGM in 1950, Judy Garland was considered "washed up" in Hollywood at the tender age of 28. But this would not prove to be the case. Less than a year after the split with MGM, Judy turned to her roots in the theater and became a sensation. First she was called "Miss Show Business" then "The World's Greatest Entertainer." Audiences around the world saw a new, mature Judy. Her voice was full and strong like never before. Critics, peers, and audiences alike all showered her with accolades and adjectives reserved only for the most legendary of performers. She was compared to Al Jolson and Sarah Bernhardt, among others, and she thrilled the world again and again with her singing and phenomenal stage presence.

When Judy unexpectedly lost the Oscar for her great film comeback in A Star Is Born everyone in Hollywood was so shocked that she was inundated with telegrams and phone calls and personal visits of "condolences." To this day her loss is considered the biggest injustice in Academy history.

But Judy's greatest triumphs were on the stage. Judy brought Vaudeville back to the Palace Theater, she earned the highest ratings of the day for her television debut, and audiences came back again and again to experience the unique magic of Judy Garland in person. She became a true living legend, the likes of which we will probably never see again.

During this period Judy gave literally hundreds of concerts, appeared on television numerous times, recorded albums for Columbia and Capitol Judy records, and also appeared on radio.

For more information about Judy's recordings, check out The Judy Garland Online Discography.

Follow this link to listen to, and download, Judy Garland radio performances.

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DATE

EVENT
1/1/51
Judy performs "Stars And Stripes Forever" on the "Hollywood Party" radio show (date approx)
1/30/51
Judy performs "I'm In Love With A Wonderful Guy" on the NBC radio show "The Bob Hope Chesterfield Show"
2/7/51
Judy performs "You Made Me Love You" on the CBS radio show "The Bing Crosby Show"
2/11/51
Judy performs "You And I" on the NBC radio show "The Big Show"
2/27/51
Judy performs on the CBS "Red Cross Fund Program"
3/21/51
Judy performs "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life?" (w/Bing Crosby) on the CBS Radio show "The Bing Crosby Show"
4/5/51
Judy arrives in England to prepare for her first comeback at the London Palladium
4/9/51
Judy opens her new show at the London Palladium. The show is performed twice nightly with Wednesday & Saturday matinees. "New songs" included in the show are "Here I Am" and "Love Is Sweeping The Country" - others on the bill are Max Bygraves, The Debonairs, & Big Bill.
4/9/51
After her show is over, Judy goes to see Kay Thompson's opening night at the Café De Paris
5/12/51
Closing night at the London Palladium
5/21/51
Judy performs her show in Glasgow & Edinburgh, Scotland through May 28th
6/10/51
Judy's 29th birthday
6/25/51
Judy returns to the Palladium for a "midnight matinee"
7/1/51
Judy performs her show in Dublin, Ireland - through July 8th at the Theatre Royal.  She sang many Irish tunes at this engagement including "It's A Great day for The Irish", "The Wearing of the Green", "Nellie Kelly I Love You", "Danny Boy", and "A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow".  She did 12 encores the first night. The reviews were great and Dublin loved her.  She gave interviews and mentioned her Dublin roots through her maternal Grandmother. (detailed info provided by Carl Von Ohsen)
7/21/51
Judy performs at the tribute to Sid Field at the London Palladium
8/7/51
Judy sails home to New York
8/28/51
Judy's agents announce to the public that she will bring back Vaudeville to the Palace Theater
10/16/51
The legendary Palace Theater opening - show will run for 19 weeks and breaks all box office Judy records for the Palace Theater
11/11/51
Judy collapses backstage at the Palace after the Sunday matinee
11/16/51
Judy returns to the Palace
11/27/51
Judy receives a silver lifetime membership card from all seven theatrical unions of the American Federation of Labor during a special luncheon in her honor
2/24/52
Closing night at the Palace Theater
4/21/52
Judy performs her show at the Philharmonic in Los Angeles
5/21/52
Judy performs "Mean To Me," "When You're Smiling," "When You Wore A Tulip" (w/Bing Crosby), and "Sound Off For Chesterfield" (w/Bing Crosby & Ken Carpenter) on the CBS Radio show "The Bing Crosby Show"
5/26/52
Judy performs her show at The Curran in San Francisco
6/4/52
Judy performs "You Made Me Love You", "Hello Ma Baby" (with Bing Crosby), "In My Merry Oldsmobile" (with Bing), "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (with Bing), "In My Merry Oldsmobile" (comedy version, with Bing), "You're Just in Love" (with Bing) and "Over the Rainbow" on the CBS Radio show "The Bing Crosby Show"
6/8/52
Judy marries Sid Luft
6/10/52
Judy's 30th birthday
6/29/52
Judy becomes the second woman to be honored by the Friars Club during a formal testimonial dinner
10/24/52
Judy is saluted in a Friar's Roast at the Hollywood Masquers Club
10/30/52
Judy performs "You Belong To Me," and "Wish You Were Here" on the CBS radio show "The General Electric Program"
11/15/52
Judy joins Sammy Davis Jr. at a benefit for the San Bernadino Community Hospital
11/21/52
Judy gives birth to daughter Lorna
1/1/53
Judy performs in the CBS "Lux Radio Theatre" version of "Lady In The Dark"
1/5/53
Judy is devastated by the news of her mother's death
2/16/53
Judy performs "This Is New," and "My Ship (Has Sails That Are Made Of Silk)" on the CBS radio show "The Lux Radio Theatre"
2/27/53
The Valley Theater in Lancaster, CA is destroyed by fire. This is the theater that Judy and her sisters learned their craft in during the late 1920's & early 1930's
4/3/53
Judy records four singles for Columbia records: "Without A Memory," "Send My Baby Back To Me," "Heartbroken," and "Go Home Joe" - this was Judy's only work for Columbia aside from their later release of the A Star Is Born movie soundtrack
4/29/53
Judy headlines the new "Bluegrass Festival" (celebrating Derby Week) in Lexington, KY
6/10/53
Judy's 31st birthday
8/22/53
Judy records "Gotta Have Me Go With You" for the film A Star Is Born
9/1/53
Judy records "Here's What I'm Here For," "It's A New World," Someone At Last," and "Lose That Long Face" for film A Star Is Born (date approx)
9/4/53
Judy records "The Man That Got Away" for the film A Star Is Born
10/12/53
Shooting begins on Judy's return to films in A Star Is Born
10/21/53
"The Man That Got Away" is first filmed for A Star Is Born in Widescreen & CinemaScope. Judy is wearing a pink blouse and the entire set up and atmosphere of this version is completely different than what will eventually be seen in the finished film. It is after this that Judy's husband Sid Luft (who is a co-producer) and Warner Bros studio boss Jack Warner decide to scap nearly 2 weeks of shooting and begin the film again in CinemaScope.
10/27/53
"The Man That Got Away" is filmed again, this time in a couple of different versions using a different set up and costume for Judy (a brown dress)
Feb-54
The final version of "The Man That Got Away" is shot, with yet another different dress for Judy and set-up and atmosphere for the entire sequence.
6/10/54
Judy's 32nd birthday
7/29/54
Principal photography finishes on A Star Is Born
9/29/54
A Star Is Born premiere at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood
3/8/55
Judy receives "Best Actress" from "Look" magazine for A Star Is Born - she would receive the same honor from the "Film Daily's" poll and from "Box Office", as well as the Golden Globes
3/29/55
Judy gives birth to son Joey exclaiming "I've already got my Oscar"
6/10/55
Judy's 33rd birthday
7/8/55
Judy performs her show in San Diego, CA
7/9/55
Judy performs her show in San Diego, CA
7/11/55
Judy performs her show in Long Beach, CA
7/11/55
Judy performs at the Municipal Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA
7/14/55
Judy performs her show in Eugene, OR
7/15/55
Judy performs her show in Portland, OR
7/16/55
Judy performs her show in Portland, OR
7/17/55
Judy performs her show in Seattle, WA
7/18/55
Judy performs her show in Seattle, WA
7/19/55
Judy performs her show in Vancouver, British Columbia
7/21/55
Judy performs her show in Spokane, WA
8/25/55
Judy records "Over The Rainbow," "A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow," and the medley of "You Made Me Love You," "For Me And My Gal," "The Boy Next Door," and "The Trolley Song" for the Capitol records Album "Miss Show Business" - Judy's first of many albums under her new recording contract with Capitol Judy records
8/29/55
Judy records "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby," "Judy At The Palace Medley," and "Carolina In The Morning," for the album "Miss Show Business"
8/30/55
Judy records "Danny Boy" for the album "Miss Show Business"
9/1/55
Judy records "This Is The Time Of The Evening/While We're Young (with the "Hi-Los") and "Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe" for the album "Miss Show Business"
9/24/55
Judy makes her television debut in a shortened version of her Palace act on the CBS show "Ford Star Jubilee"
9/26/55
"Miss Show Business" is released by Capitol Judy records
12/26/55
Appears on the "Tonight Show"
3/19/56
Judy records "April Showers," "I Feel A Song Coming On," and "Dirty Hands, Dirty Face" for the album "Judy"
3/26/56
Judy records "Just Imagine," and "Memories Of You" for the album "Judy"
3/27/56
Judy records "Lucky Day," "Maybe I'll Come Back," and "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" for the album "Judy"
3/31/56
Judy records "Come Rain Or Come Shine," "Last Night When We Were Young," and "Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries" for the album "Judy"
4/8/56
Judy appears on television again in a 30 min show for the "General Electric Theater"
6/10/56
Judy's 34th Birthday
7/16/56
Judy's Las Vegas debut at the New Frontier Casino/Hotel
9/26/56
Opens a new 8 week run at the Palace Theater in NY
9/26/56
Judy returns to the Palace Theatre
10/10/56
Capitol records album "Judy" is released
1/1/57
Judy records "It's Lovely To Be Back In London" for Capitol Judy records - the single has a limited release (date approx)
1/8/57
Closing night for Judy's second Palace Theatre run
2/6/57
Judy records "Me And My Shadow," "Little Girl Blue," "How About Me," and "I Get The Blues When It Rains" for the album "Alone"
2/22/57
Judy records "By Myself," "Mean To Me," "Among My Souvenirs," and "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" for the album "Alone"
3/1/57
Judy records ""Just A Memory," "Blue Prelude," and "Happy New Year" for the album "Alone" (date approx)
5/1/57
Judy performs at the Flamingo Casino/Hotel in Las Vegas, NV
5/6/57
Capitol Judy records Album "Alone" is released
5/30/57
Judy performs at the Riviera in Detroit, MI
6/10/57
Judy's 35th birthday - also Judy performs at the Dallas, TX State Music Fair
9/16/57
Judy performs at the Loew's Capitol Theater in Washington, DC
9/26/57
Judy performs at the Mastbaum Theater in Philadelphia, PA
10/15/57
Judy records "It's So Lovely To Be Back Again In London" at the St. Johns Wood Studios
10/16/57
Judy performs at the Dominion theater in London, England
10/16/57
Judy returns to London for a run at the Dominion Theatre
11/16/57
Last night of Judy's show at the Dominion Theater
11/18/57
Judy is presented to the Queen at the Royal Vairety Show at the London Palladium. Judy sang "Rockabye Your Baby."
12/26/57
Judy performs at the Flamingo Casino/Hotel in Las Vegas, NV
3/26/58
Judy performs at the Town And Country Theater in Brooklyn, NY
5/11/58
Judy performs at Minnesota's Centennial Celebration (her home state)
5/19/58
Judy records "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart," and "Day In, Day Out" for the album "Judy In Love"
5/26/58
Judy records "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "More Than You Know," "I Hadn't Anyone Till You," and "I'm Confessin'" for the album "Judy In Love"
6/1/58
Judy records "This Is It," and "I Concentrate On You" for the album "Judy In Love"
6/10/58
Judy's 36th birthday
6/17/58
Judy records "Do It Again," "I Am Loved," and "Do I Love You?" for the album "Judy In Love"
8/6/58
Judy performs at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, CA - the concert is released on LP by Capitol records
9/4/58
Judy performs at the Orchestra Hall in Chicago, IL
10/1/58
Judy performs at The Sands Casino/Hotel in Las Vegas, NV
10/24/58
Judy is saluted at a special dinner in her honor by the Hollywood Masquers Club
11/3/58
Capitol records releases the mono version of the album "Judy In Love"
1/15/59
Judy begins recording the Captiol Records theme album "The Letter"
1/15/59
Judy completes recording the Captiol Records theme album "The Letter"
2/16/59
Capitol records releases the stereo version of the album "Judy In Love"
2/17/59
Judy performs at the Fontainbleau in Miami, FL
4/28/59
Judy performs in Baltimore, MD
1/4/59
Capitol Records releases the album "The Letter"
5/11/59
Judy performs at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York
6/1/59
Judy performs at the Chicago Opera House in Chicago, IL
6/10/59
Judy's 37th birthday
7/1/59
Judy performs at the San Francisco Opera House in San Francisco, CA
11/18/59
Judy enters the Doctors Hospital in New York for treatment of hepatitis. She's told that she will never work again as she will become a "semi-invalid" but once again Judy comes back to beat the odds!
1/1/60
Judy signs Freddie Fields & Associates to be her new agents (date approx)
1/5/60
Judy leaves the Doctor's Hospital in New York after her bout with hepatitis
4/1/60
Judy records her vocals for the film Pepe including "That Faraway Part Of Town" (date approx)
6/8/60
Judy records the songs "If I Love Again," "How Long Has This Been Going On?," and "It Never Was You" for the album "That's Entertainment"
6/9/60
Judy records the songs "Who Cares?" "Puttin On The Ritz," "Just You, Just Me," and "Down With Love" for the album "That's Entertainment"
6/10/60
Judy's 38th birthday
6/17/60
Judy records the songs "That's Entertainment," "Old Devil Moon," "I've Confessed To The Breeze," "Alone Together," and "Yes" for the album "That's Entertainment"
July 1960
Judy performs with Frank Sinatra in a $100 a plate fundraiser in Los Angeles for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign
Late
July 1960
Judy gives press conference for Capitol Judy records, at EMI Studios, Manchester Square, London. At this time, Judy rents Carol Reed's house in Kings Row, Chelsea, where she will reside with Sid, Liza, Lorna & Joey
7/31/60
Gives phone interview to Lorna Smith from her Westbury Hotel in London
8/2/60
Judy is in London and Judy records the songs "Lucky Day," "Stormy Weather," "Do It Again," and "Chicago" for what will come to be known as "The London Sessions" - these sessions take place at the St. Johns Wood Studios. A few of the tracks are released on Capitol's compilation album "The Garland Touch" in 1962. The entire sessions are released in 1978 on the double album "Judy In London" then finally released on CD in the box set "The One And Only" in 1992.
8/3/60
Judy records the songs "Swanee," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "I Happen To Like New York," and "Why Was I Born" for "The London Sessions"
8/4/60
Judy records the songs "Com Rain Or Come Shine," "San Francisco," "The Man That Got Away," and "Over The Rainbow" for "The London Sessions"
8/5/60
Judy records the songs "You Go To My Head," "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby," "Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe," and the Medley of "You Made Me Love You, "For Me And My Gal," and "The Trolley Song for "The London Sessions"
8/8/60
Judy records the songs "The Palace Medley," "It's A Great Day For The Irish," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," and "After You've Gone" for "The London Sessions"
8/28/60
Judy returns to the stage at the London Palladium - this will be her first "solo" concert. The song lineup is similar to that of her Carnegie Hall performance as well as most subsequent concerts
9/4/60
Judy does her show again at the London Palladium
10/7/60
Judy performs at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris
10/26/60
Judy performs for 7 nights at the Olympia Theater in Paris. The performances are later released on the CD "Judy Garland a Paris"
10/31/60
Capitol records releases album "That's Entertainment"
12/1/60
Judy performs at the St. Johns Ambulance Benefit at the London Palladium
12/10/60
Judy performs In Amsterdam, Holland - subsequently released as"The Legendary Amsterdam Concert" on CD




Judy Garland Books
For even more detailed timelines, check out Scott Schechter's fantastic book "Judy Garland The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend." This book is not a "biography" but exactly what the title says: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of Judy's life. With access to the Arthur Freed archives in the UCLA Library, as well as a multitude of other sources, Scott picks up where The Judy Room timelines leave off - and provides even more detailed information than you'll find here. Nice pictures too. For people who enjoy raw data this is the book for you! - Click here to purchase.
Click here for more information about Judy Garland books.

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