JUDY GARLAND AND BARBRA STREISAND - Happy Days Are Here Again

I can never get enough of this duet so decided to share a higher quality than others online.... ’My most memorable moment from the ’Judy Garland Show’ series did not occur on stage, or in front of our cameras. It happened in Rehearsal Hall A, the final runthru of show #9. The show would not be videotaped until the second night on Friday, October 4, 1963. For a majority of the closed audience of advertising execs, CBS execs, show staff, singers and dancers, we had never met or seen Judys guest, Barbra Streisand. Barely in her twenties, she presented mixed messages about her persona because she wore thrift store inspired wardrobe, sandals that gave way to bare feet, strong New Yorkese accent with an unruly head of hair. True, we heard of Barbras hit recording, Happy Days Are Here Again, so we knew she had chops and Judy certainly praised her talent to the rafters. This will be the first time that we will see how Barbra fits into the show and how Judy responds. As the run-thru progresses, we are treated to some honest and funny banter between Judy and Barbra. It is evident that there is such respect and admiration for each other. When Barbra, in a solo, begins to sing, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, we all knew there was so much more to Barbra than our first impressions implied. She sang effortlessly and with such control that it was difficult to understand where the notes were coming from. The next event was a duet composed of Barbras Happy Days and Judys Get Happy. It was later revealed that it was Judy who put this duet- more an interpolated piece-together! My memorable moment began with Judy singing a subdued melody line of Get Happy. This gave Barbra a lot of room to express her was no orchestra, no microphones ... just a piano ... and the two ladies filled the Rehearsal Hall with such vocals and emotion it was staggering and brought on waves of chills. Together, as they build in volume and emotion to the finale, the two delivered a masterful and unselfish one-of-a-kind performance that would have shattered windows. As great as Judy and Barbra were on tape, it didnt capture the emotion and chill evoking performance they accomplished at the runthru. With the full orchestra and microphones and multi-camera visuals, it lacked the intimacy of watching a very new and young rising star perform with a musical legend who extended encouragement, love and admiration for the new kid on the block.’ -MicheleBell1