David de Alba: The man who would be Judy Garland
The legacy of actress and singer Judy Garland, who enjoyed a 40-year career of international stardom, is being maintained by Las Vegas singer-impressionist David de Alba.
Not only does he look like and sound like the superstar who died at age 47, but David also owns one of the most vast, rare and unique Judy Garland and “The Wizard of Oz” memorabilia collections at his Las Vegas home that has been appraised at thousands of dollars.
Judy starred in more than 24 movies, won Golden Globes, was Emmy-nominated for TV series and recorded 22 albums. David is no typical lip-syncing drag queen.
On March 12, he will sing many of her songs and narrate funny anecdotes that Judy told in her 1960s TV appearances, plus anecdotes when they met. David’s tribute takes place at MVIG Cultural Arts Center at Boulevard Mall.
Known as “The Cuban Legend” from The Finocchio Club that ran for 63 years in San Francisco, David told me that he started performing Judy’s act in 1965 as a teen in Chicago. “When I met her and told her that I impersonated her onstage, she asked me, ‘Do you like me that much?’ ”
“I met her several times, and she was always charming and humble. The last time I spoke with her was only eight months before she passed away. She told me that she wished she could see me perform.”
David uses his own voice onstage and has been mentioned in seven books as a key figure in the drag world of yesteryear. He has received several tributes, including an induction into The Gallery of Greats, for his portrayals of Judy.
“I try to do her as close as I can right down to her walking and talking mannerisms. People kept telling me to keep her history alive,” said David.
“I’d first seen her in Cuba, and the showmanship she had was something I had never seen before. Fans ran from the back of the audience to the front almost kneeling in reverence before her. She impressed me the most.
“I’ve been doing Judy since 1965 and was called even back then ‘the male Judy Garland.’ ” David starred at Finocchio’s from 1971 to 1989: “We were not drag queens in the show. We were professional impersonators.
“It was a totally different aspect of the business. We were actors doing a drag sequence, but at and out of the club, we did not dress in drag. It was kept very classy, and nobody would be offended because there was no vulgarity. A grandmother could come in.”
David, who moved to Las Vegas in 2004, told me his favorite Judy Garland anecdote: “My mother was a great Garland fan. She would say to me, ‘When Judy sings, you can see her soul coming out of her body.’
“Now Judy was not close to her own mother, and when she once saw my mother standing next to me, she said, ‘Who is this lovely lady?’ I introduced my mom, and Judy became a little like Dorothy from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and said, ‘I wish I had a mother like you have.’
“I’ll never forget that. My mother took the opportunity and said, ‘Judy, won’t you kiss my son? He loves you.’ So Judy grabbed me and kissed me and, being a teenager, I didn’t even bring a Polaroid camera to take photos of that moment.
“I had a magazine from the show, and I couldn’t even say, ‘Judy, would you sign this for me?’ I was completely shocked.
“I forgot all about it, and eight months later, she died. But through the fan club and when I bought things from her auction, I did get her signature … but I didn’t take the opportunity that time.” David’s at-home museum is packed with Judy Garland memorabilia.
He told me: “I have Judy Garland purple shoes that she wore. I have a beautiful sequined jacket. I have several of Judy’s personal arrangements for her music and original lobby posters from the ’40s and ’50s.
“I have a room with everything related to Dolls of Judy, little munchkins, everything, plus special dishes that came out during ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Then different photographs given to me for the fan club of Judy’s signature.
“There have been offers to sell it, but I’m not interested in selling things. This is a private collection. I want to enjoy it while I’m alive, and hopefully there will be a library from somebody who will appreciate it when I go so that nothing is thrown away.
“I want her legacy to last forever.” For ticket information and more, go to David-De-Alba.com.
