After appearing in Vaudeville theater with her sisters, Judy was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. There she made more than two dozen films, including nine with Mickey Rooney, and the film with which she would be most identified, "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). After 15 years, Judy was released from the studio but gained renewed success through record-breaking concert appearances, including a critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall concert, a well-regarded but short-lived television series, and a return to film acting beginning with "A Star Is Born" (1954).
Despite her professional triumphs, Judy battled personal problems throughout her life. Insecure about her appearance, her feelings were compounded by film executives who told her she was unattractive and overweight. Plied with drugs to control her weight and increase her productivity, Garland endured a decades-long struggle with addiction. Garland was plagued by financial instability, often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, and her first four of five marriages ended in divorce. She attempted suicide on a number of occasions. Garland died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 47, leaving children Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft, and Joey Luft.
Legacy
Judy Garland's legacy as a performer and a personality has endured long after her death. The American Film Institute named Garland eighth among the "Greatest Female Stars of All Time". She has been the subject of over two dozen biographies since her death, including the well-received "Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir" by her daughter, Lorna Luft. Luft's memoir was later adapted into the multiple award-winning television mini-series, "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows", which won Emmy Awards for two actresses portraying Garland (Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis).
Garland was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Several of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. These include "Over the Rainbow," which was ranked as the number one movie song of all time in the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Songs" list. Four more Garland songs are featured on the list: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (#76), "Get Happy" (#61), "The Trolley Song" (#26), and "The Man That Got Away" (#11).
Judy Garland has twice been honored on U.S. postage stamps, in 1989 (as Dorothy) and again in 2006 (as Vicki Lester from A Star Is Born).
Dear Mr. Gable
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am writing this to you
And I hope that you will read it so you'll know
My heart beats like a hammer
And I stutter and I stammer
Every time I see you at the picture show.
I guess I'm just another fan of yours
And I thought I'd write and tell you so.
You made me love you
I didn't wanna do it, I didn't wanna do it.
You made me love you
And all the time you knew it, I guess you always knew it.
You made me happy, sometimes you made me glad.
But there were times, sir, you made me feel so sad.
You made me sigh 'cause
I didn't wanna tell you, I didn't wanna tell you
I think you're grand, that's true
Yes I do, 'deed I do, you know I do.
I must tell you what I'm feeling
The very mention of your name
Sends my heart reeling.
You know you made me love you!
Aw, gee, Mr. Gable, I don't wanna bother you! Guess you got a lotta girls that tell you the same thing. And if you don't wanna read this, well, you don't have to. But I just had to tell you about the time I saw you in "It Happened One Night". That was the first time I ever saw you, and I knew right then you were the nicest fella in the movies! I guess it was 'cause you acted so, well so natural like - not like a real actor at all, but just like any fella you'd meet at school or at a party. Then one time I saw you in a picture with Joan Crawford, and I had to cry a little 'cause you loved her so much and you couldn't have her - not 'till the end of the picture, anyway. And then one time I saw you in person. You were making a personal appearance at the theatre, and I was standing there when you got out of your car, and you almost knocked me down! Oh - but it wasn't your fault! Naw, I was in the way. But you looked at me, and you smiled. Yeah! You smiled right at me as if you meant it, and I cried all the way home
Me just 'cause you smiled at me for being in your way! Aw, I'll never forget it, Mr. Gable. Honest. You're my favorite actor!
I don't care what happens, let the whole world stop.
As far as I'm concerned, you'll always be the top,
'cause you know you made me love you.
The song Dear Mr. Gable is a love letter from a fan to the famous actor Clark Gable. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a young girl who is infatuated with Gable and hopes that he will read her letter. She describes how her heart races and she stammers every time she sees Gable on the big screen. Despite feeling nervous, she musters up the courage to tell Gable how much he means to her and how he has made her love him.
The lyrics convey the innocence of a young girl's crush and admiration for a Hollywood movie star. The girl is aware that Gable has many fans and does not want to bother him but feels compelled to share her feelings with him nonetheless. She reminisces about the time she saw him in a movie and how it made her feel, and how she cried when she saw him with Joan Crawford. The song captures the magic of cinema and the power of a movie star to capture the hearts of their fans.
Overall, Dear Mr. Gable is a charming and nostalgic song that paints a vivid picture of a young girl's infatuation with an iconic actor.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear Mr. Gable,
This letter is addressed to Mr. Gable.
I am writing this to you
And I hope that you will read it so you'll know
The writer hopes that the letter reaches Mr. Gable and he understands her feelings.
My heart beats like a hammer
And I stutter and I stammer
Every time I see you at the picture show.
The writer is nervous and excited every time she sees Mr. Gable on screen.
I guess I'm just another fan of yours
And I thought I'd write and tell you so.
The writer is confessing that she is a fan of Mr. Gable and wants to express her admiration to him.
You made me love you
I didn't wanna do it, I didn't wanna do it.
You made me love you
And all the time you knew it, I guess you always knew it.
Mr. Gable has a special charm that made the writer fall in love with him, even though she didn't intend to.
You made me happy, sometimes you made me glad.
But there were times, sir, you made me feel so sad.
Being a fan of Mr. Gable had its ups and downs. It brought happiness, but also heartache when he played sad roles.
You made me sigh 'cause
I didn't wanna tell you, I didn't wanna tell you
I think you're grand, that's true
Yes I do, 'deed I do, you know I do.
Mr. Gable's greatness and charm made the writer speechless and unable to express her admiration to him.
I must tell you what I'm feeling
The very mention of your name
Sends my heart reeling.
You know you made me love you!
The writer's love for Mr. Gable is so intense that just hearing his name fills her heart with joy and excitement.
Aw, gee, Mr. Gable, I don't wanna bother you!
The writer is conscious that this letter might be intrusive or bothersome to Mr. Gable and tries to mitigate it.
Guess you got a lotta girls that tell you the same thing.
The writer is aware that she's not the only fan of Mr. Gable and that there might be other women writing letters to him.
And if you don't wanna read this, well, you don't have to.
The writer knows that Mr. Gable might not be interested in reading this letter and acknowledges his freedom to ignore it.
But I just had to tell you about the time I saw you in "It Happened One Night".
The writer wants to share a personal experience where she was struck by Mr. Gable's acting skills and charm.
That was the first time I ever saw you, and I knew right then you were the nicest fella in the movies!
The writer is recounting how her love for Mr. Gable started and how impressed she was with his personality on screen.
I guess it was 'cause you acted so, well so natural like - not like a real actor at all, but just like any fella you'd meet at school or at a party.
The writer is highlighting how Mr. Gable's acting seemed so effortless and natural and that he appeared relatable and down to earth.
Then one time I saw you in a picture with Joan Crawford, and I had to cry a little 'cause you loved her so much and you couldn't have her - not 'till the end of the picture, anyway.
Mr. Gable's ability to portray emotions on screen made the writer feel connected to his character and empathize with his struggles.
And then one time I saw you in person.
You were making a personal appearance at the theatre, and I was standing there when you got out of your car, and you almost knocked me down!
The writer shares a personal story where she met Mr. Gable in person, and he left a memorable impression on her.
Oh - but it wasn't your fault! Naw, I was in the way.
But you looked at me, and you smiled.
Yeah! You smiled right at me as if you meant it, and I cried all the way home
The writer felt acknowledged and validated when Mr. Gable smiled at her despite the accident, and she cherishes that moment.
Me just 'cause you smiled at me for being in your way!
Aw, I'll never forget it, Mr. Gable. Honest.
The writer acknowledges that a small act of kindness from Mr. Gable had a significant impact on her, and she will cherish that memory forever.
You're my favorite actor!
The writer proclaims her admiration that Mr. Gable is her favorite actor and he holds a special place in her heart.
I don't care what happens, let the whole world stop.
As far as I'm concerned, you'll always be the top,
'cause you know you made me love you.
The writer's love for Mr. Gable is unwavering, and she will always consider him the best because he made her fall in love with him.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brianpearson3540
All the studios used and abused their celebrities and chewed them up and spit them out after usefulness.
But, this was a two-fold doulble-sided coin.
Because, studios were to make movies and money quickly.
Turn around time was short, work hours were long.
There were no laws like today with 40 hour work week, lunches, breaks and no child labor laws.
Not just for the studios, but across America's labor force.
Regular American's did it to survive with little pay.
While studio celebrities were well paid.
Judy's contract, despite the hours and other requirements, was $5,000 per month.
Much like today's generation, only demands of millions per movie and less demanding work hours and requirements.
So, I dont necessarily feel sorry for them.
Even in today's World, I know no one nor does the average person bring in $5,000 a month.
But, throughout the years, labor laws have changed the way employers can work an employee fir the betterment of the worker.
@brianpearson3540
All the studios used and abused their celebrities and chewed them up and spit them out after usefulness.
But, this was a two-fold doulble-sided coin.
Because, studios were to make movies and money quickly.
Turn around time was short, work hours were long.
There were no laws like today with 40 hour work week, lunches, breaks and no child labor laws.
Not just for the studios, but across America's labor force.
Regular American's did it to survive with little pay.
While studio celebrities were well paid.
Judy's contract, despite the hours and other requirements, was $5,000 per month.
Much like today's generation, only demands of millions per movie and less demanding work hours and requirements.
So, I dont necessarily feel sorry for them.
Even in today's World, I know no one nor does the average person bring in $5,000 a month.
But, throughout the years, labor laws have changed the way employers can work an employee fir the betterment of the worker.
@galenstone9097
MGM used her up and threw her away. Godspeed for one of the greatest entertainers to ever live.
@Wackedout
I adore her talent. It's hard to watch clips knowing what she encountered in that industry as a child!
@LanLe-rz4lm
Thank her primary handler, her heartless mother, who made it all possible.
@MaskedMan66
Except that she was far from "used up," and she quit.
@MaskedMan66
@@Wackedout Only as an adult.
@galenstone9097
@@MaskedMan66 GFYS
@SteffiReitsch
A gifted natural talent. You can't teach this.
@SteffiReitsch
@Miraak Indeed. Her daughter Liza inherited a variation of her mother's great singing voice, but she looks like the old man, Vincent Minnelli.
@SteffiReitsch
@Miraak And then look a Vincent Minnelli's pictures. Liza's got his face as a female. But she got lucky and got a variation of Judy's voice. Judy's other daughter, Lorna Luft , looks like HER dad, Sid Luft. Lorna can sing pretty good herself , although not in Liza's class. Lorna's much prettier, however. Lorna's also funny and entertaining. Here's Lorna singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiqzU_kYGdU
@briansetpente1019
Nobody could sing this beautiful song quite like Judy Garland before I lost my 😇 8,yrs ago the theme park in Disney world heard I loved Judy Garland I sang this song to my wife on our honeymoon thank you Judy❤️