DVD Tuesday: The Judy Garland Show

It’s another slow week for fans of classic television. The only notable release is Infinity’s The Judy Garland Show, Vol. 2. The first volume was released on July 28th of this year. Both volumes contain two complete episodes from the 1963-1964 musical-variety series. All 26 episodes have been released on DVD in the past but are out of print. Another release, The Judy Garland Show – Holiday Special, will come out on October 22nd.


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3 Replies to “DVD Tuesday: The Judy Garland Show”

  1. “THE JUDY GARLAND HOLIDAY SPECIAL” was actually the December 22, 1963 “Christmas show”. Today, the entire series appears “special” to most people because TV itself is different from when her CBS variety series originally aired in the 1963-’64 season. There were at least 13 variety shows airing on the three major networks that fall (Judy appeared right after “THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW” on Sunday night, opposite the #1 series at 9pm[et], NBC’s “BONANZA”), and hers got “lost in the shuffle”, despite the great guest stars that appeared, as well as the “one-woman concerts” Judy performed near the end of the series. It also didn’t help that Judy was “erratic” due to her fondness for alcohol, and marital problems with her husband/producer Sid Luft. Judy Garland was just never meant to be a variety show hostess….

  2. I absolutely treasure this series, and purchased the box sets containing ‘The Judy Garland Show’s episodes and rehearsals about a decade ago when they came out on DVD. Mr. Grauman is correct that her series was lost in the shuffle back in 1963, averaging a mere 14.6HH. While that was competitive with ABC’s ‘Arrest and Trial’ at 14.8HH, both series were absolutely crushed by ‘Bonanza’s mighty 36.9HH. CBS, while pleased with the artistry and reviews for the series, were not at all pleased with the ratings as they had reportedly ponied up $24 million for the series rights, a princely sum in those days.

    There reports across the media today that the owner of the broadcast/digital rights is auctioning them via Royalty Exchange this Saturday for a starting bid of $1 million. In what has to be the deal of the century, some sage broadcaster could acquire the entire series for perpetual broadcast (Saturday nights) for a mere $38,500 per episode…and still retaining all digital rights to DVDs, on-demand, on-line streaming.

    If only I could write a cheque for a million dollars!

  3. If “The Judy Garland Show” had been scheduled in almost any other timeslot other than Sundays from 9 to 10 P.M. (ET/PT), it likely would have been a huge hit.

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