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Judy Garland MuseumŽ

ABC Mini-series boosts interest in Judy Garland Museum

The ABC Mini-series, "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows," on February 25 and 26, 2001, drew an estimated audience of 20.31 million viewers on opening night. This was the largest television audience for any made-for-TV film since the CBS production "Jesus" in May of 2000.

The show's impact resulted in a dramatic increase of activity at the Judy Garland Museum -- including extensive media coverage, thousands of additional visits to the museum's web site, and scores of telephone calls and e-mails. The museum web site, which averaged 134 visitors a day during the previous week, logged more than 5,500 visits in just three days following the broadcast.

St. Paul television station KSTP, an ABC affiliate, sent a reporting crew and satellite truck to Grand Rapids to get reactions to the show from some of Judy Garland's childhood friends and Judy Garland Museum director John Kelsch.

A VHS videotape of the entire 187-minute program is available from the Judy Garland Museum on-line secure store.

While waiting for the program to start, two childhood friends of the Gumm sisters in Grand Rapids, June O'Clock and Agnes Lander, read an article in the Minneapolis Star regarding Sid Luft's thoughts on the ABC show and Judy Garland's career. June was Mary Jane Gumm's closest friend.
June O'Clock and Agnes Lander
June O'Clock and Agnes Lander with John Kelsch
 June and Agnes share their memories of young Baby Gumm with Judy Garland Museum director John Kelsch.
During a commercial break, Agnes and June discuss the program with local historian Brian Carlson, John Kelsch and KSTP reporter Andy Skoogman.
Agnes, June, Brian Carlson, John and KSTP reporter Andy Skoogman
Andy Skoogman interviews Agnes and June
 With KSTP photographer Cy Dodson manning  the camera, Andy Skoogman interviews Agnes Lander and June O'Clock as John Kelsch looks on.
Friends and staff of the Judy Garland Museum gathered at the Sawmill Inn in Grand Rapids to view the first segment of the mini-series and to share their reactions with the KSTP crew.
Friends and staff of JGM
Andy Skoogman and John Kelsch
 Andy and John during the airing of "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows." In general, the show received high marks for accuracy from those who reviewed it.
Despite heavy snowfall and somewhat hazardous driving, the KSTP crew made the 200-mile trek from the Twin Cities to Grand Rapids in order to conduct its interviews a few hundred yards from Judy Garland's childhood home.
KSTP satellite truck outside the Sawmill Inn in Grand Rapids