JUDY GARLAND DOPED WHILE DOING WIZARD OF OZ

One of my all time favorites. The Wizard of Oz. Even at 84, love it!

It was this day in 1939 the Wizard of Oz was first shown on a movie screen. Its debut. Opened at theaters around the country.

A tough film for Judy to make. A grueling experience.

Hollywood moguls wanted to make every penny out of a film being done by a star such as Judy. Time was money. There was a schedule. Required to be adhered to!

Judy was encouraged to use stimulants to keep her working and sleeping pills to ensure her rest. A hell of a combination!

By 17, Judy was already addicted to barbiturates and amphetamines.

Thinness was another problem. Judy a short girl. Just under 5 feet. Her size made her look a bit overweight even when she was not. So the studio constantly had her on a diet.

She had to be thin and energetic.

The drugs were a problem all her life. She died from an accidental overdose in 1969 at age 47.

Mickey Rooney had certain similar experiences. When he and Judy made a movie together, they were taken to the studio hospital, given sleeping pills, and waken at the same time. They slept in separate beds in the same room.

When sleep time was over, they were given stimulants so they could return before the cameras to work.

In spite of the glory, a tough life!

A little Key West.

On this day in 1984, Truman Capote died. His most famous novel In Cold Blood.

Capote spent close to a whole year in Key West in 1968. He came to vacation in Key West for a short period. Liked Key West and its people so remained.

He decided to stay at David Wolkowsky’s Pier House Motel which had just opened. Later the first day, David invited Capote for a drink where he resided at the time. A trailer on the grounds of the new Pier House. David’s living quarters during the construction.

Capote liked David’s trailer and its furnishings. He told David he wanted to stay there rather than in the motel. David said no. The trailer was his residence. A couple of drinks later and some interesting chat, David agreed. Capote would sleep in his trailer and he in Capote’s motel room.

Capote had a fun year in Key West. Wrote a novel while here. “Answered Prayers.” He gave David one of the draft copies of the manuscript. Years later when David was residing in Penthouse on top of Fast Buck Freddie’s, someone stole it. Never recovered.

This morning’s Citizens’ Voice had an interesting comment. In effect and paraphrased, the comment stated were a person to live long enough he/she would have to worry about being caught “holding a plastic straw.” No longer a joint!

Times do change!

Key West has a new resident. Lucas. A 9 month old Dalmatian. The Key West Firefighters adopted Lucas from a Dalmatian Rescue in South Florida.

The new parents and Lucas are doing well.

We are in the midst of the hurricane season. The next couple of weeks the most dangerous.

Dorian is out there. At the moment, a storm of little consequence. Forty miles an hour. Small in size. Five hundred miles east of the Barbados.

Too soon to project with certainty whether it will develop further and where it will go. Time however to let people know a problem could be on the way.

The experts say we will know by next tuesday whether a tropical storm. By wednesday, whether a hurricane.

Where it will land, no one knows yet. At the moment heading northeast. Its path over south Florida. Could be over the keys. The thought is it will turn before it hits shore and get lost in the hurricane graveyard in the north Atlantic.

Immediately behind Dorian is another. Not sufficiently intense to have a name as yet. Meteorologists  will know in 48 hours what it will be. Probably a tropical depression of sorts. The next day things could change rapidly. Presently projected as havng a 90 percent chance of increasing to a hurricane.

Too soon to tell the direction it will take.

One of the better known and worst hurricanes was Andrew which hit land this day 1992. Homestead, Upper Keys, and the Ocean Reef area.

A category 5.

Wiped out Homestead.

I drove through Homestead 3 weeks after Andrew hit. The main highway had not been affected. Never saw anything like it. Every house and building down. An occasional wall left standing. Looked like a nuclear bomb had wiped the community out.

Brought tears to my eyes.

Came across a small article this morning. A pre-school classroom in St. Petersburg. Affiliated with the Allendale United Methodist Church.

The classroom in question containing 2 year olds.

Someone shot a bullet through the window. No one hurt. Probably why it is not a big deal. Should be however. These shootings have to stop. The President and Republican Senators have to do the necessary. Pass appropriate legislation.

The St. Petersburg Police Chief reported the bullet appeared to have been a stray one. Went through the window. Died when it hit the window’s curtain. Landed on the windowsill.

Harry Truman loved Key West. Key West loves Harry Truman.

Eleven visits to Key West during his Presidency. A total of 175 days.

Truman was a tough guy. Grew up on a farm. Did farm chores. U.S. Army during World War I. A failed retailer. Politician.

A U.S. Senator. Respected. His hard working and honesty recognized.

His tough attitude when a decision had to be made one of his better attributes.

The most difficult probably the decision to order the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Another of a different flavor, so to speak, Truman’s ordering the U.S. Army seize control of the railroads. The railroad workers and their tough unions were threatening a strike. A strike was not in Truman’s game plans. He was busy rebuilding Europe. He had recently ordered U.S. troops into Korea. His plate was full. A major railroad strike not in the cards.

Truman issued an Executive Order placing control of the railroads under the U.S. Army. The Army controlled the railroads for 21 days. Truman was successful in avoiding a rail strike at a time one was not prudent.

When I think of Truman and the railroads, I think about Reagan and the air controllers. Both Men knew they were President, understood the power of their office, and were not afraid to exercise it.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

One comment on “JUDY GARLAND DOPED WHILE DOING WIZARD OF OZ

  1. Want shootings to stop? Here is one way to reduce gun violence. When a FELON is stopped for an unrelated crime and is in possession of a firearm, almost always the gun charge is thrown out. Reason being is the gun possession charge would almost always result in an automatic prison sentence. By throwing out the gun charge the “do gooders” feel the prison system isn’t getting overfilled. The criminal is eventually released on some form of probation and is free to shoot up the streets another day! Charge the gun crime and let the felon go to prison! It’s not the entire solution but throwing out the gun charge is a bigger issue than you realize.

    Lou, glad the site is back, hole you are doing well. Sloan, thanks for
    all your help!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *