▁worked ▁on ▁The ▁Z ieg feld ▁Fol lies ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁Ho or ay ▁for ▁What !, ▁Very ▁W arm ▁for ▁May , ▁and ▁The ▁Show ▁is ▁On . ▁Minn elli ' s ▁reputation ▁grew ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁job ▁at ▁M GM ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁by ▁producer ▁Arthur ▁Fre ed . ▁ ▁With ▁his ▁background ▁in ▁theatre , ▁Minn elli ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁an ▁aute ur ▁who ▁always ▁brought ▁his ▁stage ▁experience ▁to ▁his ▁films . ▁The ▁first ▁film ▁that ▁he ▁directed , ▁Cab in ▁in ▁the ▁Sky ▁( 1 9 4 3 ), ▁was ▁vis ibly ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁the ater . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁that , ▁he ▁directed ▁I ▁Do od ▁It ▁( also ▁ 1 9 4 3 ) ▁with ▁Red ▁Sk el ton ▁and ▁Me et ▁Me ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis ▁( 1 9 4 4 ), ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁fell ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁the ▁film ' s ▁star , ▁Jud y ▁Gar land . ▁They ▁had ▁first ▁met ▁on ▁the ▁set ▁of ▁St rike ▁Up ▁the ▁Band ▁( 1 9 4 0 ), ▁a ▁Bus by ▁Ber keley ▁film ▁for ▁which ▁Minn elli ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁design ▁a ▁musical ▁sequence ▁performed ▁by ▁Gar land ▁and ▁Mic key ▁Ro oney . ▁They ▁began ▁a ▁court ship ▁that ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁their ▁marriage ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁Their ▁one ▁child ▁together , ▁L iza ▁Minn elli , ▁grew ▁up ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁Academy ▁Award - win ning