Judy Garland passed on this day in 1969
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Namely those frailties which surface involving relationships and drug abuse. She was the archetypal actress/superstar of her era and I was on the tail end of that time.
Judy Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm and grew from a singer, vaudevillian and dancer with the Gumm Sisters to an international star for both musical and dramatic roles.
She was also a recording artist and received many awards throughout her lifetime and she enjoyed the acclaim and esteem for the bulk of her rapidly waining years.
Struggles associated with her personal life plagued her early on and she likely was given bad self image from film executives who had the audacity and unmitigaged gall to voice that they considered her unattractive.
Her issues ran the gamut from owing back taxes through various and sundry other financial and interpersonal instabilities which impeded what could have and should have been a wonderful life with a public who adored her.
She turned to alcohol and other substance abuse and passed in London from an accidental barbiturate overdose on June 22, 1969. She was a mere 47 years old.
Still, when she crosses my thoughts I have flashbacks of her singing "Over the Rainbow" and I wish her life had worked out more in her favor instead of those with whom she surrounded herself.
Rest in peace.