Meet Judy Garland’s 5 famous husbands — inside her rollercoaster love life

Sometime in early 1940, a teenaged Judy began dating David Rose, a musician who was 12 years her senior. He proposed on her 18th birthday in June 1940, but at the time, David was still married to actress Martha Raye. Upon the insistence of Judy’s studio MGM, the pair waited a year for his divorce to be finalized, and finally tied the knot in 1941, when Judy was only 19.

Their initial years living in Bel Air were wedded bliss, however both MGM and Judy’s mother disapproved of the relationship, noting the age difference and Judy’s public perception as a young star. In 1941, Judy allegedly also had an abortion upon the studio and her mother’s insistence. They eventually separated in 1943 and divorced the following year.

In 1944, Judy worked on Meet Me in St. Louis with Vincente Minnelli, considered one of the greatest directors of musical films in American history (with his most iconic works including An American in Paris, Ziegfeld Follies and Gigi). Despite initial friction, romance blossomed between the pair, and in 1945, Judy married Vincente, who was nearly 20 years her senior.

They welcomed their daughter Liza Minnelli the year after. However, the experience of making The Pirate together in 1947 soured the marriage, with Judy suffering a nervous breakdown during filming. She was subsequently suspended from MGM and attempted suicide soon after. The couple separated in 1950 and their divorce was finalized the year after, with Judy maintaining primary custody of Liza.

Soon after her divorce from Vincente, in 1952, Judy married Sidney Luft, a producer who got the actress back into Hollywood’s good graces by helping her bankroll 1954’s A Star is Born. The film proved to be her comeback vehicle and is now considered one of her greatest film roles, even earning her an Oscar nomination. In 1952, Judy and Sidney welcomed a daughter, Lorna, and in 1955, they welcomed a son named Joey.

Sidney also served as Judy’s manager for much of the ’50s. However, the Wizard of Oz star and her husband separated (and reconciled) several times, with the singer often citing his struggles with alcoholism, gambling, and abuse. They separated for good in 1963, with Judy citing “mental cruelty” as the reason, and were divorced in 1965.

Even before her divorce was finalized, Judy’s engagement to Mark Herron was publicly announced. Mark was an actor and tour promoter, and the two finally wed in late 1965. However, just five months into the marriage, Judy filed for divorce on the grounds that he’d allegedly assaulted her.

During the divorce proceedings, Mark claimed he’d only hit her in “self defense.” Their divorce wasn’t finalized until 1969. Mark actually had a decades-long romance with fellow actor Henry Brandon, during which he was briefly married to Judy. He returned to Henry after the marriage ended, remaining with him until his 1990 death.

In 1967, Judy met Mickey Deans, the manager of the New York City nightclub Arthur. They first met when he delivered her amphetamines, and as she frequented the club more, their relationship grew. They tied the knot in March 1969, a month after her divorce from Mark was finalized. Tragically, Judy passed away at the age of 47 just three months later.

Mickey was held in low regard by Judy’s family, especially her kids, who would later question his intentions. Lorna, in particular, claimed to have been with him when he inked a deal for a book just hours after Judy’s funeral.