The pre title scene is a thrilling idea that gradually cranks up the excitement levels. Judy Garland walks onto a stage, empty save for chairs and microphones that are waiting for a group of musicians. At first she sings acapella… “I hear music, mighty fine music…” She is gradually joined by Count Basie’s band who add their instruments to the song. Finally the band leader himself joins Judy who serenades him with ‘Strike up the Band’.
This episode was filmed early in the schedule and Jerry Van Dyke was still the warm up comedian and side kick for the show. He appears with Judy after the titles as does musical advisor Mel Torme. There is a short skit about Jerry joining the band to play banjo. At this point in the show Garland usually does a solo. Instead Torme takes centre stage to sing ‘Fascinating Rhythm’ and play the drums. He pulls an expression of exasperation after struggling with the final note! (Torme would reappear at other times during the series, including the Christmas episode).
Next Judy chats with Mr Basie at the organ before singing a very gentle rendition of ‘Memories of You’.
More comic schtick with Jerry followed by a performance from the show’s dancers provide some typical TV variety material. Judy Henske then comes on to sing ‘God Bless the Child’. The style is described by Jerry Van Dyke as ‘folk’ music but it sounds as though it is very much influenced by jazz. All of this serves to delay what we want to see! 30 minutes in and Judy Garland has only sung two songs!
Thankfully Basie’s band return after this lengthy hiatus and accompany Judy for Gershwin’s ‘I’ve Got my Love to Keep me Warm’. She duets with Torme for ‘April in Paris’. They appear to be enjoying themselves so much that Mel requests an encore of the last few bars.
This episode of the Judy Garland Show includes a rare performance of the host dancing with the chorus without introducing the number with a song. The dance is to ‘Soul Bossa Nova’ and Judy looks like she is having a blast. Perhaps having to learn this routine for the weekly show explains why she is absent for much of the first half of the episode. It also explains why such performances are rare throughout the series – especially if it prevents Judy from doing more singing.
Finally we reach a moment of calm. The Trunk spot starts without the strains of ‘Born in a Trunk’. Nor is there a spoken intro. Judy goes straight into the words “Our little dream castle with every dream gone…” to a lone piano. ‘A Cottage for Sale’ is one of her most memorable ballads from the entire series. It is superbly acted. Her hesitant delivery sometimes sounds like she is stifling a sob. It is quite beautiful.
An abrupt shift in mood comes as the orchestra breaks into the first few notes of ‘Hey Look Me Over’ from the Broadway show Wildcat. Judy steps from behind the trunk smiling, raising her eyebrows and gesticulating only as she does. She even slips in an ad-lib after faltering: “And just in case you think I’ll goof!” [She appears to be looking off stage – possibly at Mort Lindsey or George Schlatter].
An image from this marvellous performance made it to the lid of the Pioneer ‘trunk’ style box set.
‘Maybe I Will Come Back’ ends the show. Silent screen star Mary Miles Minter is the ‘cousin of mine’. Wherever did Judy get that from?!
The DVD of the show continues after the end credits. Judy makes comments about fluffing her lyrics due to the speed in which television is produced. She brings producer George Schlatter on stage to praise him but he deflects the applause back to her. He would later go on to make a great success producing Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in series. What a pity Judy never appeared on that show! She would appear with Count Basie again though. In concert at Philadelphia in 1968. The Judy Garland Show episode 2 has some good spots, but they are few and far between. The highlight is undoubtedly the Trunk finale of ‘Cottage for Sale’ and ‘Hey Look Me Over’.
Garland’s Gowns (Ray Aghayan):
As this was originally slated to be Show 2, this was the first instalment in which Ray Aghayan was given the assignment of designer. A DVD extra on the Pioneer Arts box set has a commentary by Aghayan where he describes Edith Head (designer for Show 1) as doing everything with “her left hand”. Whilst some of her designs are quite chic they aren’t quite as high-glamour as some of Aghayan’s later designs.
There are three variants of one costume in this show. Judy’s outfit throughout most of the programme is a sequinned waistcoat over a pale blouse, with an accompanying floor-length, black sequinned skirt. For the dance to ‘Soul Bossa Nova’ she wears the same outfit but dons leggings instead of the skirt, and a bowler hat topped with feathers. The hat disappears for the Trunk Spot.
The Judy Garland Project 