Sidney Luft

Michael Sidney Luft (November 2, 1915 – September 15, 2005) was an American show business figure, the second husband of actress Lynn Bari and later the third husband of actress and singer Judy Garland.

Sidney Luft
Born
Michael Sidney Luft

(1915-11-02)November 2, 1915
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 15, 2005(2005-09-15) (aged 89)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
OccupationImpresario
Years active1947–2004
Spouse(s)
MaryLou Simpson
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(m. 1940; div. 1942)​

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(m. 1943; div. 1950)​

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(m. 1952; div. 1965)​

Patti Hemingway
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(m. 1970; div. 1971)​

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(m. 1993)​
Children3; including Lorna Luft

Early life

Luft was born in New York City, the son of Leonora (Meyers) and Norbert Luft, who were Jewish immigrants from Russia and Germany.[1] His family moved to Westchester County, where he grew up.

Career

Luft was once an amateur boxer and bar-room brawler and had the nickname "One-Punch Luft". He was a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and in the early 1940s was a test pilot for Douglas Aircraft Company.[2]

Luft's first Hollywood assignment was as the secretary and manager of dancer Eleanor Powell.

He is credited with keeping Judy Garland working[3] and with setting up a deal with Warner Bros. to bankroll his wife's comeback film, a 1954 musical remake of A Star Is Born plus future projects. Luft's name is on the film's credits as producer. A Star Is Born was a major critical success. During its first release, the picture proved to be very popular with audiences and grossed an enormous amount of money, but it failed to recoup its production costs. This was considered a major factor in Garland not winning the Academy Award that year for Best Actress. As a result, the studio canceled the Luft–Garland contract, which would have starred Judy in two additional Warner films and given Luft a berth at Warner's as a producer.

Personal life

He was married five times:

  • In December 1940 to aspiring actress MaryLou Simpson. They divorced in 1942.
  • On November 28, 1943 to actress Lynn Bari. They had two children, a daughter who was a stillborn and a son named John Michael Luft (born 1948). They divorced on December 26, 1950.
  • On June 29, 1952 to singer and actress Judy Garland. They had two children, Lorna Luft (born November 21, 1952 in Santa Monica, California) and Joseph Wiley "Joey" Luft (born March 29, 1955 in Los Angeles). They separated in 1963 and divorced in 1965. Garland accused him of drunkenness and abuse.[3]
  • In 1970, to Patti Hemingway (sometimes spelled Patty Hemingway[4]). They divorced less than a year later.[5][6][7]
  • On March 20, 1993 to Camille Keaton.

Death

Sidney Luft died on September 15, 2005 in Santa Monica, California, apparently of a heart attack, at the age of 89.[3]

Filmography

References
  1. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8XR-7T8
  2. Shelden, Michael (June 1, 2001). "I Couldn't Stop Judy Falling Apart". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  3. "Sid Luft, 89, Movie Producer Who Married Judy Garland, Dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 17, 2005.
  4. "The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio on January 11, 1974 · Page 12". Newspapers.com.
  5. "Obituary: Sid Luft". the Guardian. September 20, 2005.
  6. "Sid Luft". The Independent. October 5, 2011.
  7. The Associated Press (September 17, 2005). "Sid Luft, 89, Movie Producer Who Married Judy Garland, Dies (Published 2005)" – via NYTimes.com.
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