Mr. Luft, whose children with Garland are Joey Luft and singer-actress Lorna Luft, was 89 and died in Santa Monica, CA. The cause of death was an apparent heart attack. Mr. Luft's Garland bookings at the Palace Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera House were sensations: Judy Garland "At Home at the Palace" played July 1967, and the concert titled Judy Garland played the Met May 11-17, 1959.
In a period when Garland's star was dimming, Mr. Luft was credited with fueling a fire that took her higher into the heavens. Mr. Luft and Garland were married 1952-65. Their marriage ended in divorce. Garland died in 1969.
Mr. Luft's film producing credits included "Kilroy was Here" (1947), "French Leave" (1948) and "A Star is Born" (1954), which famously starred Garland and earned her an Academy Award nomination.
Mr. Luft was born in New York City.
