Per David price, "June 21, 1968 ... pictured while holding a press conference to promote her appearance as the first concert performer to entertain at the new Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ."
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
On This Day In Herstory (June 21, 1968)
Per David price, "June 21, 1968 ... pictured while holding a press conference to promote her appearance as the first concert performer to entertain at the new Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ."
My recollection of the Judy Garland appearance at The. garden State Art Center is quite vivid. As I recall I attended the opening and the closing night. The opening night was absolutely wonderful. She was on target the entire performance. The last night not so much.
ReplyDeleteBut now I am questioning my own memory. I recall that series of concerts being around ten days? From the information I am finding now it is listed as having been two night June 25 and 26. That does not jive with what I remember. I recall having trouble getting off work for the opening night. (I had to travel by train and bus from Long Island to get there. So I called in sick . Don't tell anyone please!) it took me all day and I was exhausted when I arrived. The last bus out of Holmdale left at ten and I new I was going to miss it, and I did, and I didn't care. So I hitched home. That was a real treat (but for another time)
The last night I was more fortunate and got a ride ( from the same person who I took me home).
Judy was late, drunk and then collapsed on stage. The audience dwindled out but the faithful remained for a long time but she never came back out. I was heart broken. But needless to say my memory of those nights is vivid to day the least. I just hope I'm correct and not imagining things.
Can anyone verify the actual dates of the concert? Was it possibly two separate engagements that close together ( I doubt that)
Any help would be appreciated of if anyone wants to share memories of seeing "The Worlds Greatest" ever in person I would love to share.
Murray Morrissey
Hello, I am James. My ex wife and her brother attended Judy at the Garden State Arts center. I just discovered the Garland program as I was cleaning a closet. Miss Garland was scheduled to appear Tuesday, June 25 to Saturday, June 29,1968. I do not remember which night we attended but Garland was in terrible shape, appearing as scheduled for five nights. She did not remember several of her longtime hit song lyrics and needed to stand next to the conductor who whispered lyrics to her. On singing a rousing, I think it was "Swanee," she raised her right arm high over her head, as she was famous for doing, but raised it too far back and fell on her back; the conductor assisting her up. I believe she did not appear again in the US. Traveling in Europe later she was pelted with dinner rolls, eventually dying while seated on a hotel toilet, discovered by husband Mickey Deans. The fantastic musical play starring Tracie Bennet was a sorrowful depiction of her latter life. Once again, wife and brother-in-law accompanied me to Garland's funeral in NYC. I hope my recollections are fully accurate. The e-mail attached to this tome is very faulty. I can be reached at j.melody@usa.net Call outs to Geoffrey Wheatley, Bob Wallis et al.
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