1960
JANUARY: It is announced that Judy will play the role of Laurette Taylor in the upcoming Broadway play Laurette.
FEBRUARY: Cosmopolitan magazine runs a 3-page article entitled "Judy and the Bells" written by Jon Whitcomb.
MAY: Columbia Records releases "The Party's Over" as a 45 r.p.m. single.
JUNE 20: MGM premieres the film version of Bells Are Ringing in New York City. It stars Judy, in her final film role, as "Ella Peterson." Other cast members include Dean Martin, Jean Stapleton, Frank Gorshin and Fred Clark.
JUNE 23: Bells Are Ringing is released nationwide in the United States.
JULY 5: Capitol Records releases the Bells Are Ringing motion picture soundtrack.
SUMMER: Actor Roddy McDowall photographs Judy for the Laurette theatre posters. It's McDowall's first professional job as a photographer.
AUGUST 24: Judy agrees to appear on an episode of Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall to be taped on December 14, 1960. Click here to view the agreement. She would eventually have to cancel the appearance due to illness.
SEPTEMBER 26: Laurette begins tryout performances in New Haven, CT.
OCTOBER 1: Vogue magazine has an article on Judy called "People Are Talking About.... Judy Holliday." The article is accompanied with a photograph of Judy taken by Roddy McDowall.
OCTOBER 6: As Laurette shifts to Philadelphia, PA for more tryout performances, Judy takes ill. Upon further examination, a lump is discovered in Judy's left breast. Without revealing the true nature of the cancellation, the play is temporarily shut down.
OCTOBER 7: Producer Alan J. Pakula announces that Laurette is folding permanently.
OCTOBER 12: The lump is found to be malignant and a mastectomy is performed to stop the cancer from spreading. Also removed is a benign throat tumor. Only the latter is disclosed to the public.
NOVEMBER 3: Judy is released from the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.
UNKNOWN: Columbia Pictures re-releases the 1956 film The Solid Gold Cadillac.
UNKNOWN: Columbia Pictures marks the 10-year anniversary of Born Yesterday by re-releasing the film.
1961
FEBRUARY 8: Judy is nominated for a Golden Globe award for her performance in the film Bells Are Ringing.
MARCH 3: Just months after surgery, Judy tapes a guest appearance on the NBC television program Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall. In addition to appearing in comedy skits with Perry Como and George Sanders, she performs the song "Loving You" that she co-wrote with Gerry Mulligan. The show is broadcast on NBC five days later.
APRIL 10: For the next seven days, Judy and Gerry Mulligan record the album Holliday With Mulligan at Olmsted Studios in New York City. It features four songs that were co-written by the pair.
NOVEMBER: Judy options the film rights to Swans at My Window, a book by Ginny Brown. She intends to film it in London, but the project is eventually dropped in 1963 due to her health problems.
UNKNOWN: Columbia Records releases a 45 rpm single of "The Party's Over" from the unreleased Holliday With Mulligan album. The B side of the record is "Loving You."
UNKNOWN: Judy makes a guest appearance on the television program The Arthur Murray Show.
UNKNOWN: Looking to capitalize on the escalating tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., Myron C. Fagan repackages some of his anti-Communist writings as Documentations of the Reds and Fellow-Travellers in Hollywood and TV. Boldly proclaiming "They are bringing the Reds back into Hollywood," this 96-page booklet lists the names of 300 top entertainers suspected of being Communists. Among those listed by Fagan are Judy Holliday, Gregory Peck, Edward R. Murrow, Gypsy Rose Lee, Henry Fonda, Ava Gardner, Steve Allen, Lucille Ball, Marlon Brando and Katharine Hepburn.
1962
FEBRUARY 24: Judy narrates a half-hour episode of the United Nations radio series Around the World. The episode is entitled Man of Letters.
SPRING: Judy acquires the rights to the Anita Loos play Happy Birthday with the intention of bringing it to Broadway as a musical.
JUNE 24: Judy Holliday, Art Carney and Dave Garroway appear on the Annual TV Guide Award Show.
SUMMER: Judy, Gerry Mulligan, and Anita Loos spend 7 weeks together in a rented house in Westhampton, Long Island writing music for the play Happy Birthday.
AUGUST 28: Unable to secure financial backing for Happy Birthday, the show is put on hold. Judy agrees to come out of semi-retirement and accepts the lead role in a Broadway musical called Hot Spot.
1963
JANUARY: Judy begins rehearsing Hot Spot, which is tenatively scheduled to make its Broadway premiere on February 28th.
FEBRUARY 5: Hot Spot begins tryout performances at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. The engagement continues through February 23rd.
FEBRUARY 28: Hot Spot begins tryout performances in Philadelphia, PA.
APRIL 1: Judy and the cast of Hot Spot play a benefit performance for The Bargain Box.
APRIL 19: After 58 "preview" performances, Hot Spot makes its official Broadway premiere at the Majestic Theater.
APRIL 28: Judy makes her fourth and final appearance as the mystery guest on the CBS television program What's My Line?
MAY 6: Judy appears as a guest on the NBC television program The Tonight Show hosted by Johnny Carson. Other guests include: Tammy Grimes, Phil Foster, Erroll Garner and Terri Thornton.
MAY 25: After just 43 official performances, Hot Spot closes.
NOVEMBER: Judy appears as a guest on the NBC television program The Tonight Show hosted by Johnny Carson.
1964
ON-GOING: Judy goes back into retirement. As time goes by, her physical health deteriorates. Unknown to her, the cancer spreads and becomes inoperable. Her friends and family do what they can to make her as comfortable and happy as possible under the circumstances. Sadly, the medical prognosis is that she has less than a year to live.
1965
MAY 26: As her condition nears the end, Judy is admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. There, she drifts in and out of consciousness for several days before lapsing into a coma.
JUNE 4: To address rumors about his client's condition, Judy's lawyer, Arnold Krakower, issues a statement to the press. He confirms that Judy has been in Mount Sinai Hospital for the past 9 days, but refuses to discuss the nature or extent of her illness. "She is not allowed any visitors and I hope that the privacy she wishes, and deserves, will be respected."
JUNE 7: At 5:00 a.m., cancer claims the life of Judy Holliday. She passes away two weeks shy of what would have been her 44th birthday.
JUNE 9: The funeral service for Judy Holliday is held at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in New York City, NY. Algernon Black of the Ethical Cultural Society delivers the eulogy. Among the 500 mourners in attendance are: Judy's Mother, Judy's son, Gerry Mulligan, Yetta Cohn, David Oppenheim, Sydney Chaplin, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne, Abe Burrows and Howard Teichmann. Thousands of fans line the street outside the chapel. Following the service, Judy's body is taken to the Westchester Hills Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY for burial. A private service is conducted in Hebrew at the grave site.
JUNE 21: Newsweek magazine publishes an article entitled "An Appreciation of Judy Holliday," which looks back on her life and career.
DECEMBER 13: United Artists releases the film A Thousand Clowns starring Jason Robards. The title song, performed by Rita Gardner, was co-written by Judy Holliday and Gerry Mulligan. It is her final film credit.
1966
MAY 15: At the Imperial Ballroom in New York City, the charitable organization called "The World of Entertainment" holds a banquet tribute in memory of Judy Holliday to benefit the American Medical Center at Denver. Senator Robert F. Kennedy was among the guest speakers at the event. Other attendees included: Groucho Marx, Judy Garland, Adolph Green and Betty Comden. The first "Judy Holliday Memorial Award" was awarded to Judy herself and it was accepted by her friend Abe Burrows. Also, a Judy Holliday Memorial Wing was established for the American Medical Center at Denver. For more detailed information about this event click here.
1974
DECEMBER: The Anita Loos stage musical Happy Birthday debuts at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. It stars Fannie Flagg and Gary Conway and features music by Gerry Mulligan and lyrics by Judy Holliday.
1976
DECEMBER: Lee Israel writes a ground-breaking 8-page article about Judy for Ms. magazine. One of the topics explored is the Communist scandal and the effect it had on her career.
1977
APRIL: George Morris writes a 7-page article for Bijou magazine entitled "Not So Dumb!: The Story of Judy Holliday."
1980
MARCH: Judy is featured on the cover of International Film Collector magazine.
SUMMER: 19 years after the tracks were recorded, DRG Records releases the album Holliday With Mulligan. Gerry Mulligan has a hand in re-mixing the song "Lazy." The album was originally recorded for Columbia Records, but never released.
1981
OCTOBER: Hollywood Studio magazine publishes a 2-page article entitled "Every Day a Holliday" written by George Haddad-Garcia. It covers the Holliday with Mulligan album and contains remembrances by her fellow actors.
1982
JANUARY: Seaview Books publishes a biography of Judy Holliday written by Gary Carey entitled Judy Holliday: An Intimate Life Story.
MARCH: 19 magazine publishes a 1-page article entitled "Judy Holliday: The Not-So-Dumb Blonde" written by Nick Madrid.
UNKNOWN: Putnam Books publishes a biography of Judy Holliday written by Will Holtzman simply entitled Judy Holliday. The book is also known by the title Judy Holliday: Only Child.
1984
UNKNOWN: American Entertainment Industries releases the album Judy Holliday: A Legacy of Laughter. It is a compilation of sketches she performed on radio throughout her career. Most are from the NBC radio program The Big Show, but it also includes material she performed with The Revuers.
1988
JULY 26: Warner Studios releases a colorized version of the 1949 film Adam's Rib on VHS.
UNKNOWN: Warner Studios releases the 1949 film Adam's Rib on Laserdisc.
NOVEMBER: Martha Weinman Lear writes an article for the premiere issue of FAME magazine entitled "Blonde On Blonde." In it, she recounts what happened when Marilyn Monroe paid a visit to Judy Holliday's apartment.
1989
UNKNOWN: Capitol Records issues the Bells Are Ringing motion picture soundtrack on compact disc.
UNKNOWN: Sony/Columbia releases the 1950 film Born Yesterday on Laserdisc.
1990
OCTOBER 25: DRG Records issues the album Holliday with Mulligan on compact disc.
UNKNOWN: Sony/Columbia releases the 1954 film It Should Happen To You on Laserdisc.
1991
JANUARY 30: Turner Home Video releases the 1960 film Bells Are Ringing on VHS.
UNKNOWN: Turner Home Video releases a Deluxe Letterbox Edition the 1960 film Bells Are Ringing on Laserdisc. It features an extra scene of Judy Holliday and Dort Clark, in which Judy performs the song "Is It A Crime?" The scene was deleted from the original film.
1992
DECEMBER: The National Film Preservation Board selects Adam's Rib for inclusion in the National Film Registry.
1993
NOVEMBER 18: The animated television series Animaniacs debuts a new character inspired by Judy Holliday's Billie Dawn character from Born Yesterday. Voiced by Tress MacNeille, the animated character is an empty-headed, but sexy mouse named "Billie." The character also appears in episodes of the Animaniacs spin-off series, Pinky and the Brain.
1994
JANUARY 17: Columbia/Tristar Studios releases the 1954 film It Should Happen To You on VHS.
1995
JUNE: 7 months before his death, Gerry Mulligan donates an extensive collection of audio materials from his career to the Library of Congress. Among the items donated are an interview with Judy Holliday and unreleased musical performances featuring the two of them.
JUNE 9: The 1958 Judy Holliday studio album Trouble Is A Man is issued on compact disc by Columbia Records.
JULY 6: The Seattle Art Museum in Washington begins a summer-long Judy Holliday film festival.
OCTOBER 17: Columbia/Tristar Studios releases the 1956 film The Solid Gold Cadillac on VHS.
1996
DECEMBER 27: The Museum Of Modern Art in New York City holds a week-long complete retrospective of Judy's film career. The festival includes restored prints of some of her films.
1997
FEBRUARY 11: Columbia/Tristar Studios releases the 1952 film The Marrying Kind on VHS.
AUGUST 14: Warner Studios releases the black and white version of the 1949 film Adam's Rib on VHS.
AUGUST 22: Warner Studios releases the 1949 film Adam's Rib on DVD.
1998
MARCH 15: The original version of this web site is officially launched with the goal of becoming the most comprehensive resource available for information pertaining to Judy Holliday.
JULY 21: Columbia/Tristar Studios releases the 1956 film Full of Life on VHS.
AUGUST 6: The Stanford Theater in Palo Alto, California begins a 5-day Judy Holliday film festival.
1999
FEBRUARY 2: Columbia/Tristar Studios re-releases the 1954 film It Should Happen To You on VHS.
JUNE 22: A 2-disc recording entitled Mark Murphy Sings Nat King Cole...and More, is released. Among the 34 tracks is "Welcome Home," a song co-written by Judy Holliday and Alec Wilder.
OCTOBER 12: Sony music releases a 26-disc box set called Soundtrack for a Century. It's a collection of the best songs of the past 100 years encompassing all musical styles. Among the tracks is "The Party's Over" performed by Judy Holliday.
NOVEMBER 22: E! Entertainment Television airs a half-hour episode of the series Mysteries & Scandals about Judy's life and career. Guests include: Hal Linden, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Gary Carey and Will Holtzman.
2000
FEBRUARY 15: Columbia Tristar Home Video marks the 50th anniversary of Born Yesterday by releasing the film on DVD. It features a restored print, movie trailer and advertising materials.
MARCH: The Bells Are Ringing Original Broadway Cast recording is inducted into the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Grammy Hall of Fame.
MAY 12: The Danish Film Institute kicks off a month long Judy Holliday film festival in Denmark.
JUNE: The American Film Institute compiles a list of the top 100 comedy films of all-time. During the 3-hour television broadcast, it is revealed that Adam's Rib came in at number 22 and Born Yesterday at number 24.
SEPTEMBER 19: Warner Home Video re-releases the 1949 film Adam's Rib on both VHS and DVD.
2001
MARCH: Sony music releases an expanded version of the Bells Are Ringing Original Broadway Cast recording. Features include new liner notes, photos and 3 bonus tracks played and sung by composer Jule Styne.
AUGUST 14: DRG re-issues an expanded version the 1958 Judy Holliday album Trouble Is A Man on CD. It includes 2 bonus tracks ("Loving You" and "The Party's Over") that previously appeared on the Holliday with Mulligan album.
SEPTEMBER 11: Warner Studios re-releases the 1960 film Bells Are Ringing on VHS.
DECEMBER 21: The Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, California holds a four film Judy Holliday film festival over a nine day period. The films shown were: Adam's Rib, Born Yesterday, It Should Happen To You and The Solid Gold Cadillac.
2002
MAY: The Film Forum movie house in New York City holds a 10-week film festival called "The Great American Comedy." The films Born Yesterday, It Should Happen To You and Adam's Rib are exhibited on multiple days during the event.
MAY 21: DRG Records re-issues the Bells Are Ringing motion picture soundtrack on compact disc. It was originally issued on the Capitol Records label.
OCTOBER 1: Jazz group Octobop releases a CD entitled Night Lights. The title song was written by Judy Holliday and Gerry Mulligan and is sung by Nancy Gilliland. Mulligan had performed instrumental versions of the song on some of his own albums.
2003
OCTOBER 21: Columbia Tristar Home Video releases the 1952 film The Marrying Kind on DVD.
OCTOBER 28: Columbia Tristar Home Video releases the 1956 film The Solid Gold Cadillac on DVD.
2004
JANUARY 18: Columbia Tristar Home Video releases the 1954 film It Should Happen To You on DVD.
MARCH: Blue Pear Records releases an original cast recording of the 1963 musical Hot Spot on CD. A majority of the 29 tracks are taken from a bootleg recording of the show. The CD also features performances by Phyllis Newman, Betty Garrett and The Eligibles. Some of the songs are performed by Mary Rodgers and Martin Charnin, who composed the show's original score.
2005
MARCH 15: Warner Brothers Home Video releases the 1960 film Bells Are Ringing on DVD. The extras include an 11-minute "making of" documentary hosted by Hal Linden. The disc also has 2 deleted musical numbers ("Is It A Crime?" sung by Judy and "My Guiding Star" sung by Dean Martin) and an alternate take of "The Midas Touch".
DECEMBER 3: The New York City Council proclaims this day "Judy Holliday Appreciation Day". A bronze plaque is placed on Judy's childhood home and a reception is held to celebrate her life and career. Among those participating in the events are Judy's son, Jonathan Oppenheim, his wife, Josie and their daughter, Netalia. Comedian Eddie Lawrence paid tribute to Judy at the reception. The event was organized by the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance. Click here to see a close-up of the plaque. Click here to view the Western Queens Gazette article about the event. Click here to read the Woodside Herald article about the event.
2006
MARCH 31: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art begins a mini Judy Holliday film festival. Over the course of 2 days, the films It Should Happen To You, Phffft, Full of Life and Bells Are Ringing are exhibited.
AUGUST 25: The Lincoln Center in New York City presents a 6-day complete retrospective of Judy Holliday's film career. Several of the screenings were introduced by special guests including Judy’s son, Jonathan Oppenheim, biographer Will Holtzman and film critic Elliott Stein.
2007
FEBRUARY 12: The N.Y. Daily News compiles a list of the "100 Most Romantic New York Films". It Should Happen To You made the list at number 66.
AUGUST 25: Pitch Blond, a play about Judy Holliday, premieres in Victoria, British Columbia at the 20th Annual Victoria Fringe Festival. Laura Harris wrote and starred in the play. Judith McDowell directed.
2008
NOVEMBER 12: Concealing Judy Holliday, a play about Judy Holliday during the Red Scare years, has it's first public reading at the Greenway Court Theater in Los Angeles, California. Actress/Writer Wendy Johnson wrote the play.
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