# Ethel Marion Milne

Ethel Marion Milne (born November 6, 1893 – January 5, 1953) was an American vaudevillian. She is the mother of the American actress, singer, and vaudevillian Judy Garland. Milne played a significant role in managing her daughter's early careers in entertainment and is recognized for her involvement in shaping Garland’s path to stardom.

## Early life

Milne (née Fitzpatrick) was born on November 6, 1893, in Michigamme, Michigan, to Eva Marion Fitzpatrick and Robert Emmett Milne. Her early years were spent in Superior, Wisconsin, where she grew up. Her father, a carpenter, worked in the trades, and it was within this setting that Ethel’s early exposure to the performing arts began. Influenced by the popularity of vaudeville, a form of variety entertainment that flourished in the early 20th century, she developed an interest in performance, setting the stage for her later involvement in the entertainment industry.

## Career

Milne’s marriage to Francis “Frank” Gumm, a theater manager, took place on October 24, 1914, in Wisconsin. The couple moved to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where they managed the New Grand Theatre, which featured silent films and live performances. Together, they had three daughters: Mary Jane “Suzanne” Gumm, Dorothy Virginia “Jimmie” Gumm, and Frances “Baby” Ethel Gumm, who would later change her name to Judy Garland.
Ethel encouraged her daughters to perform as The Gumm Sisters, a vaudeville trio that sang and danced in local talent shows and on vaudeville stages. Her commitment to their careers was instrumental in their early success, and she was regarded as the driving force behind their performances.
Encouraging her daughters to perform, Ethel helped form The Gumm Sisters, a vaudeville act that appeared in local talent shows and on vaudeville stages. Her dedication to their career development was evident as she pushed for greater visibility and exposure, with the Gumm Sisters performing on regional stages. Ethel’s efforts played a pivotal role in her daughters’ early success, particularly in helping Judy Garland secure a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1935, marking the beginning of Garland’s rise to fame.

## Personal life

In 1927, Ethel and Frank divorced, a split reportedly due to Frank's infidelity. After the divorce, Ethel took on an even greater role in managing her daughters’ professional lives, often making key decisions in their career trajectories. Ethel was a determined and forceful stage mother, dedicated to her daughters’ success. As Garland’s career began to soar, especially after her role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939), the relationship between Ethel and Judy became increasingly strained. Some argue her strict and sometimes overbearing approach, contributed to Garland's later struggles with mental health and substance abuse.
This dynamic, some argue, contributed to the emotional and psychological difficulties Garland faced throughout her life, including struggles with mental health and substance abuse. Ethel’s persistent push for Judy’s success, while instrumental in launching her career, is often cited as a factor in Judy’s later challenges.
Milne continued to be involved in her daughters' lives and careers until her death on January 5, 1953, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 59.

## Legacy

Milne's legacy is closely tied to her role as the manager and mother of Judy Garland. As a central figure in launching and guiding Garland's early career, Ethel was instrumental in securing her MGM contract and pushing her toward stardom. Ethel’s management and ambition were crucial to Judy’s career development, but they also led to lasting controversies regarding her parenting style. Many biographers and critics have reflected on how Ethel’s aggressive pursuit of her daughters’ careers—particularly Judy’s—had negative personal consequences, which may have contributed to the struggles Judy experienced later in life.
Ethel’s approach to managing her daughters has made her an archetype of the "stage mother" figure, with her aggressive and sometimes controlling methods symbolizing the complex and often challenging relationships between ambitious parents and their children in the entertainment industry. She played a critical role in shaping the Hollywood careers of her daughters, and especially in Judy Garland’s early career, helping to establish her as one of the most iconic figures in film history.
Despite the tensions between Ethel and Judy, their relationship was undeniably significant. After Ethel’s passing, Judy reportedly expressed feelings of longing for her mother’s presence, indicating the deep emotional ties that remained even amid the complexities of their professional relationship. Ethel’s legacy is a reminder of the intense pressures and challenges that families in the entertainment industry faced, particularly in the early-to-mid 20th century.
While Milne’s management style was often controversial, it was undeniably a key factor in Garland’s rise to fame. Milne's role as a stage mother is a significant part of Hollywood’s history, reflecting the complexities of family dynamics in show business and the sacrifices made in the pursuit of fame.