Editing Judy Garland (section)

===1935–1938: Early years at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer===
[[File:August-8-1935-at-superior-court-contract-approval-Al-Rosen-as-rep.webp|thumb|Garland in 1935]]
In September 1935, [[Louis B. Mayer]] asked songwriter [[Burton Lane]] to go to the [[Orpheum Theatre (Los Angeles)|Orpheum Theater]] in downtown Los Angeles to watch the Garland Sisters' vaudeville act and to report to him. A few days later, Garland and her father were brought for an impromptu audition at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in [[Culver City, California|Culver City]]. Garland performed "[[Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart]]" and "Eli, Eli", a [[Yiddish]] song written in 1896 and regularly performed in vaudeville.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Neibaur |first1=James L. |title=The Films of Judy Garland |date=2022 |publisher=McFarland|page=4}}</ref> The studio immediately signed Garland to a contract with MGM, presumably without a [[screen test]], though she had made a test for the studio several months earlier. The studio did not know what to do with her; aged thirteen, she was older than the traditional child star, but too young for adult roles.<ref>{{cite book |title=Get happy: the life of Judy Garland |last1=Clarke |first1=Gerald |publisher=Dell |isbn=978-0-307-55633-2 |chapter=Chapter 5: The Men of Her Dreams |date=November 11, 2009 }}</ref>
[[File:Portrait photo of Garland circa 1936.png|thumb|Garland in a publicity photo for ''[[Pigskin Parade]]'' (1936)|235x235px]]
Her physical appearance was a dilemma for MGM. She was only {{convert|4|ft|11+1/2|in|cm|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} and her "cute" or "[[girl-next-door]]" looks did not exemplify the glamorous persona then required of leading female performers. She was self-conscious and anxious about her appearance. Garland went to school at Metro with [[Ava Gardner]], [[Lana Turner]], [[Elizabeth Taylor]], "real beauties", said [[Charles Walters]], who directed her in a number of films. "Judy was the big money-maker at the time, a big success, but she was the [[The Ugly Duckling|ugly duckling]]&nbsp;... I think it had a very damaging effect on her emotionally for a long time. I think it lasted forever, really."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Judy: Impressions of Garland |url=http://imdb.com/title/tt0813809 |series=Omnibus |air-date=1972}}</ref> Her insecurity was exacerbated by the attitude of studio chief Mayer, who referred to her as his "little hunchback".{{sfn|Wayne|2003|p=204}}

During her early years at the studio, she was photographed and dressed in plain garments or frilly juvenile gowns and costumes to match the "girl-next-door" image created for her. They had her wear removable [[Crown (dentistry)|caps]] on her teeth and rubberized discs to reshape her nose.{{sfn|Frank|1975|p=73}}

On November 16, 1935, 13-year-old Garland was in the midst of preparing for a radio performance on the ''[[Shell Chateau]]x Hour'' when she learned that her father had been hospitalized with [[meningitis]] and his medical condition had taken a turn for the worse. He died the following morning at age 49, leaving her devastated.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Her song for the ''Shell Chateau Hour'' was her first professional rendition of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart", a song that became a standard in many of her concerts.{{sfn|Clarke|2001|p=58}} Garland performed at various studio functions and was eventually cast opposite [[Deanna Durbin]] in the musical short ''[[Every Sunday]]'' (1936). The film contrasted her vocal range and swing style with Durbin's operatic soprano and served as an extended screen test for them, as studio executives were questioning the wisdom of having two girl singers on the roster.{{sfn|Clarke|2001|p=73}}[[File:Garland in Thoroughbreds Don't Cry trailer.png|thumb|Garland in the ''[[Thoroughbreds Don't Cry]]'' ''trailer'' (1937)|265x265px]]Garland's first feature-length film was a loan-out to Fox titled ''Pigskin Parade'', a football-themed musical comedy, where she was billed tenth after [[Stuart Erwin]], [[Jack Haley]], [[Patsy Kelly]], [[Betty Grable]] and others. Garland sang three solos, including "The Texas Tornado" and "The Balboa".{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}[[File:Rooney-Garland-ebay-1938.jpg|thumb|Garland and [[Mickey Rooney]] in a publicity photo for ''[[Love Finds Andy Hardy]]'' (1938)]]Garland came to the attention of studio executives when she sang a special arrangement of "[[You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)]]" to [[Clark Gable]] at a birthday party that the studio arranged for the actor. Her rendition was so well regarded that she performed the song in the all-star extravaganza ''[[Broadway Melody of 1938]]'' (1937), when she sang to a photograph of him.{{sfn|Edwards|1975|p=47}}

MGM hit a winning formula when it paired Garland with [[Mickey Rooney]] in a string of what were known as "backyard musicals".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/displaylegacy.php?ID=9718 |title=dOc DVD Review: Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland Collection (Babes in Arms/Strike Up the Band/Babes on Broadway/Girl Crazy) (1939–1943) |publisher=Digitallyobsessed.com |date=April 1, 2009 |access-date=April 3, 2010 |archive-date=September 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910001136/http://digitallyobsessed.com/displaylegacy.php?ID=9718 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The duo first appeared together as supporting characters in the [[B movie]] ''[[Thoroughbreds Don't Cry]]'' (1937). Garland was then cast in the fourth of the Hardy Family movies, ''[[Love Finds Andy Hardy]]'' (1938), as a literal girl-next-door to Rooney's character Andy Hardy, although Hardy's love interest was played by [[Lana Turner]]. They teamed as lead characters for the first time in ''[[Babes in Arms (film)|Babes in Arms]]'' (1939), ultimately appearing in five additional films, including Hardy films ''[[Andy Hardy Meets Debutante]]'' (1940) and ''[[Life Begins for Andy Hardy]]'' (1941).{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Garland stated that she, Rooney and other young performers were constantly prescribed [[amphetamine]]s to stay awake and keep up with the frantic pace of making one film after another.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bertram|first=Colin|title=Judy Garland Was Put on a Strict Diet and Encouraged to Take "Pep Pills" While Filming 'The Wizard of Oz'|url=https://www.biography.com/news/judy-garland-pills-diet-wizard-of-oz|access-date=November 27, 2021|website=Biography|date=December 10, 2020 |language=en-us}}</ref> They were also given [[barbiturate]]s to take before going to bed so they could sleep.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Judy Garland: By Myself |series=[[American Masters]] |air-date=February 25, 2004}}</ref> This regular use of drugs, she said, led to addiction and a life-long struggle. She later resented the hectic schedule and believed MGM stole her youth. Rooney, however, denied their studio was responsible for her addiction: "Judy Garland was never given any drugs by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Mr. Mayer didn't sanction anything for Judy. No one on that lot was responsible for Judy Garland's death. Unfortunately, Judy chose that path."<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Lion in Winter |series=MGM: When the Lion Roars |credits=Stewart, Patrick (host)}}</ref>

Garland's weight was within a healthy range, but the studio demanded she constantly diet. They even went so far as to serve her only a bowl of chicken soup and black coffee when she ordered a regular meal.<ref name="Petersen">{{cite book |last=Petersen |first=Anne H. |author-link1=Anne Helen Petersen |title=Scandals of Classic Hollywood |date=2014 |publisher=Plume (Penguin) |isbn=978-0142180679 |location=New York City |pages=157–78 [164, 166–69] |chapter=10. Judy Garland: Ugly Duckling}}</ref> She was plagued with self-doubt throughout her life; despite successful film and recording careers, awards, critical praise and her ability to fill concert halls worldwide, she required constant reassurance that she was talented and attractive.{{sfn|Clarke|2001|pp=135–36}}