Sue Sue --
I would love to learn more about Chuck's relationship with Judy Garland.
A lot has been written about the professional relationship between Garland and her MGM musical mentor Roger Edens -- and rightfully so. Similarly, the role that Vincente Minnelli played in Garland's on-screen maturation has been frequently discussed. Both Edens and Minnelli did a lot towards developing and fine-tuning Garland's uber talent. Surprisingly though, Chuck Walters's relationship with Garland has gone virtually unnoticed. As a dance director, Walters guided Judy through four films (the
Presenting Lily Mars finale,
Girl Crazy,
Meet Me in St. Louis, and
Ziegfeld Follies.) He directed her in
Easter Parade and
Summer Stock. (Would have directed her in
The Barkleys of Broadway,
Annie Get Your Gun, and
Royal Wedding.) He staged
and directed her personal appearances at the Palace Theater in 1951, the Los Angeles Coconut Grove and Chicago's Orchestra Hall in 1958, plus added ideas for her 1956 return to the Palace. When pieced together, this list shows that Chuck Walters was the calming, supportive, creative man who showcased Garland at her best through three very different eras of her career - screen ingenue, leading lady, and "live" performer.
Above all, I think it was the fact that Garland implicitly trusted Walters that made their partnership so successful. I don't think she ever felt "used" by him. Chuck listened to Judy and kept her as part of the creative process. For example, Garland wanted to play the "morning after" scene in
Easter Parade without make-up. Chuck listened and agreed; her character was supposed to have been awake all night with worry. Despite being called on the MGM corporate carpet for his unflattering presentation of their top money-maker, Chuck (and Judy) remained proud of that sequence.
When he was a dance director, he was able to tap into Garland's wry sense of humor. How delicious is she in "Bidin' My Time" and "Could You Use Me" from
Girl Crazy?! Also, how comically adept is she in that scene in
Meet Me in St. Louis where Judy/"Esther" is being bounced around the Christmas dance by those infant suitors.
He also gave her the self-confidence to tackle "glamorous" dances with aplomb, despite her self-consciousness about her looks - the
Lily Mars finale, "Embraceable You" (Garland at her dancing best!), "A Great Lady Has an Interview," or "Get Happy".
Doing my researcher for my book, I was able to listen to an audio tape of Chuck commenting while watching the
Lily Mars finale on a videotape. When the number began (with all the chorus girls, heavenly choir, and miles of twirling tulle) he joked, "I staged all this...sh*t." When they got to her close-up at the end of "Where There's Music" he paused and sighed, "Isn't she just beautiful!"
How amazing is "Get Happy." Chuck just knew what to do with music -- and with Garland. He could keep her within the confines of her happy, down to earth film image while (at the same time) allowing her to expand her persona. That iconic sequence took a mere week to create. (Chuck says Garland learned the choreography in a day.) Staggering.
After Metro, it was Chuck (and Roger Edens) who gave Garland the perfect showcase to prove she was "more than just a movie star." The fact that Chuck expected her to ACTIVELY move and dance through three numbers -- picked up twice by her dancing "Boyfriends" -- for 13 shows a week at first; then cut to ten, truly demonstrates that she trusted him. And, afterward, Judy was not hesitant about publicly expressing her gratitude. I'd argue that it was during that first Palace run that Judy Garland became a theatrical immortal.
In 1981, Sid Luft asked Chuck to come over to his home and discuss an idea Luft had been developing. Garland's ex-husband/manager wanted to create a multi-media film and live-action production wherein Chuck would "return" Judy to the Palace Theater. Walters politely declined!!
Away from work, Chuck did admit that he and Judy considered marriage. However, Chuck did not want to go "that route" (later saying "I didn't want to be
Mr. Judy Garland.") Minnelli and Garland married not too long after that.
I could go on and on...(and from the size of this post I think I have!) Bottom line, the director-muse relationship shared between Judy and Chuck was paramount to the creation and on-going re-creation of -- and (now) appreciation for -- that cherished entertainer we call Judy Garland.
Sue Sue -- you asked!