Lorna Luft

Lorna Luft (born November 21, 1952) is an American television, stage, and film actress, singer, and author.
Early life.
Luft was born on November 21, 1952 at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California to Judy Garland and Garland's third husband, Sidney Luft. She attended University High School in Los Angeles during her senior year and was a member of the school choir. She studied theatre at HB Studio in New York City.
Career.
Stage and television.
Luft made her show business debut at age 11 singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" on the 1963 Christmas episode of Garland's CBS television series "The Judy Garland Show". Siblings Liza Minnelli and Joey Luft also appeared.
Luft soon joined the family act on a summer concert tour, the highlight of which was Garland's third and final appearance at New York's famed Palace Theatre on Broadway in 1967, two years before her mother's death. In this month-long engagement, Garland "shared" the bill with Luft (then 14 years old) and Joey (12 years old). The show was recorded live and released on ABC Records as "".
Luft made her Broadway debut in 1971 at the Shubert Theatre as a replacement cast member in the musical "Promises, Promises", adapted from the classic 1960 Billy Wilder film "The Apartment". It is best known for the hit song "I'll Never Fall in Love Again".
On October 7, 1981, Luft performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, which was said to be the culmination of a lifelong dream. She starred in the 1981–82 national tour of "They're Playing Our Song", and in 1982 she played Paulette Rebchuck in "Grease 2". In 1983, she played Peppermint Patty in the off-Broadway production of "Snoopy! The Musical", a sequel to "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown". Later that year, she costarred in "Extremities" with Farrah Fawcett.
Luft appeared as Nurse Libby Kegler on the CBS television series "Trapper John, M.D." during its final season of 1985–1986. She also appeared as Patti Bristol in a 1985 episode of "Murder, She Wrote" entitled "Broadway Malady". In the episode, Luft played the daughter of Vivian Blaine, who had originated the role of Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls" on Broadway, while Luft would go on to play the same role in the 1992–1994 national and worldwide tours.
In 1996, Luft appeared in an Irish production of "Follies" in Dublin with Mary Millar, Alex Sharpe, Christine Scarry, Aidan Conway, Enda Markey, Dave Willetts and Millicent Martin. In 2002, she starred as Mama Rose in a University of Richmond school production of "Gypsy."
In December 1995, Luft released a cover version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", which was reworked as a "virtual duet" with Garland. Produced by Gordon Lorenz, it was issued as a CD single only in the U.K. by the Carlton Sounds label. A music video featured Luft performing the song in a studio interspersed with classic footage of Garland singing to a then-11-year-old Luft on the 1963 Christmas episode of "The Judy Garland Show", all placed on the same screen.
From November 2006 through January 2007, Luft performed in the U.K. premiere of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", a new stage adaptation based on the film. She reprised her role the next year, playing the Edinburgh Playhouse from November 19 to December 8, 2007 and the Wales Millennium Centre at the Donald Gordon Theatre from December 13, 2007 through January 12, 2008.
Luft appeared in four episodes of the 2007–2009 Logo animated series "".
In October 2007, Luft released her debut CD "Lorna Luft: Songs My Mother Taught Me" in the U.K. Produced by Barry Manilow and Luft's husband Colin R. Freeman, the album celebrates Garland's music. In 2005, Luft toured Ireland with her stage show, "Songs My Mother Taught Me". In June 2006, she surprised audiences at Carnegie Hall by performing a duet with Rufus Wainwright on the song "After You've Gone" at the end of Wainwright's tribute concert for Garland's triumphant 1961 comeback at the same venue.
Luft appeared in "The Wizard Of Oz", a stage version of the movie that made Garland famous, at The Lowry in Manchester, England. She portrayed the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Margaret Hamilton in the film.
In April 2009, Luft completed a successful U.K. tour of the critically acclaimed Hugh Whitemore play "Pack of Lies", in which she played the role of Helen Kroger. She starred with Jenny Seagrove, Simon Shepherd and Daniel Hill. In May 2009, she appeared in "W" magazine as a special guest performer for the acclaimed avant-garde Theo Adams Company's latest project, "Performance", photographed by David Sims. In July 2009, she appeared at the Mermaid Theatre, London to record for the radio series "Friday Night Is Music Night". "Lorna Luft and Friends – A Tribute to Judy Garland" also featured John Barrowman, Frances Ruffelle and Linzi Hateley.
In May - July 2015, Luft toured the U.K. in "Judy - The Songbook of Judy Garland", a show highlighting Garland's life and music. The show featured her signature songs and recreations of film scenes from her MGM years.
Film.
Luft has appeared in the films "Grease 2" (1982), "Where the Boys Are '84" (1984), "Fear Stalk" (1989), "54" (1998) and "My Giant" (1998). She and her brother Joey made cameo appearances in the 1963 film "I Could Go On Singing".
Author.
Luft is the author of the 1998 book '. Among its revelations is that she had an affair with Barry Manilow in 1971. In 2001, the book was adapted as an Emmy-winning TV miniseries called '. It stars Judy Davis as the adult Judy, Tammy Blanchard as the teenage Judy, Hugh Laurie as Vincente Minnelli, Victor Garber as Sid Luft and Marsha Mason as Ethel Gumm. Luft is the co-author (film historian Jeffrey Vance is credited as the other co-author) of the 2018 book "A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film That Got Away", which she describes as "a vivid account of the film classic's production, loss, and reclamation."
Personal life.
Luft participates in various children's and AIDS-related charities, including the annual Los Angeles AIDS Walk and The Children's Wish Foundation International. She has been an advocate for drug rehabilitation and has spoken for the Council on Alcohol & Drugs.
Health.
In 2013, Luft's radiographer informed her that she had grade-2A breast cancer. She called her close friend Barry Manilow, who connected her with cancer specialist David Agus. To save her breast, she opted for a lumpectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation. She completed her final chemotherapy treatment in 2013.
In June 2015, Luft revealed that her cancer had reemerged. Consequently, the U.K. tour of "Judy - The Songbook of Judy Garland" concluded early on July 11, and she returned to the U.S. for surgical treatment.
In March 2018, Luft was diagnosed with a brain tumor after collapsing following a London performance.
Later that month, Luft underwent surgery to remove the tumor. The surgery was successful, and Luft has since recovered.