Can you give me some details on actress Judy Holliday's life and career?
—Barbara L., Oregon
Judy Holliday was a gifted comedic actress who won the Oscar for Best Actress in the 1950 movie Born Yesterday. She was born Judith Tuvim (tuvim is the Hebrew word for holiday) on June 21, 1921, in New York City. Although best known for her "dumb blonde" roles, Holliday was said to have possessed a genius level IQ. She made her professional debut in the late '30s as part of the comedy group The Revuers. After trying to make a start in Hollywood, she headed back to New York and starred on Broadway, then returned to Hollywood. Holliday's final film was the 1960 musical comedy Bells Are Ringing. She was married to musician David Oppenheimer from 1948-57 and had one child, a son named Jonathan. Holliday died in 1965 after battling cancer for several years.
