Judy Garland molested on set of Wizard of Oz by munchkin actors, new book claims

The former husband of screen legend Judy Garland claims that the actress was molested by some of the 'munchkins' on the set of her classic film The Wizard of Oz.

Sid Luft, who died in 2005, wrote in a recently uncovered memoir that Garland was groped by the grown men despite that fact that she was only 16 at the time, the Daily Mail reports.

"They thought they could get away with anything because they were so small," wrote Luft in excerpts of the book obtained by The Sun.

"They would make Judy's life miserable on set by putting their hands under her dress. The men were 40 or more years old."

Luft and Garland were married in 1952 and had a daughter Lorna and son Joey before divorcing 13 years later in 1965, with Garland claiming at the time that Luft was a drunk and abusive.

Garland would marry five times in her life before her death at the age of 47 from an overdose of pills.

Luft also wrote about Garland's struggle with drugs, something he blames for her many suicide attempts throughout their relationship.

"She was married to the drugs before she met me, and she never really got divorced,' said Luft.

"Judy admitted she felt she grew inches when she took Benzedrine."

The details of her dependence will all be included in his book Judy and I: My Life with Judy Garland, which is due out in March.

Luft also wrote about the magnetism between himself and Garland when the two first met, and how shocked he was after their initial night of passion.

"It was virtually impossible to be cool around Judy since I lusted so entirely after her," said Luft of first meeting the star, who at that time was still married to her second husband and daughter Liza's father, Meet Me In St. Louis director Vincente Minnelli.

"I was to discover just how different Judy was from other women. She was uninhibited, giving herself over to her passions so completely."

At the time Garland's career was fading, but Luft turned things around, and during their 13 years together she found immense success while also being nominated for two Academy Awards for her roles in A Star is Born and Judgment at Nuremberg.