The Tragic Truth: 5 Shocking Facts About How Judy Garland Really Died

Decades after her passing, the story of Judy Garland’s death remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring and tragic mysteries, yet the official record is surprisingly clear. As of late December 2025, the definitive cause of death for the legendary star of The Wizard of Oz is an accidental overdose of barbiturates, a tragic conclusion to a life marked by unparalleled talent and profound personal struggle. She was found by her fifth husband, Mickey Deans, in the bathroom of their rented London home on June 22, 1969, just 12 days after her 47th birthday.

The coroner’s inquest ruled the death an "incautious self-overdosage," emphasizing that the massive dose of sleeping pills was not taken with suicidal intent, but rather was the result of a long-term, habitual reliance on medication. This tragic event, which occurred during a tumultuous period in her career and personal life, sealed her fate as one of the great cinematic figures whose brilliance was tragically cut short by the very pressures of the industry that created her. Her passing sparked an international outpouring of grief and cemented her status as a timeless cultural icon.

The Complete Biography and Profile of Judy Garland

Judy Garland was an American actress, singer, and dancer whose career spanned over four decades, earning her a Golden Globe, a special Academy Award, and multiple Grammy Awards. Her life was characterized by a meteoric rise to fame, legendary performances, and a lifelong battle with addiction and mental health issues, which began when she was a child star under the strict studio system of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

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• Real Name: Frances Ethel Gumm
• Born: June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, U.S.
• Died: June 22, 1969 (Age 47), in Chelsea, London, England
• Cause of Death: Accidental barbiturate overdose (incautious self-overdosage)
• Occupation: Actress, Singer, Vaudevillian
• Notable Works: The Wizard of Oz (1939), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), A Star Is Born (1954), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
• Spouses:
  1. David Rose (m. 1941; div. 1944)
  2. Vincente Minnelli (m. 1945; div. 1951)
  3. Sidney Luft (m. 1952; div. 1965)
  4. Mark Herron (m. 1965; div. 1969)
  5. Mickey Deans (m. 1969)
• Children: Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft, Joey Luft

The Definitive Coroner's Verdict: Accidental Overdose of Barbiturates

The official cause of Judy Garland’s death was determined by a London coroner, Gavin Thurston, following an autopsy and inquest. The verdict was an accidental overdose of barbiturates, a class of sedative drugs.

Specifically, the coroner identified the drug as an excessive quantity of quinabarbitone, a type of sleeping pill.

The Critical Details of the Finding

On the morning of June 22, 1969, Garland’s fifth husband, Mickey Deans, awoke to find her missing from their bed in their rented house in Cadogan Lane, Belgravia, London.

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He searched the house and discovered her body in the bathroom, slumped on the toilet.

The pathologist’s examination found no evidence of a struggle or foul play. Crucially, the coroner stated that the amount of barbiturates in her system was lethal, but the manner in which it was ingested suggested a tragic error rather than a deliberate act of suicide.

Coroner Thurston’s final ruling was "incautious self-overdosage," a term that acknowledged Garland’s long-standing dependency on sleeping medication, which she had been taking since her teenage years in Hollywood.

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This history made her body accustomed to high doses, increasing the risk of a fatal miscalculation. The post-mortem examination also revealed evidence of cirrhosis of the liver, a condition often associated with heavy drinking, further illustrating her poor health at the time.

The Downward Spiral: Judy Garland’s Final Tragic Months

The months leading up to Judy Garland's death were marked by a desperate struggle against financial ruin, poor health, and a relentless cycle of addiction and depression. Her final year, as depicted in the 2019 biopic Judy starring Renée Zellweger, was a chaotic and exhausting period.

She had moved to London to perform a five-week run of sold-out concerts at the Talk of the Town nightclub in late 1968. While these performances were occasionally brilliant, they were often marred by her erratic behavior, lateness, and sometimes slurred singing, reflecting her declining physical and mental state.

Financial Desperation and Health Collapse

Despite her iconic status, Garland was in a desperate financial state. Years of mismanagement, tax issues, and the need to support her family had left her virtually broke. Her final performances were driven by the urgent need for money, which added immense pressure to her already fragile psyche.

Her health was constantly plagued by illness, and she had suffered from hepatitis, nervous breakdowns, and multiple suicide attempts throughout her life.

Her last public performances were in Copenhagen, Denmark, in March 1969, just three months before her death.

She married Mickey Deans, a discotheque manager 12 years her junior, in March 1969, making him her fifth husband. Deans had attempted to manage her career and personal life, but the addiction proved too powerful to overcome.

Legacy and The End of the Rainbow

Judy Garland’s death at such a young age solidified her status as a tragic figure, a victim of the Hollywood studio system that had nurtured and exploited her from childhood. Her story is often cited as a cautionary tale about the perils of child stardom and the pressures of celebrity.

Her funeral in New York City drew over 20,000 mourners, a testament to her enduring popularity and the deep connection audiences felt to her vulnerability and immense talent.

The narrative that she "just got tired" is a sentiment often expressed by those close to her, including her daughter, Liza Minnelli, who, while acknowledging the overdose, suggested that the decades of struggle had simply worn her down.

Ultimately, the official medical conclusion of an accidental barbiturate poisoning provides the factual answer to "how did Judy Garland die." However, the full story encompasses a lifetime of forced drug use by studio handlers, relentless public scrutiny, and a battle with inner demons that no amount of fame could quell, making her death a heartbreaking end to one of the 20th century’s most brilliant and troubled stars.