 It originally aired on "NBC Monday Night at the Movies" on November 6, 1978.The casting of McArdle as Judy Garland was heavily criticized at the time, as the actress did not resemble nor sound remotely like Garland.The early life and struggles of Judy Garland during her early years in vaudeville, and follows her through her illustrious and highly-publicized rise to stardom at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios; her trials as a youngster in dealing with the movie studio system that held her back while her mother was forever pushing her to excel, as well as all the backstage joy and heartbreak during the filming of "The Wizard of Oz" (1939).