Deanna Durbin, Judy Garland, and the Golden Age of Hollywood

De: Melanie Gall

Narrado por: Melanie Gall

The 1930s was a magical age in Hollywood, with Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney, Bette Davis, and Clark Gable lighting up the silver screen. But Deanna Durbin’s fame surpassed them all. Born in Canada, Deanna was “discovered” by star-maker Eddie Cantor, producer Joe Pasternak, and director Henry Koster, and she quickly became the world’s most celebrated star. She saved Universal Studios from ruin, she was a favorite of Winston Churchill and Anne Frank, and she became the highest-paid woman in America.

From the start, Deanna’s life was irrevocably connected with that of another young ingénue, Judy Garland. Deanna and Judy were wildly talented, ambitious, and strong-willed young women who followed vastly different paths to stardom. While fame was thrust upon Deanna, Judy spent years struggling for success and their early friendship soon turned into a lifelong rivalry.

Despite her tragic life, Judy Garland is remembered as an entertainment icon, beloved by millions. However, Deanna Durbin—who turned her back on Hollywood at the age of twenty-eight to pursue love and happiness—has been largely forgotten. But Deanna’s legacy endures, and this first-ever biography tells of how her gorgeous voice and winning charm vaulted her to worldwide fame and how a thirteen-year-old girl transformed moviemaking and influenced a generation of fans as the first teenage superstar.

©2022 Melanie Gall (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Deanna Durbin just shines!

Yes if you Love Deanna Durbin you will really Enjoy this listen/read!!
I have always enjoyed Deanna but this book just makes me Love her So!! It’s so wonderful that she reconnected with her true self Edna Mae and lived a beautiful life!
I’m a fan of hers and Judy’s. There voices were are and always will be Golden!

Annoying

This audio book is complete trash. Why? First of all the tittle is SO misleading! This book was written by a crazed Deanna Durbin fan who's also a Judy Garland hater, she only used her name to sell books. The narrator who also happens to be the author can't pronounce certain names, like Carl Laemmle. It was so annoying. She should've done some research before narrating something. This book was a complete waste of time.

The wonderful fabulous Deanna Durbin and oh yeah and that fat kid Judy

Melanie, girl you triiied it! Lol

This could have been a great book to show love and appreciation for two ladies who started out together and went on to have great careers of their own. The author’s constant passive aggressive digs at Judy do not sit well with this Judy Garland fan. It was so unnecessary and most of her comments were not true. It’s obvious the book was only greenlit because of Judy (obvious because of the authors obvious bias towards Deanna), which shows Judy’s enduring legend. Judy had countless enduring memorable screen performances and a legendary vocal career, Deanna not so much (I loved her in “Three smart girls”. Since most readers are more acquainted with Garland this book could have been a great opportunity to introduce Durbin to a new audience but the shabby way the author treats Judy does not inspire me to do so. Exploited in life and further exploited in death…
I wish the author could have just written her book about Deanna and keep Judy out if it, especially if she was just going to disrespect her and use her to uplift Deanna

* the narrator was okay but not memorable.