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“Get Happy! 100 Years of Judy Garland” Exhibition at The Ebell of Los Angeles This Weekend

The exhibition “Get Happy! 100 Years of Judy Garland,” featuring costumes and memorabilia, will be exhibited on the stage of the Wilshire Ebell Theatre this weekend only.

 

A collection of rare costumes and iconic Judy Garland memorabilia, entitled “Get Happy! 100 Years of Judy Garland,”  will be exhibited this weekend, June 11 and June 12 at The Ebell of Los Angeles, on the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre stage, as part of the centennial gala celebration of Garland’s birth and reveal of a new fragrance inspired by Garland. The gala event is private but the costume exhibition is open to the public.

“We are proud to partner with Scott Hedley and John Thomas of the Gene London Cinema Collection to present “Get Happy! 100 Years of Judy Garland,”” said Stacy Brightman, Executive Director  of The Ebell of Los Angeles. “Our historic arts, education and civic engagement campus that includes the 1,238-seat Wilshire Ebell Theatre was the place where Ms. Garland was “discovered” while performing in vaudeville with her sisters.”

Vintage poster advertising vaudeville acts at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre is part of the exhibition.

According to the legend, George Sidney, an MGM producer, described the first time he saw Judy Garland (then known as Baby Frances Gumm) as: “There was a theater here in Los Angeles called the Wilshire Ebell…They used to put on vaudeville acts on certain nights of the week. This little girl came out with her two sisters and her mother playing the piano. She did a little number with a baseball bat. We took her out to the studio and made a test on a soundstage…” And the rest is history!

Curated by Scott Hedley and Co-Produced by John Thomas of the Gene London Cinema Collection, the exhibit features a collection of costumes, vintage posters, and memorabilia, many of which have never been available for public viewing- until now.  Hedley is a passionate collector how has spent years assembling and conserving the collection, making it a must see for Judy Garland fans or film fans who want to learn more about this amazing actress and her influence on Hollywood, theater, and fashion.

Hedley told the Buzz many of the items in the exhibit have never been seen before, including newly restored original movie posters, scripts, call sheets, rare audio recordings, and a blouse from The Wizard of Oz (1939) worn by Margaret Hamilton’s double, Betty Danko, while filming the flying sequences.  The blouse has been stored in a box for years before Hedley acquired it.

One of the most historic pieces in the exhibit is Garland’s famous “lucky jacket” that she wore on her concert tour and at her infamous “Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall” performance.

“That evening is considered as the greatest night in show business history,” said Hedley. “This jacket is just as important as the Ruby Slippers or Dorothy’s gingham dress from “The Wizard of Oz.”

This weekend is the first time Hedley’s collection, which he has been assembling for years, will be shown to the public. Hedley has also personally conserved many of the pieces as well as preparing the mannequins to display the costumes.

According to Hedley, Garland stood 4′ 10 1/2″ tall and her weight fluctuated her entire life so many of the costumes are different sizes. Mannequins her size were impossible to find and since each costume is a different size, Hedley hand carved each form to fit the costumes.

The worldwide debut of the exhibit coincides with the launch of a perfume at a gala at The Ebell on Friday, June 10 marking the Garland’s 100th birthday. Hedley was thrilled to partner with The Ebell to extend the exhibit over the weekend so the public could see his collection.

“For those who were lucky enough to see Ms. Garland in person, I want this exhibit to remind them of their time seeing her perform live,” Hedley told the Buzz. “For those like myself who have only been able to see her work on film, I hope that these costumes can bring her movies to life. And for anyone who hasn’t seen one of her films, I hope this exhibit will expose them to an incredible talent who just by the nature of who she was, shaped so much of American culture as we know it.”

The exhibit is open on Saturday, June 11 and Sunday June 12, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Wilshire Ebell Theatre, with limited availability and timed entry reservations required. $10 Suggested Donation.  Click here for tickets and more information and to make reservations.

About The Ebell of LA: The Ebell of Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization, founded 127 years ago by a handful of bold women to educate and uplift women. Today, our mission has evolved to advancing all Angelenos through education, arts and culture and philanthropy. Throughout the year we present programs at our historic campus featuring some of our finest artists, scholars, scientists, business innovators, and political leaders. We partner with other community organizations, and through all our projects our members still work to inspire and empower women, perhaps most notably through more than 100 years of awarding of scholarships to students and providing grants to charities that help at-risk women and children in the Los Angeles community.

Safety and Health Protocols: The Ebell of Los Angeles requires all members and guests to be fully vaccinated and up to date to attend in-person programs. “Fully vaccinated and up to date” is defined as having had a primary series of vaccinations plus a booster (if eligible) and being at least two weeks past the booster dose. Guests must bring ID and proof of vaccination to every event to enter. Special accommodations will be made for those who have a medical or religious exemption. For those requiring a medical or religious accommodation, please contact [email protected] in advance of attendance.

 

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Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard is the publisher of the Larchmont Buzz. Patty lives with her family in Fremont Place. She has been active in neighborhood issues since moving here in 1989. Her pictorial history, "Larchmont" for Arcadia Press is available at Chevalier's Books.

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