Judy Garland's Divorces: Exploitation, Financial Ruin, and Tragedy Over the Rainbow

What Happened

Judy Garland, one of the most talented performers in Hollywood history, was married five times and divorced four times. Her divorces tell a devastating story of financial exploitation, addiction, and the failure of the legal system to protect a vulnerable person. Despite earning millions from 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'A Star Is Born,' and decades of concert performances, Garland was consistently impoverished by the people closest to her.

Her marriage to director Vincente Minnelli (1945–1951) ended when Garland was already struggling with addiction to pills prescribed to her as a child by MGM Studios. Minnelli received custody of their daughter, Liza. Her marriage to producer Sid Luft (1952–1965) was the longest and most financially entangled. Luft managed Garland's career and finances, and their divorce proceedings dragged on for years. Garland alleged Luft had mismanaged and stolen her earnings. The custody battle over their children, Lorna and Joey, was bitter and public.

Her third marriage, to actor Mark Herron (1965–1967), lasted barely a year. Her fifth and final marriage to Mickey Deans (1969) ended with her death from an accidental drug overdose at age 47 in London. At the time of her death, Garland reportedly owed more than $4 million in back taxes and had virtually no liquid assets.

Garland's story is a cautionary tale about financial abuse in marriage. Multiple husbands and managers controlled her money, booked grueling schedules to generate income, and failed to pay her taxes. The legal system of the era offered little protection. Today, courts are far more attuned to financial abuse, but the pattern Garland experienced — a high-earning spouse controlled by a financially dominant partner — remains tragically common.

Legal Breakdown: Financial Abuse During Divorce

What This Means for Your Divorce