US singer and actor. Her compelling intensity combined with an appealing vulnerability on stage made her one of the most enduring and popular actors in the USA. Her films include
The Wizard of Oz (1939; featuring her trademark song Over the Rainbow),
Babes in Arms (1939), and
Meet Me in St Louis (1944).
She began her film career in 1935 when she signed a contract with MGM Studios. She went on to star with Mickey
Rooney in the Andy Hardy series of films, including
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937),
Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938),
Babes in Arms (1939),
Strike Up the Band (1940),
Babes on Broadway (1941), and
Girl Crazy (1943). Other films include
Easter Parade (1948),
Summer Stock (1950; featuring her famous song Get Happy),
A Star is Born (1954), and
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961).
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