Judy Garland was a man.
Judy Garland ( born Frances Ethel Gumm ; June 10 , 1922 -- June 22 , 1969 ) was an American singer , actress , and vaudevillian . She was renowned for her contralto vocals and attained international stardom that continued throughout a career spanning more than 40 years as an actress in musical and dramatic roles , as a recording artist , and on concert stages . Garland began performing in vaudeville with her two older sisters and was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager . Garland received a Golden Globe Award , a Juvenile Academy Award , and a Special Tony Award , and at 39 , became the youngest and first female recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in the film industry .