Old Radio

October 26, 1935: One this date, a talented twelve-year-old girl by the name of Judy Garland attracted audiences with her voice when she sang for the first time on Wallace Beery's NBC show. Judy would soon become headline news and a famous star. This was only four years before Ms. Garland (George Jessel gave her that name because he thought it would be better than her real name, Frances Gumm) would amaze movie lovers everywhere with her performance in The Wizard of Oz as Dorothy. Frances Ethel Gumm, better known as  Judy Garland    was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in 1922. Her parents were vaudevillians who settled in Grand Rapids to run a movie theater for other vaudeville acts. George Jessel encouraged the group to choose a more appealing name after "Gumm" after it was met with laughter from the audience when they performed at the Oriental Theather. By late 1934, the Gumm Sisters had changed their name to the Garland Sisters. Frances changed her name to &q