Sidney Luft
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| Born | Michael Sidney Luft (1915-11-02)November 2, 1915
New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Died | September 15, 2005(2005-09-15) (aged 89)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Impresario |
| Years active | 1947–2004 |
| Spouses | MaryLou Simpson
(m. 1940; div. 1942)
(m. 1943; div. 1950)
(m. 1952; div. 1965)Patti Hemingway
(m. 1970; div. 1971)
(m. 1993) |
| Children | 4, including Lorna Luft |
Michael Sidney Luft (November 2, 1915 – September 15, 2005) was an American show business figure, the second husband of actress Lynn Bari, and later the third husband of actress and singer Judy Garland.
Luft was born in New York City, the son of Leonora (Meyers) and Norbert Luft, who were Jewish immigrants from Russia and Germany.[1] His family moved to Westchester County, where he grew up.
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Luft was once an amateur boxer and bar-room brawler and had the nickname "One-Punch Luft". He was a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and in the early 1940s was a test pilot for Douglas Aircraft Company.[2]
Luft's first Hollywood assignment was as the secretary and manager of dancer Eleanor Powell. He is credited with keeping Judy Garland working[3] and with setting up a deal with Warner Bros. to bankroll his wife's comeback film, a 1954 musical remake of A Star Is Born plus future projects. Luft's name is on the film's credits as producer. A Star Is Born was a major critical success. During its first release, the picture proved to be very popular with audiences and grossed an enormous amount of money, but it failed to recoup its production costs. This was considered a major factor in Garland not winning the Academy Award that year for Best Actress. As a result, the studio canceled the Luft–Garland contract.
He was married five times:
Sidney Luft died on September 15, 2005, in Santa Monica, California, apparently of a heart attack, at the age of 89.[3]
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