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How Hollywood Destroyed Judy Garland
The dark side of the American Dream
Judy Garland is one of the most well-known performers from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
With a remarkable talent for acting, singing, and dancing, she started her career as a child. But rather than nurturing the young star, certain individuals exploited her, forcing Judy into a drug-fueled nightmare.
It’s a tragic tale and a brutal reminder of what can happen behind the curtain of the Hollywood fairytale.
A Tyrannical Mother
Judy’s mother, Ethel Marion Milne, was an ambitious parent whose determination transformed into abuse.
She forced all three of her daughters to take pills during their early performances as the Gumm Sisters. These pills boosted their energy levels, and when they couldn’t relax at night, she provided them with sleeping pills.
Knowing she didn’t have the talent to succeed herself, Ethel was living vicariously through her children, particularly Judy, who was the most talented of the three. She constantly dragged her daughter out of school and took her to auditions…
