Sidney Luft
{{Short description|American producer and businessman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sidney Luft
| image = sidneyluft.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| birth_name = Michael Sidney Luft
| birth_date = {{birth date|1915|11|2}}
| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2005|09|15|1915|11|2}}
| death_place = Santa Monica, California, U.S.
| resting place =
| citizenship =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = Impresario
| years_active = 1947–2004
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- {{marriage|MaryLou Simpson|1940|1942|end=div}}
- {{marriage|Lynn Bari|1943|1950|end=div}}
- {{marriage|Judy Garland|1952|1965|end=div}}
- {{marriage|Patti Hemingway|1970|1971|end=div}}
- {{marriage|Camille Keaton
|1993}}
}}
| partner =
| children = 4, including Lorna Luft
| parents =
}}
Michael Sidney Luft (November 2, 1915 – September 15, 2005) was an American producer and businessman, the second husband of actress Lynn Bari, and later the third husband of actress and singer Judy Garland.
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8XR-7T8|title=FamilySearch.org|website=Familysearch.org|access-date=May 27, 2022}} His family moved to Westchester County, where he grew up.
Career
{{Moresources|section|date=June 2023}}
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.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4723844/I-couldnt-stop-Judy-falling-apart.html | first=Michael | last=Shelden | author-link=Michael Shelden | title=I Couldn't Stop Judy Falling Apart | newspaper=The Daily Telegraph | date=1 June 2001 | access-date=19 June 2017}}
Luft's first Hollywood assignment was as the secretary and manager of dancer Eleanor Powell. He is credited with keeping Judy Garland working{{cite news | title=Sid Luft, 89, Movie Producer Who Married Judy Garland, Dies | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/17/arts/17luft.html?ex=1284609600&en=f427c05634b69838&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0 | agency=Associated Press | newspaper=The New York Times | date=September 17, 2005}} 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.
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 died shortly after birth{{cite news|title=Daughter Born Tuesday to Actress Lynn Bari Dies|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1945/08/09/page/25/article/daughter-born-tuesday-to-actress-lynn-bari-dies|access-date=19 July 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|date=August 9, 1945|page=25}} 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, gambling indebtedness and abuse.
- In 1970, to Patti Hemingway (sometimes spelled Patty Hemingway).{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/104578004/|title=The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio on January 11, 1974 · Page 12|website=Newspapers.com}} They divorced less than a year later.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/sep/20/guardianobituaries.film|title=Obituary: Sid Luft|date=September 20, 2005|website=the Guardian}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/sid-luft-507375.html|title=Sid Luft|date=October 5, 2011|website=The Independent}}
- 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.
Filmography
- 1947: Kilroy Was Here
- 1948: French Leave
- 1954: A Star Is Born
- 1955: Ford Star Jubilee (TV) (Episode: "The Judy Garland Special")
- 1956: General Electric Theater (TV) (Episode: "Judy Garland Musical Special")
- 1997: Judy Garland's Hollywood
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Biography}}
- {{IMDb name|525184|Sidney Luft}}
- [http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/main.adp?sid=175920 Sidney Luft movies]
- [https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,3604,1573731,00.html Sid Luft: Judy Garland's third husband and producer of her comeback film]
- [https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200512/sidney-luft The Least Worst Man: Sidney Luft (1915–2005)]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121020064803/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58935699.html?dids=58935699:58935699&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Aug+27,+2000&author=DAN+WHITCOMB&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Academy+Sues+Dealer+for+Judy+Garland+Oscar+Statue&pqatl=google Garland's Oscar statue lawsuit]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090827205214/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/110907489.html?dids=110907489:110907489&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+22%2C+2002&author=IRENE+LACHER&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=THE+OSCARS%3B+A+Big+Legal+Battle+Over+Garland%27s+Mini+Award&pqatl=google LA Times on Luft's Garland-Oscar lawsuit]
- [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4723844/I-couldnt-stop-Judy-falling-apart.html Luft's Daily Telegraph interview]
- [https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-09-16-sid-luft-obit_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA Luft USA Today obituary (Associated Press)]
- [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/16/AR2005091601883_pf.html Washington Post obituary (Associated Press)]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luft, Sidney}}
Category:American film producers
Category:American entertainment industry businesspeople
Category:Male actors from New York City
Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent
Category:American people of German-Jewish descent