How much was Judy Garland paid for A Star Is Born?

As one of the most well-known actors in the world at the height of her career, Judy Garland was also a gifted singer.

In an era when actresses were expected to be able to dance and sing, Garland was one of the few who was proficient in all three.

Around 1928, The Gumm Sisters started to collaborate on TV shows. It was never made clear why the trio chose the moniker “Garland Sisters,” but a few theories eventually surfaced.

That was the name the group finally adopted. Recruiting Judy Garland, songwriter Burton Lane scheduled an audition for her at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. Garland’s singing at the audition resulted in a contract.

How much was Judy Garland paid for A Star Is Born?

Transcona agrees to pay Judy $100,000 for Star in exchange for receiving 50% of the movie’s revenue. Lorna Luft, Judy’s second child, is born.

For our special guest interviewer Sonari Glinton, who we asked to speak with Luft, Judy Garland’s performance in “A Star Is Born” had a particularly significant importance. Sonari is certainly a name you are familiar with from his NPR reports. I’ll leave it up to him to continue.