Judy Garland got her start in films not at MGM as most people assume, but years before when she was 7 years old. When sound films became the rage in the late 1920's, the studios cranked out shorts that featured known and unknown stage acts. Kiddie acts were always popular, and some of the most prolific came out of Ethel Meglin's Los Angeles school for show business children. Judy and her sisters were a part of Meglin's school for a few years, appearing mostly in stage acts that opened the program at movie theaters. Lucky for us, the popularity of early sound films prompted the studios to seek out new talent, giving us a record of not only Judy's early years (and film debut) but also the only surviving film footage of many famous stage acts. The Warner Archive DVD series includes several multi-disc releases featuring many of the surviving shorts. They're fascinating to watch, and well worth purchasing.

As noted below, most of these early sound films had their audio recorded on discs that were synced up with the films. In several cases, the film footage has not survived but the sound discs have. Go to The Judy Room's MP3 page to hear the audio to all of the films listed below.

THE BIG REVUE
(aka The Starlet Review) (1929 - Mayfair Pictures filmed at Tec-Art Studio)

The title card on the film says "Associated Films/The Starlet Review" however it was promoted as "The Big Revue" with "Ethel Meglin's Hollywood Wonder Kiddies" (see advertisement above). The film has also been listed as a "Meglin" production, using the name of the children's performing school/company (The Ethel Meglin Dance School) that the Gumm Sisters were then a part of, professionally known as "The Meglin Kiddies".

Note: The film was made on June 11, 12, & 13, 1929 just after Judy's seventh birthday on June 10th.

Song: "That's The Good Old Sunny South" (The Gumm Sisters)

A clip of this short is on the laser disc set Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M"

The soundtrack recording is included in the 2010 CD set Judy Garland Lost Tracks 1929 - 1959."

Photo at top right: Lobby Card. Photos below: Studio portrait of the sisters in costume and on-set photo.

A HOLIDAY IN STORYLAND
(1929 - Vitaphone, filmed late 1929 at the First National Studio, Burbank, CA) (Vitaphone Varieties - Presented by Vitaphone - a Subsidiary of Warner Brothers Pictures - Produced with Western Electric Apparatus - "The Vitaphone Kiddies" - Directed by Roy Mack)

This short features Judy Garland's very first film solo "Blue Butterfly". The film footage no longer exists, but the Vitaphone sound discs have survived.

Songs: "Where The Butterflies Kiss The Buttercups Goodbye" (The Gumm Sisters) & "Blue Butterfly" (Baby Gumm).

The Vitaphone recordings are on the laser disc set Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M as well as the 1998 CD boxed set Judy.

"Blue Butterfly" is also on the 2008 CD "Judy Garland - Classiques et inédits 1929 - 1956"

"Where the Butterflies Kiss the Buttercups Goodbye" is included in the 2010 CD set Judy Garland Lost Tracks 1929 - 1959.

Photo at right: Is that Judy Garland's first leading man? "Baby Gumm" on the Warner Bros./First National Studios back lot, circa 1929, with John Perri. Click on the image to see photo details.

THE WEDDING OF JACK AND JILL
(1930 - Vitaphone, filmed late 1929 at the First National Studio, Burbank, CA) (Vitaphone Varieties - Presented by Vitaphone - a Subsidiary of Warner Brothers Pictures - Produced with Western Electric Apparatus - "The Vitaphone Kiddies" - Directed by Roy Mack #1393 Rel. No. 3826)

This film no longer exists, but the Vitaphone sound discs have survived.

Song: "Hang Onto The Rainbow" (Baby Gumm).

The Vitaphone recording can be found on the laser disc set Judy Garland - The Golden Years At M-G-M, the 1998 CD boxed set Judy and the 2008 CD set Judy Garland - Classiques et inédits 1929 - 1956.

Photo at right: Judy (Frances Gumm) is highlighted behind John Perri and Peggy Ryan. Click on the image to see photo details.