Schechter, Scott, 1961-

Schechter was a Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli historian. He was an author and producer, devoting many years to researching the careers of Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli and in the process became an authority on their lives.

Schechter was born February 26, 1961, one of three children. He grew up in the Philadelphia area and began his dedication to Judy Garland while in junior high. For school projects, he wrote reports and created scrapbooks about Garland and Minnelli.

"In 1998, Schechter co-produced what is considered the definitive audio overview of Garland's career: the 4-CD box set Jud y, which spans the entire 40 years of her recorded legacy, from her earliest known recordings in 1929 at age 7, to one of her final appearances in 1969, shortly before her passing…Also that year Schechter was instrumental in bringing Garland's entire long-lost 1963-1964 TV series, The Judy Garland Show, to the DVD format."

"In 2000, Schechter was instrumental in getting Garland's historic Grammy-winning Album of the Year Judy at Carnegie Hall released (on CD) complete and uncut, exactly as it happened that night in its proper running order, for the first time ever…"

Schechter published the book Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend, in 2002. The book presented Garland's career and legacy in great detail.

Schechter also worked to get Liza Minnelli: The Complete A &M Recordings and Liza Minnelli: Ultimate Collection available to the public. In 2004 he published the book The Liza Minnelli Scrapbook containing never before seen photographs, extensive lists (records, television appearances, radio shows, movies, awards, etc.) and a detailed written overview of Minnelli's many acheivements. Schechter and Minnelli had an on-going professional relationship which included invitations to attend recording sessions and other events.

At the time of his death, Schechter was working to release a CD set of Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli-'Live' at the London Palladium . The CD, with liner notes written by Schechter, was to be re-mastered. He was also working to bring to CD for the first time ever, Liza at the Winter Garden .

Scott Schechter died suddenly on May 15th, 2009 of a heart attack. He leaves behind his long-time partner, Russell Klein.

Sources: Schechter, Scott, The Liza Minnelli Scrapbook (New York: Citadel Press Books, 2004), 226-227

Schulman, Lawrence, "The Plagued History of Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli 'Live' at the London Palladium, 1965-2009", ARSC Journal 40.2 (2009): 187

The Judy Room Newsletter, http://thejudyroom.com/newsletter/schottschecther.html, retrieved 2011, June 17

Judy Garland Message Board, http://judyboard.webprime.de/viewtopic.php?f=1 &t=5253, retrieved 2011, June 17

From the guide to the Scott Schechter collection of Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli materials, 1939-2006, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)