Here is the pre-recording track for the "songs we wished we'd written" songwriter medley from episode 11 of "The Judy Garland Show," filmed on October 18, 1963. The footage from the final episode has been synced up to the recording.
This medley comes as a payoff to a comedy sketch, in which episode guests Steve Allen and Mel Tormé play songwriters Rise and Shine. After going through a few of their own disastrous songs, Judy suggests they sing a few songs they wished they had written.
Though featuring primarily live vocals from Garland and her guests, for many numbers that featured a large ensemble, major choreography, and / or large set-piece changes, a pre-recorded track was used. (A tradition of television, this technique was also used for events such as the Tony Awards up until the 80s and continues to this day.)
Restored by The Judy Garland Experience founder Buzz Stephens, this track comes from a damaged reel-to-reel recording donated to the group by Steve Sanders. The tape was given to Sanders by Garland''s hairdresser Orval Paine, who Garland gave the tape to after the show ended. (She kept the tape, and a small player, in her dressing room so she could practice her lipsync.)
For this video, this recording was sourced from The Judy Room, a Judy Garland fansite. For more information on Garland, along with news and many other rare recordings (both exclusive and sourced from various other Judy Garland fan groups), visit thejudyroom.com
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