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While most people are aware of John F. Kennedy’s alleged relationships with Hollywood legends such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and even Marlene Dietrich, there is one connection to the legend that most are unaware of. Now, before we dive in, we should let you know that this relationship wasn’t romantic or sexual (as far as we know in 2023), but it was quite an unexpected friendship.
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It turns out that Judy Garland was one of Kennedy’s closest friends in later life. And at the end of their calls, each time she sang the iconic song “Over the Rainbow” at his request.
In a 1975 book Judy Gerald Frank, her eldest daughter Liza Minnelli spoke about how she called Kennedy after work in the early 1960s. Minnelli says her mother would say things like, “What a week. I think I’ll call Jack. Minnelli said she often heard her mother say, “Oh, no, again? Do you really want me to do this again? Everything is fine…”
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And then she sang Kennedy the end of “Over the Rainbow.” (This was later confirmed in a posthumously released memoir by Garland’s third husband, Sid Luft, entitled Judy and me!)
Garland and Kennedy’s friendship dates back to his time as a junior senator. They met through his younger sister Patricia and her husband Peter Lawford, People said. They became fast friends, and Garland supported his political aspirations.
In fact, after his assassination, Garland honored him by singing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” The Judy Garland Show.
Before you go, click here to see the biggest presidential scandals in US history.
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