VIDEO: Happy Birthday Judy Garland

Today is the birthday of entertainer Judy Garland, she would have been 88 years old.

Everyone loves a tragic diva, and her death on June 22, 1969 is the stuff of legend. Some historians say because of the sorrowful atmosphere of her death, many LGBT people reacted violently when police raided the Stonwall Inn, a gay bar run by the mob in New York City on June 28, 1969.

It’s considered the first instance in American history when gay people fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities. It’s seen as the defining event that marked the start of the modern gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

Here is the rehearsal footage and the final show for one of her last appearances at the Hollywood Palace.

Before:

After:

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 10th, 2010 at 2:22 pm and is filed under Culture & Style, Music, People. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.