The Other Side of the Rainbow: With Judy Garland on the Dawn Patrol

by Mel Tormé

Other Side Of The Rainbow With Judy Garland On The Dawn Patrol, T, by Torme, Mel

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History

241 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Melvin Howard Tormé, nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books. He co-wrote the classic holiday song "The Christmas Song" (also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") with Bob Wells.

Reviews

[Matthew Watson · Rating 1 out of 5]

In 1975 Glenn Ford admitted that if he ever ran into Mel Torme he would punch him in the face. The reason behind that remark came from a book by the name of 'The Other Side of the Rainbow' which was released in 1970. In Ford's own words, Torme had told horrible lies about the most wonderful woman in the world. That woman was Judy Garland.

Torme's book was the first real book on Judy to appear after her death. It was accepted then as a definitive account of working with the great legend on her 1963-64 television series THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW. Torme's presented Judy as a psychotic, temperamental cyclone intent on destroying everything in her path.

It took twenty years for the real story to come out and for Judy to be vindicated. In 1990, Coyne Steven Sanders destroyed Torme's account with the force of ten atomic bombs with his book 'Rainbow's End'. With the help of many of Judy's co-workers, we finally got a glimpse of the real lady behind myth, and in doing so we got a great look at the pathetic arrogant, egotist that was Mel Torme.

There was post script to this. In late 1989, Torme was having a jog on the beach in Malibu when he was approached by Mort Lindsey coming the other way. Torme told Lindsey that a man named Steven Sanders had called him about a book on Judy's series. Lindsey knew about Sanders and told Torme that he was a good guy. Torme was shaken and unhappy and told Lindsey "I have already written that book".

Lindsey: Yes but this book is going to be different.
Torme: How?
Lindsey: It's going to tell the truth

To counter attack Sanders, Torme re-released his version of events at the same time as Sanders. His book was heavily edited and toned down to look a lot better than it did twenty years earlier. This book has fooled a lot of people into thinking that Torme's book really wasn't as harsh as it appears. Do not be fooled and read
Rainbow's End' by Coyne Steven Sanders.

[Bil Antoniou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why her family would sue, particularly considering it came out so soon after her death, and those of us who are fans are certainly going to have a hard time seeing the darker side of this great singer's personality. A lot has been said about the veracity of this book, but nothing in it goes against what I've already read in various accounts of Judy's complicated personality towards the end of her life. In a world where everyone was playing chess for fun, she was playing checkers for survival and standing in the quicksand of addiction while doing it; I feel like he gives her a great deal of sympathy for this while reporting the nastier edge of his encounters with her.

[Toni Wyatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very one-sided view of Judy Garland. I felt as if Mel skewed events for the sake of drama.

[Cynthia Bemis Abrams · Rating 2 out of 5]

In light of more information coming forward about CBS and The Judy Garland Show, since Torme cranked this book out shortly after Judy's death, I recommend it as an exercise in critical thinking.

Due to its relative proximity to the series' run (1963-64), Torme offers accurate dates and anecdotes that fit the memories of many others. He writes from his distinct vantage point on a team that seemed to be constantly changing due to network demands. Other works about The Judy Garland Show contribute more comprehensively to an understanding of this landmark series than this book, but it still holds value.

I read it as part of my research for a podcast series on The Judy Garland Show for my podcast, Advanced TV Herstory, but did so with the knowledge that Mel Torme had an agenda when he wrote it.

[Doug Ebeling · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had been watching the reruns of the old Judy Garland Show on Get TV and was interested in learning more about what was going on. The shows veered wildly between formats from one week to the next and it seemed oddly disjointed. Mel Torme offers a self-serving view of what was going on with the power struggles behind the scenes. He places the blame squarely on Miss Garland and attacks her. It's clear to me he was a man with an immense ego, and it is also clear after reading other sources that he is unfair to lay all the blame at her feet as there was plenty to go around.

[Terry McCarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mel Torme’s account of working as musical director for Judy Garland’s 1963-64 CBS variety series has its insights (best when describing the process—plus staff turnover—of producing a show with a sometimes mistrustful, volatile star) but is heavily marinated in beware-of-women-bosses sexism typical of men from Torme’s generation.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd time.
1st read June 1972.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of Judy, a fan of Mel, or you just love behind the scenes stories about vintage TV, you will have a good time reading this book. Mel’s tone is gabby, though at the end of the book he comes across very much as trying to plead his case re: the lawsuits at the end of the show’s run… which is understandable, though sometimes it hits as a little… eh… dark, given the fact that he wrote it a year or so after Judy died. Ultimately, it’s an interesting, sometimes hilarious, sometimes very sad look into the dysfunction surrounding the legend in her later years. And while he definitely seems frustrated by the way things went down, I think Mel seems like he wrote this from a place of love and admiration.

[Andrew McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book several times. As a Judy Garland fan, I find this perspective one of the best. The author doesn't try to bring down the character of Judy as so many others have. Too many times, authors get caught up on the addiction and the attitude and forget that there was a person behind all of that. Mr. Torme book is, in my opinion, a love letter to his time working on The Judy Garland Show. He is honest and poignant and never lets the public's view of Judy skew his story.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this book amongst my parents’ things. Mom read it in 1975! It was a quick read. Between this and the Star is Born book by her daughter, I think I’m done with my Judy Garland phase. If you read both you’ll know most of her short life’s trajectory and both have a lot of great black and white photos of her.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

A rather nasty hatchet job on a beloved entertainer. Judy had her problems, God knows, but it reprehensible that a supposed friend would write a book like this. And, by the way, who cares if Mel Torme learned to fly a plane.

[marjorie lecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

very pre-informative when going to watch the new feature JUDY

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fun detail though author was criticized for taking too much credit for the show. Life lesson: stay away from the pills and booze, especially Blue Nun cheap white wine.

[Annie Garvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember Mel as being a bit meanspirited.

[Tim Field · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve only seen various YouTube clips of The Judy Garland Show variety series but this Mel Torme account of his tenure as a music writer on the show his piqued my interest. I read the original 1970 editions; it appears that Torme edited and changed the tone for a later revised version. Some Judy Garland diehard fans view Torme as the devil incarnate as a result of this book, but to me he seems pretty evenhanded in his assessment of Garland, especially based on her unprofessional behavior and mercurial personality. I guess I need to spend more time listening to her music and viewing her films rather than reading tragic tomes about her life.
Recommended.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moved this from biography catetgory to history because it's the story of Judy Garland's TV Show from 1963-1964, when Torme was her Musical Arranger and friend. She comes off no better than other sketches of herself, but this writing is good, if possibly padded by reluctance and lawyers.

[Nicole Carro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this biography of Judy Garland. I've been a fan of Torme's music for a long time and it's good to see he had a talent for words as well. I had this old edition and lost it in the divorce, which makes me sad, but I've got what looks like a semi-autobiographical fictional book by him and I'm looking forward to reading that next.

[Jojo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book covering a topic and people that I didn't know much about when I started it. Mel Torme covers his time working on The Judy Garland Show and all the pitfalls and pleasures of working with Judy at the end of her career while weaving in his own autobiography. Perfect for film, music, and television lovers alike.

[DeRonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mel Torme's view of Garland's world...and his part in it.

[Andrea Pryke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful lies about Garland and her TV show for a more true account read Rainbow's End by Coyne Steven Sanders

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but ultimately sad. A behind the scenes look at Judy Garland's TV show, written by Mel Torme, who was her musical director.

[Heather McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Torme focuses almost exclusively on Garland's short lived television variety show 'The Judy Garland Show'. If you've never seen footage of it online (i.e. Youtube) it's a fascinating view of Garland as a performer, under tremendous pressure (and medication) to do well as her movie career had ultimately dried up at this point. Life on 'The Judy Garland Show' was never easy for anyone, with little network support from CBS, constant personnel changes behind the scenes, and an erratic Garland who did the very best she could (which varied from day to day).

Overall a fascinating read, poignant, personal, and somewhat haunting in the depiction of Garland's final years.

[Heather McC]

Torme focuses almost exclusively on Garland's short lived television variety show 'The Judy Garland Show'. If you've never seen footage of it online (i.e. Youtube) it's a fascinating view of Garland as a performer, under tremendous pressure (and medication) to do well as her movie career had ultimately dried up at this point. Life on 'The Judy Garland Show' was never easy for anyone, with little network support from CBS, constant personnel changes behind the scenes, and an erratic Garland who did the very best she could (which varied from day to day).

Overall a fascinating read, poignant, personal, and somewhat haunting in the depiction of Garland's final years.