Judy Garland Valley of the Dolls Complete tests

[wseabuck]

Sorry Judy, "Broadway doesn't go for booze and pills".

[BHW722]

Reeeally! You don't know what you're talking about. This was JUDY GARLAND. Therein lies the difference.

[one4all1000]

To think if she hadn't been fired for turning up drunk she would have played alongside Sharon Tate. Two icons of different era's in one movie!

[joeyjosephs]

@one4all1000 she didn't get fired for showing up drunk, she would show up perfect in the AM the director would keep her in he dressing room until the late afternoons and by then she wasn't in good shape. she was insecure and he didn't go out of his way to make her feel a part of the movie, and then they fired her

[rasputin63]

can you imagine making Judy audition... for anything?

[one4all1000]

@rasputin63 This wasn't an audition it was wardrobe tests.. To see which of the clothing sets they were going to use. As in which carries better on film.

[egogo816]

The director made Judy wait all day before shooting her scenes knowing that she would be upset and drunk...PUNKS!!...It would have been great to see her in Valley of the Dolls...I mean come on listen to her version of I'll Plant My Own Tree!!!

[julesreverie]

Judy playing Helen Lawson would have been exactly like Gloria Swanson playing Norma Desmond, in the end it was a good thing Judy didn't play Helen Lawson for it would have ruined her legacy like Norma Desmond ruined Gloria Swanson's legacy.

[darlinkula1]

In an interview with Patty Duke she said that 6 months after Judy was fired from Valley Of The Dolls she bounced back by playing Carnegie Hall. Patty was in attendance on opening night and when Judy came on stage she was wearing the Valley Of The Dolls costume from this video. Patty didn't say whether it was the beaded evening suit or the white evening gown.

[Snazzynovelistdude]

@darlinkula1 think it was the suit cos there is a clip of her somewhere with it on!

[edwardjames50]

@darlinkula1 ~ It was the beaded paisley-patterned jumpsuit, the one that Susan Hayward wore in the ladies' room scene in the finished film. There was no time to redesign costumes for Hayward, so they made a new wardrobe for her from Travilla's original designs for Judy. This "poor victim of Hollywood" stole all of her "VOTD" costumes and wore them onstage in concert until her death. Some pro.

[Kasbahkabaret]

Damn, what a STAR!

[etienne818]

To Judy's eternal credit (in my humble opinion) goes the thought that she NEVER lost her grand sense of humour - ever! This had to be the frosting on that cake called "humilation!". Judy was trying to earn a buck (God, the IRS was unrelentless - they never let up (!) Geez, wasn't there that ongoing US war to fund (?) for Chris-sakes, and THEY wanted their pound of flesh! So there she was - scared and unsure - so wanting to be "Garland," but not sure that she could still pull it off.Blessings!

[BHW722]

@etienne818 I agree. The government should have paid Judy or at least forgiven her tax debt after all the joy and entertainment Judy brought to our troops and the American public. She was the greatest talent this country has EVER produced!

[one4all1000]

@BHW722 Oh don't be ridiculous.. There are parents out there struggling to bring up children every day and pay their taxes. Are you saying they are less worthy of a tax brake? It's something we all have to pay. I feel for what happened to her, she was used by many people, but that doesn't mean she is more worthy than anyone else.

[poorlittlerichiegirl]

With all her issues, she's still so charming and charismatic here.

[bananabasket]

Pardon me, but I do get the giggles.

[TheAdelaidehall]

Love Judy...but the makers of the Valley of the Dolls movie were just out to exploit her name. She was miscast. She couldn't play that tough old bitch Helen Lawson, and it seems to me Judy was always gonna be fired to generate publicity for the movie, after all, Susan Hayward (and if not Susan, some other great Hollywood star) was waiting in the wings to step into Helen Lawson's shoes. Poor Judy, she was being exploited and she knew it. Glad she got out in time.

[keithholman2]

@TheAdelaidehall I agree that Judy Garland was being totally exploited in the movie. Her character Helen Lawson's nemesis - pill popping, alcoholic Neely O'Hara, played by Patty Duke, was in fact supposed to be based on Judy Garland! You have to wonder if Judy had any inkling while reading the script! She refused to come out of her trailer for most of the 2 weeks she was on the set, could not remember her lines because of her substance abuse issues and then was fired from the movie!

[62chucky]

Whew, smh. A GREAT actress, singer, dancer, performer.....gone way too soon! Here she is so small and obviously under influence of pills on this screen test. I wished she could have lived longer, would love to have seen her in good health and reaching 70 yrs old or so, ya know? She was the best!

[damone77]

Thank you so much!@ I've never heard the sound on this. This is such a nice xmas treat

[hmaltravers]

Judy would have been a great Helen Lawson.

[LBraunhaus]

@chrissen1...you are so right! You simply don't get any bigger- period. (In my opinion, however, she soldiered through it- she just couldn't take it anymore...)

[chrissen1]

Who the fuck r u ppl-she was not just some actress from that period-she was the BIGGEST star IN THE WORLD! No one was bigger, not Hope or Crosby (maybe Cary Grant) but he couldnt sing-she could go nowhere in the world she was not adored & recognized, when your the biggest STAR n the world with such talent/success yeah you tend to go a little crazy but because of the times she lived in (No Betty Ford) you either found a way to soldier through it or you didn'tt. She didn't (but almost did)...

[crooner27]

Lord, she is charming. I do think it's interesting how many people know just how high she was, her med intake and what drink she just finished. If you take away what you think you know about her you' can't help but see a bright, pretty and funny performer who like other stars then and now, could use some fattening up.

[frickadele]

Hollywood is a beautiful blonde with dirty underware.

[Shaft577]

@frickadele Yep U R so right My Friend :-)

[frickadele]

@Shaft577

You must have been in UnHollywood.

ANYONE .... whom admires celluloid ex whores......

are the same types of people....

who admire celluloid whore politicians.

The media is a brainwashing network.

You know what? The best thing?....

to do is watch NO TV or MOVIES.

[ljr3000onforesthill]

Thank you so much len in toronto. See u in the movies. :)+>

[2dasimmons]

She was a real singer, in my opinion the best I've herd in European-style musicals and the best European/American singer.

[pinkydogbear]

Poor Judy, sad scene, sad movie!

[VTMCompany]

why do i always feel she's so old, old, old when chronologically she really isn't old at all?

[millers3888]

@VTMCompany Drugs, smoking and drinking will do that too, especially when you've been doing it for 20 years or more. But I truly believe there is no celebrity in the past or present that I believe did more physical damage to herself at such a young age then Lindsay Lohan. Talk about losing your looks...

[rees276]

I think it would have been sad to see Judy play this part. Susan Hayward seemed stronger - it was just a role (which she played superbly) but for Judy to appear as a fading star would have been upsetting.

[bervy8]

She looked good.

[sglynch]

what a lot of nasty and judgemental people find an outlet for their vindictive and ill informed opinions here on youtube. simply revel in this little, very brave woman's unmatched talent!

[lildeanturbonc]

THANK YOU!THANKYOU!I just love these old costume wardrobe tests ! The way costumes were made back then are a dying art in hollywood !Some of these type costumes were turned out in a day or two ,simply amazing !

[sptfgpn]

did she really smoke?

[rileyrossi]

btw, i love Judy and her movies, music etc. but unfortunately she had a disease and people keep saying that she didn't.Judy liked her life the way it was - despite all of her problems, she lived a very happy life and she was always bubbly and vibrant if she was able to be.

[rileyrossi]

unfortunately what most people don't realise is that many times people tried to help judy get off the pills and later the drink - and that she tried herself many times to kick the habit but each time she still turned back to the pills simply because the temptation was always there and they had been a part of her life for so long that no matter how hard anyone of the people who loved her tried, they could not help her for very long

[getoutofmyway01]

poor, sweet woman,  she never hurt a soul.

[RAG1060]

Judy Garland was fired from Valley.. she was too drunk and incoherent, and had to be replaced. Sad.

[tapeduk]

The date was 4-14-1967

[Ranlon]

How perfect she would have been in that film and how absolutely ungrateful hollywood was, the lack of respect they showed her.

[collenekennedy]

Gee Wiz', Judy Garland even has star quality showing clothes in a wardrobe test. What a star, what a presence, what a gift to all of us!

[lilgiggler35]

in the beginning judy was forced to take the pills first for weight loss then to keep her going on the set during long takes then more pills to get her to sleep. it's a vicious cycle that unfortunately was common in hollywood when the studios controlled the stars. then one day you wake up and find that you need more and more pills and you cant stop and the studios didnt want you to because it kept you in line .......usually

[townhall05446]

She seemed so at ease in these tests, it's hard to believe what an emotional wreck she was about appearing in the movie.

[devmonbar]

Funny! Someone asked if she wanted coffee, she was like, "no thank you." She preferred a Dirty Vodka Martini.

[devmonbar]

Wow, this is great, but I am glad Susan was casted.

[reseirs]

She looks similar to what a meth addict looks like here. She definitely was in no condition to do a feature film. I'm sure "missing practice" was just an excuse the studio gave. She was a wreck here, and her body was way too emaciated to present nicely. If I was the head of MGM and saw that screen test, I would say no thanks.

[Dexie78]

@reseirs I agree! Judy had been starved by Benzedrine and Dexedrine. I figure she was probably on Seconal or Amobarbital here. Or maybe a Seconal/Nembutal combo with a Percocet chaser.

[Shaft577]

I can't stand Hollywood for what they did to you

you will always be our sweetheart Judy

[TDog14126]

@Shaft577 oh, please! Nobody put a gun to her head to drink n take pills

[Shaft577]

@TDog14126

I know Bro but some people get so sick that it takes something greater that their self to help them and not take advantage of the sick and suffering. We are so post to pray for the sick and suffering not pray on them.

[rclark231]

@Shaft577 I totally agree, what Hollywood did to this sweet talented women is unforgivable

[CrudelyAnimated]

@Shaft577 She did it to herself. Seriously, people gotta take responsibility for their own mistakes. For every Judy Garland there are dozens of other stars from her generation who did not end up like her.

[edwardjames50]

@Shaft577 ~ "Hollywood" didn't do anything to Judy that it doesn't do to everybody else. Judy was her own worst enemy, and I'm sick of people moaning about "poor, poor Judy". As one of her coworkers once said, "Everyone at MGM got pills, but Judy LIKED them."

[Shaft577]

I can't stand Hollywood for what they did to you

you will always be our sweetheart Judy

[Dexie78]

Judy, God bless her is obviously on a barbiturate of some kind, but I don't think she'd taken more than maybe double or triple the Rx dose (given her addict-like tolerance, double/triple dose wouldn't be out of line for her) b/c in the beginning she's still pretty coherant, but definitely drugged. Regardless, she would never have pulled this role off the way Susan Hayward did, IMO. I think SH was perfect for this type of role. They exploited Judy for press coverage - I agree w/ Patty Duke.

[windstorm1000]

Looking at these tests I am struck that Judy's like the American version of Edith Piaf! They could have been twins. Little brown sparrows! We can't call this mega talent a 'brown sparrow' cuz Edith's got that sobriquet. Another bird? our "yellow canary"--no that's bad. CAn anyone think of one?--has to be a bird. I am impressed by Judy's vitality and beauty--and in spite of her obviouis fragileness--she looks fine, vivacious and in good spirits. Wish she could have kept it going.

[ginger1961]

She did look lovely here, even if she appeared too thin in the last costume. I also saw some of the MGM Judy here. I love Susan Hayward's performance, and I think Judy would have been good, but her vulnerabilty always showed, and I think Susan was the better choice for the part.

[dmnemaine]

I was amazed at how beautiful Judy Garland looks in these wardrobe tests. There were a couple of times when it was like seeing the 1940s Judy.

[sfden50]

she's really pretty here

[NFitalianGuy]

At 2:34 we see one of Judy's most recognizable costumes, the Paisely Pants suit. It looked great in the movies when Travilla the designer who did many of Marilyn Monroe's costumes at Fox when he made a copy of it after Judy took that & the white pants suit w/her after she was let go from the picture.Judy Wore those 2 outfits in someof her 1967 -69 concerts Most notably the 1967 Palace concert. She wore the white one when she appeared for the 1st time on The Tonight Show in the summer of '68.

[rlmack5]

Goodness ... all the nonsense one has read over the years about how these tests showed her looking "ghastly" and clearly incapable of the little filming to be completed ... when we now see that she in fact seems to have stepped straight out of one of her 1940s MGM films. Beautiful and completely coherent. (I sure hope the next time I'm simply offered a coffee it's not because someone thinks I'm "flying"! Lucky to have avoided such trash! Keep bringing on the proof that dispels years of lies.

[Fiftiesflashback]

Lucille Ball was one of the most powerful and richest women in Hollywood. She was know throughout the world, had done it all and had it all. She once stated that she, herself, was not particularly funny, but had wonderful writers. She only wished she could have been a natural talent like Judy Garland.

[NFitalianGuy]

She was 4'11 & they say when she died she was like 70lbs. But you can get a glimpse of the Judy we used to see from her MGM days. She was a Classy lady when those in charge, treated her with respect and stopped wringing her talent out like a sponge. Why did they keep pushing her up to the brink all the time. I am sure using your voice and singing as powerful as she did for a tiny lady, we would all crack under the pressure even the healthiest bodies have their limits.

[ilovejudytoo]

she was so tiny

[JubalCalif]

@ilovejudytoo

I second that emotion! I never realized she was so petite & birdlike at that time until I saw this footage! Susan Hayward was OUTSTANDING in the movie...but how groovy it would have been to see Judy as Helen Lawson!

[TDog14126]

@JubalCalif oh, please! Nobody put a gun to her head to drink n take pills

[JubalCalif]

@TDog14126

Huh? I think you meant your comment for someone else. I NEVER said anyone forced Judy to take the pills that she took during her life, much less put a gun to her head. I would never say such a thing. When you post a reply to a comment, please make sure you're sending it to the correct person. THANKS. Have a nice day.

[TDog14126]

@JubalCalif u blamed hollywood for what happened to her. my comment was meant for you. you can't blame hollywood. she willingly got high and drunk. maybe YOU need to slow down when reading something.

[TakeMeBackTo1986]

@JubalCalif She reminds me of an American EDITH PIAF! Petite and full of grace and charm like Edith! XD

[etrax2000]

she looks recently lifted or rather scraped.

[BerlinLynn]

2:33 This is the outfit she "kept" & used when appearing in concert shortly after this debacle; she had no clothes by this point. I feel for her. She didn't have the inner strength to stave off the addictions, as others did (Mickey Rooney, etc; Happy recent 90'th, b.d., Mickey, BTW). M.R's natural, unending ENERGY kept him going w/out chemical assistance; Judy had neither that, nor his big ego (great for surviving in Hollywood AND Life!). It's a miracle that she's still alive here. R.I.P.

[NFitalianGuy]

@BerlinLynn Mickey was on those Uppers & downers too and if you noticed his extremely high energy wasn't natural & many have said that he was always "ON" even when the cameras stopped rolling. Robin Williams is like that. He is too high strung to watch on a talk show. It's like, "Dame Robin, take it down 20 notches!" Mickey a very short man, must have had a huge ego especially marrying women like Ava Gardner & fooling around with Lana Turner.

[evangar]

:22-1:22 She was flying. "You want some coffee? How 'bout some coffee?" confirmed it.

[batman4oz]

I actually have an 8mm sound film of this that is longer, but can't find anyone to transfer it, as it is in CinemaScope and needs an anamorphic lens that no one seems to have!!

^^X^^

[maxie102]

thank you i love judy



[ScrapNfight]

She would have been all wrong for the part. She didn't have that tough broadway iron veneer that the character needed. She's too much the girly girl.

[vhsstillok]

She would have been all wrong because nobody wanted to see Dorothy be a bitch.

[ARTHURJADAMS]

There is no sound towards the end. I would love to here what Judy was saying to the crew.

[BerlinLynn]

@ARTHURJADAMS Me, too! It is sad that, by this point, Judy could not function without Ritalin, yet another of those drugs that everyone at first thought was "harmless"!