She was one of the most beloved Broadway and film stars of the 1950s. My mother introduced me to her movies when they aired on local TV in Los Angeles. Mom adored Judy Holliday. I came to join her in that adoration. Like Mom, my favorite Judy Holliday films were BORN YESTERDAY, in which she reprised her star-making hit Broadway role and brought her the Best Actress Oscar, and the poignant comedy/drama, THE MARRYING KIND. Those two films were directed by George Cukor. On Broadway, Holliday was celebrated for her performances in BORN YESTERDAY and the musical BELLS ARE RINGING. She got to reprise that musical role in the MGM movie version of BELLS ARE RINGING directed by Vincente Minnelli.
Judy Holliday's musical talents were not just limited to singing show tunes on Broadway and in a movie. Read the opening credits of 1965's A THOUSAND CLOWNS starring Jason Robards. You will see "A Thousand Clowns" theme written by Judy Holliday and Gerry Mulligan and sung by Rita Gardner.
In 1961, Holliday and her then-boyfriend, jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, cut an album that contained a few tunes they co-wrote. Here's a trio of those tunes with Holliday lyrics.
This is "It Must Be Christmas" sung by Judy Holliday.
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