The Other Side of the Rainbow: Behind the Scenes on the Judy Garland Television Series

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Summary: And yet another perspective on Judy
Review: I have read this book and also read through the other reviews and wonder how people reading the same thing come up with such different opinions. Mel Torme is definately presenting things from his perspective. That anyone could read the book and think Judy disrepected or disliked him is hard to swallow. They must not have read it very closely. It would be the reverse if anything but that would be a little hard to swallow too. He does show a little bitterness I think but overall expresses his overall thankfulness in having worked with her. Would I recommend this book? I think so. For us Judy fans it is good to get everyone's perspective who knew her well.

Rating:
Summary: And yet another perspective on Judy
Review: I have read this book and also read through the other reviews and wonder how people reading the same thing come up with such different opinions. Mel Torme is definately presenting things from his perspective. That anyone could read the book and think Judy disrepected or disliked him is hard to swallow. They must not have read it very closely. It would be the reverse if anything but that would be a little hard to swallow too. He does show a little bitterness I think but overall expresses his overall thankfulness in having worked with her. Would I recommend this book? I think so. For us Judy fans it is good to get everyone's perspective who knew her well.

Rating:
Summary: Judy, Judy, Judy
Review: Judy Garland's tv series of the 1960's is in the spotlight as Mel Torme tells the story of Judy & the show from his perspective. Torme tells the story with frankness and reveals both a negative side of Miss Garland and a sad one. Her middle-of-the-night calls to talk her insomnia away, her drug use, and dislike of Mr. Torme make for a juicy, nostalgic trip. How, no matter what condition she was in or how little rehearsal she had, she still performed like the pro she was is shared with readers without bias (and we thought they looked so happy together in that Christmas show!). The show has long been cancelled and both beloved performers are gone now. But luckily this piece of them remains. More than just a book, it's a piece of Americana - a piece of history - and a piece of time in the lives of all of us who remember them. A must for any Garland or Torme fan.

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Summary: Keep Your Salt Shaker Handy
Review: Mel Torme's THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW WITH JUDY GARLAND ON THE DAWN PATROL was the first book about Garland to appear after her death, and it paints a portait of an out-of-control star struggling to endure the rigors of a television series that debuted with tremendous fanfare and then degenerated into chaos and total failure. Garland's family, friends, associates, many of those who actually worked on the television series, and later biographers have been extremely, extremely critical of this book, denouncing it as one-sided, self-serving, and mean-spirited.

In light of several later biographies and at least one unbiased and exhaustively researched book on the CBS series itself, those accusations would seem to be true--but the main thing that undermines Torme's description of both Judy Garland and her CBS series is the current availability of the series itself, which has been released to the home market in VHS and DVD. There is little doubt that Garland was tempestuous, drug-ridden, and often difficult to work with during this period--but the actual series itself shows little of undisciplined chaos Torme describes; some moments are weak, some moments are strong, and some moments are awe-inspiring, but all in all the actual series is surprisingly innovative when seen during the context of its era. It is also worth mentioning that many of Garland's most acclaimed recording releases have been drawn from her performances for this particular series.

That said, this does not change the fact that THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW is an interesting read. Torme is clearly angry about the whole thing (he eventually sued Garland's production company, and the book includes transcripts of Garland's depositions during the suit), and he adopts a snide tone that makes the work intriguing--and no doubt his account is accurate in the sense that it conveys the situation as he himself saw it. But to say it lacks any degree of balance would be the understatement of the century: Garland emerges as a has-been harridan and Torme inevitably comes up smelling like a rose.

As one person who worked on Garland's television series later remarked, "as a historian Mel Torme is a great singer." Because of the complete lack of balance and the self-serving and mean-spirited nature of the work (all the more deadly for being hidden behind a facade of affection), I do not recommend this particular book to some one casually interested in Garland; on the other hand, those with a serious interest in the artist who can approach the work in light of unbiased accounts of Garland, Torme, and the history of The Judy Garland Show will find it an interesting sidelight on what was arguably one of Garland's most artistically productive eras. Final word: you'll need to take it with more than a few grains of salt, so keep the shaker handy.

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Summary: Don't Blame Mel...Everybody Wants To Shoot The Messenger
Review: Mel Torme's writing skills create a fascinating and devasting tale. Although he himself was an unabashed fan of Garland's, his observations jive unfortunately with other reports of Judy's very bad, often psychotic behavior. I am a huge fan of both Torme and Garland, but truth be told Judy got sicker and sicker mentally and physically throughout the 60's.Others have described almost the same thing. If his prose tends to be a bit innocent, well he is probably painting a rosier picture of his own behavior. But that doesn't detract from the blow-by-blow descriptions of Judy's paranoia, neediness, demands, and unwillingness to cooperate and be part of a team. She is far from innocent and made life hell for plenty besides Torme.She was also brilliant, tremendously talented and capable, and Torme makes a point of giving a fair even portrait of this very troubled soul. If you like show biz books, give this book a chance and accept Judy, warts and all. Mel Torme is a terrific writer. All of his books are wonderful reading.

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Summary: Self-Serving and Self-Deceptive
Review: Readers expecting a rhapsodized eulogy of the legend will be sadly disappointed. This is a glimpse into hell, with Garland as mistress of ceremonies. Critics are correct that its author does come off looking a bit too saintly, but as a portrait of Garland and, equally importantly, of the 60's television industry, his tale has the gritty ring of accuracy. Not only are details keenly remembered, but the book scores credibility points for never failing to remember, and in it's own way pay tribute to, Garland's towering appeal, her gargantuan talent. The tone of Torme's fascinating work is ultimately neither one of adulation nor horror, but awestruck wonder. It should not be mistaken for a complete picture of its subject. It is, however, a well balanced portait of Garland during a difficult period. As such it's value is in illuminating the complexity of its subject by offering up a side of Garland that is distasteful but nonetheless integral to a deeper understanding of her personality, her life and untimately, her work. Garland is more vividly realized here that she is in other more "respectful" biographies.

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Summary: Fascinating subject matter...
Review: Supremely interesting book if you're a fan of Judy Garland and wish to know more about her acclaimed television series and simultaneous tragic mistreatment at the hands of CBS studio execs. No surprises in the book with regards to revelations regarding Judy Garland's addictions and at-times unprofessional behavior, traits well-documented by countless other sources. What was surprising, however, was the apparent extent to which Mr. Torme had bitter feelings towards Ms. Garland. "Catty" remarks (meOOOOW...pfft pfft!!) litter the pages, and Torme seems to absolutely revel in relaying some of the cruel, and at times crude comments he overheard directed towards his boss (Judy in fact owned the rights to her show). No gentleman, here. Torme also often comes off a bit full of himself. Two examples (out of many): at one point he sulks over Frank Sinatra's "insufficient" praise of his singing ability after Sinatra and Garland attend one of his nightclub performances; another time, when Judy asks him if he agreed with her that Jack Jones was the greatest male jazz singer, he decided to "play it cute" and place his hand over his heart and answer "Well, now that you ask, no, I don't"...this right after he manages to inform the reader that Jack Jones had stated in print AND on television (my emphasis) that Mel Torme was his favorite "jazz-oriented" male singer. Wow!!!! Finally, Torme's writing style tends towards the "cute" and he strives too too too hard to be hip, making extended reading sessions unbearable; for that reason this book is best read a chapter at a time. Interesting aside; this book first came out in 1970, the year after Judy Garland's death. That fact alone speaks volumes about the man.