Sidney Luft

Overview

Sidney Luft was born on November 2, 1915 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer, known for A Star Is Born (1954), French Leave (1948) and Kilroy Was Here (1947). He was married to Camille Keaton, Patti Hemingway, Judy Garland, Lynn Bari and MaryLou Simpson. He died on September 15, 2005 in Santa Monica, California, USA.

A Los Angeles U.S. District judge barred him from selling the replacement Juvenile Oscar Judy Garland received for "The Wizard of Oz." He was also ordered to pay nearly $60,000 to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to end their second lawsuit against him for repeatedly trying to sell the statuette. (September 2002)
Was not on speaking terms with daughter Lorna Luft after the publishing of her unflattering memoir and the resulting TV-movie "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" in 2001.
Godfather of his daughter Lorna Luft was Frank Sinatra
Had 4 children: a daughter (b. August 1945 but died shortly thereafter) & son, John Michael Luft (b. September 18, 1948) with 2nd ex-wife, Lynn Bari and daughter, Lorna Luft (b. November 21, 1952) & son, Joey Luft (b. March 29, 1955) with 3rd ex-wife, Judy Garland.
Had a stepdaughter: Liza Minnelli (b. March 12, 1946) with ex-wife, Judy Garland.

[Said by studio boss Jack L. Warner]: "He's one of the original guys who promised his parents he'd never work a day in his life - and made good."
Whatever bad things happened, you don't fall out of love with somebody like her. All I know is that, if anyone tried to save a woman who was breaking apart, I did. I know that I did the best I could do, and it still wasn't enough. -- following Garland's accidental drug death in 1969
I loved her and didn't want to see her kicked around. If MGM couldn't handle her, that was their problem. But she was so incredibly talented that I knew she could land on her feet if she had some help. So what if the movies didn't want her? She could always sing. I wasn't going to let her fail. -- referring to his part in resurrecting Garland's career via the concert circuit
When we got married in the early '50s, Judy was still very beautiful. She was only 5-foot tall -- just a shrimp of a girl, really -- but she had a very sensuous body, and up close, her skin was like porcelain, pure white. I was crazy about her. She had incredibly kissable lips. -- referring to ex-wife Judy Garland
I was no Minnelli, that's for sure. I grew up in a rough New York neighborhood and didn't put up with shit from anyone. I'm a survivor, with the scars to show for it, and I think that appealed to Judy. She needed someone to lean on who wouldn't crack.