cover image Rainbow's End: The Judy Garland Show

Rainbow's End: The Judy Garland Show

Coyne Steven Sanders. William Morrow & Company, $22.95 (416pp) ISBN 978-0-688-09088-3

The last major effort of Judy Garland's career was the Judy Garland Show , which aired on CBS for 26 weeks in 1963-64. Its commercial failure has often been attributed to the star's insecurity, her problems with substance abuse, and her difficulty in dealing with the pressures of producing a weekly series. In this well-researched, objective work, TV journalist Sanders portrays Garland as a demanding individual but blames the network for the show's demise. He describes network infighting and monumental ego battles and provides almost minute-by-minute details of how each show was put together. Garland fans will appreciate Sanders's senstive yet straightforward treatment of this troubled superstar--and look forward with interest to the release of the shows on videotape. Photos not seen by PW. (Nov.)