Judy as Rose

[Luvinbroadway]

Watched Judy Garland Duets on PBS last night...I kept thinking Judy in Gypsy would have been a thrill. Any thoughts?
Did she ever record any of the songs?

[ljay889]

She was considered for the original movie adaption.

[frontrowcentre2]

She was briefly considered by Warner Bros for the film and just think what an improvement over Roz Russell that would have been.
Sadly it never got beyond the idea stage. Warner had poured a lot of money into A STAR IS BORN and it was not as big a box office success as everyone had hoped.

[misschung]

I watched that too, what a great show. I love her somethin awful.

Interesting to have her as Gypsy. But I guess if we got A Star is Born, we can't complain, right?

[Mother's Younger Brother]

She would have been a perfect Mama Rose, and a perfect Mame.

[artscallion]

She did record "Together, Wherever We Go"
She also performed it on her televised Christmas Special with her children.

[Borstalboy]

She was also, according to one of her bio's, considered for MAME as a replacement but she was so far gone by then it was impossible.

[PalJoey]

Okay, so it's 1969. Judy doesn't die.

Instead she plays Rose, Liza plays June and Lorna plays Louise.

[Luvinbroadway]

Paljoey: Perfect!

[seymour krelborn]

I would have loved to see that!

[frontrowcentre2]

Some it slipped by all of us: On Tony Aards Sunday (June 10) she would have been 85.

It was sad they wouldn't let her play MAME but, really, how long would it have been before she staretd missing performances? Fantastic talent, and her own worst enemy.

[BigFatBlonde]

Saw an interview with Sondheim where he said that Merrick at one point tried to get Garland to replace Merman, with Liza Minnelli to take over for Louise.

Every gay boy's wet dream.. that doesn't involve a Tom of Finland model.

[hannahshule]

She would have been able to bring such an emotional power to that role!

[TheaterAddict7652]

Am I making this up, but when Judy was considered to play Rose in the movie, wasn't Liza considered to play Louise opposite her?

[misschung]

Isnt that what bigfatblond just said?

and btw - not only a gay boy's wet dream

I swear if I were alive when the two of them were in their prime, I'd have no money left in my bank account

[BigFatBlonde]

LOL!!!

Truth to tell, I'd get a little "wet" at the idea too!

[glimpseofstocking]

Judy would have been an excellent Rose. But I suppose I'm a bit biased because I think Judy would be amazing in pretty much anything.

According to a book I have, Warner actually told Sondheim, Styne, and Laurents that Judy was going to play Rose so that he could get the rights. I'm not sure how true that is though.

[bertandrew2]

Um..an improvement over Roz Russell? I'm as big a Judy fan as the next guy and she would have been great...But you can't do better than Russell. She was perfect

[BigFatBlonde]

Roz was better than most give her credit for. Especially in last third of the picture. She really gets ugly and fierce.

But one of my biggest pet peeves is that she glammed Rose up too much. Watch the Mr. Goldstone segment again. It is EARLY in the morning and Rose has coiffed hairdo that would have taken and expert forever to put together.

Rose is a vuglar woman. Roz just couldn't get past being a "lady."

[misschung]

Sophisticated mama...

[kooky]

Wow, I got all excited - - - - I thought you all meant Judy Kaye, not Garland!
On second thought Judy Kaye would be a great Mama Rose too - - what do you
think?

[n69n]

in Lorna's book, she tells about Judy taking the kids to see GYPSY.

Judy took took them to Broadway shows quite a lot & her method was to buy the cast recording first & play it at home, to get the kids familiar with the music & story before seeing the show. GYPSY was a household favorite, especially for Joey.

when they went to see GYPSY, they sat front row center, with Joey on Judy's lap (he was still very young). when the show got to EVERYTHINGS COMIN UP ROSES, little Joey lost control & began singing along, louder & louder, & Judy couldnt hush him. to make matters worse, Joey was so young he couldnt pronounce "R"s yet, so he was singing "WOSES!". Ethel, as well as the whole theater, heard him; but Ethel knew it was little Joey Luft & instead of getting mad, she cracked up laughing.

i love that story!

[glimpseofstocking]

That's one of my favorite stories from Lorna's book.

I was actually just watching the movie with Roz yesterday, and like BigFatBlonde said, she's a lot better than people give her credit for. She really does act the role well, but the singing...Eh.

[philcrosby]

Merman loved Judy Garland and if anyone was to play Rose in a film but her, I think she would have been pleased.

Even then though, the hard life Judy led was showing in her performances. If she was able to be spot on during filming she would have been maginificent. But I don't think that would have been possible at that point in her life during a long shoot.

[bertandrew2]

Ok, musicals are my life. And everyone in a musical should sing. But that just wasnt the style of the day. Who cares if Roz didnt have the best singinging voice...she's not playing Rose...she IS ROSE!!!! Has anyone see the recent thread with Gwen Verdon playing Charity on the Ed Sullivan show??? The poor dear cant sing a note to save her life but IT DOESNT MATTER! SHE IS CHARITY in the same way the Rosiland WAS ROSE! End of story.