Michael Sidney Luft (1915 - 2005)

Born 2 Nov 1915 in New York City, New York, United States

Husband of Marjorie Schuyler (Fisher) Rickles — married 28 Nov 1943 in Los Angeles, California, United States

Husband of Frances Ethel (Gumm) Garland — married 29 Jun 1952 (to 1965) in San Benito, San Bernardino, California, United States

Died 15 Sep 2005 at age 89 in Santa Monica, California, United States

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Biography

Sid Luft was "an American show business figure, the second husband of actress Lynn Bari and later the third husband of actress and singer Judy Garland."^[1]

Michael was born 2 November 1915 in New York City, the son of Norbert Luft and Leonora Meyers .

His first wife was Marjorie Fisher, whom he married 28 November 1943 in Los Angeles..^[2] Majorie was an actress with the stage name Lynn Bari. They were divorced.

He was the third husband of Judy Garland, his second wife, whom he married in 8 June 1952 in San Benito, California.^[3] They were the parents of two children and divorced 19 May 1965.

He married Patricia Hemingway in 1972 in New York City.^[4] They divorced in 1980.^[5]

He married Camille Keaton in 1993.^[6]

He passed away in 2005.^[7]

Obituary:^[8]

Sid Luft Dies in California

By Ian Gregor, The Associated Press

Los Angeles--Producer Sid Luft, who is credited with reviving the career of his then-wife, Judy Garlind, in the 1950s, has died. He was 89.

Luft, whose movie production credits included "Kilroy was Here" 1947; "French Leave" 1948; and "A Star is Born" 1854, died Thursday in Santa Monica of an apparent heart attack, John Kimble, a longtime friend and business partenr of Luft, said Friday.

Luft and Garland were married in 1952 and divorced a tumultuous 13 years later. The marriage was Garland's third and Luft's third.

They had two children together, Lorna in 1952 and Joey in 1955. Luft also was stepfather to singer and actress Liza Minnelli, who Garland had with director Vincente Minnelli in 1946.

Luft was credited with helping resurrect Garland's career after she was released from her contract at MGM in 1950 following a series of personal and professional crises. It was at MGM that she became a star and made such films as "The Wizard of Oz" and "Meet Me in St. Louis."

Luft, as Garland's manager and agent, produced stage shows for her in London and New York and then brought her back to motion pictures, said Coyne Steven Sanders, Luft's longtime friend and author of the 1990 Garland biography "Rainbow's End."

"A Star Is born," produced by Luft and directed by George Cukor, brought Garland an Academy Award nomination for best actress. The oft-filmed story of a troubled movie star whose career is over=shadowed by that of his protegee also got five other nominations including for best actor (James Mason), best score and best song.

Luft in 1995 also successfully produced a special show for CBS that marked Garland's first appearance on television.

Garland professionally turned to Luft again in 1966 and he booked her on U.S. and international stage tours, Sanders said. "Sid was a great showman, he had great instincts and he knew how to package and put together a show," Sanders said. "Certainly, I can say, knowing him, that Judy was the love of his life. He still loved her and always did."

After he and Garland divorced, Luft married Patti Hemingway in 1970. That union also ended in divorce. He married actress Camille Keaton in 1993.

Sources

1. ↑ Sid Luft Biography on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K82K-F9F : 8 December 2017), Sidney Luft and Marjorie Fisher, 28 Nov 1943; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,135,491.
3. ↑ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8XR-7RP : 10 December 2017), Michael Sidney Luft and Frances G Minnelli, 08 Jun 1952; citing San Benito, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,908,729.
4. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Licenses Index, 1950-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLSL-C4CM : 19 June 2017), Michael Luft and Patricia Hemingway, 1972, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States;Marriage, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States, from Reclaim the Records, The NYC Marriage Index (http://www.nycmarriageindex.com : 2016); citing New York City Clerk's Office.
5. ↑ "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPPC-WVY : 27 November 2014), Michael S Luft and Patricia S, 15 Feb 1980; from "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2007); citing Los Angeles, California, Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento.
6. ↑ "Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VV6D-7VK : 9 December 2014), Michael Sidney Luft and Camille Keaton, 20 Mar 1993; from "Nevada, Marriage Index, 1956-2005," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2007); citing Clark, Nevada, United States, County Book 331, p. C423765, archive film number 896970, Nevada State Health Division, Carson City, and Clark County Marriage Bureau, Las Vegas.
7. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V916-94M : 20 May 2014), Sidney Luft, 15 Sep 2005; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
8. ↑ State Journal-Register Saturday, Sep 17, 2005 Springfield, IL Page: 23

• Wikipedia: Sidney Luft
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV34-TSB : accessed 14 August 2018), Sidney Luft in household of Norburt Luft, Mount Vernon Ward 1, Westchester, New York, United States; citing ED 79, sheet 13A, line 43, family 272, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1277; FHL microfilm 1,821,277.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4G5-9NN : accessed 14 August 2018), Sidney Luft in household of Robert E Luft, Yonkers, Westchester, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 80, sheet 22A, line 17, family 435, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1669; FHL microfilm 2,341,403.