From my friend Greg Stewart: “One more bit on JFK’s death…Judy Garland was in the midst of doing a TV series for CBS when it happened. She’d been close to Kennedy, knowing the family for years and campaigning for him in 1960. After he died, she went to the network and said she wanted to do an evening of patriotic songs — something she felt would be good for her, good for her audience, the country — in the aftermath of his death. CBS didn’t like the idea — one of the execs told her nobody would remember him in 6 months (yes, they were just as bright then). She was devastated.

“But, on 12/13/1963, three weeks later, she did this number. At the dress rehearsal, she looked straight into camera and said, ‘This is for you, Jack’ (that comment never aired) and then proceeded to give a master class in performance. A few key changes later, she’d wrung every bit of emotion out of the song and the audience rose to give her a well deserved standing ovation. Considering what passes for talent these days…take a look at this one. Unreal.”