Mary Poppins stars five decades later
Where are they now?
What happened to the stars of the magical musical? Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins
Starting out as a child star in Britain’s West End, Mary Poppins was the film debut for a then-28-year-old Julie, who would go on to win an Oscar for the role of the nanny who is “practically perfect in every way”. It was the start of an outstanding career for the 83-year-old actress, who was made a dame in 2000 for her services to the performing arts. Despite losing her singing voice after a throat operation, Julie continues to perform.
Dick Van Dyke as Bert & Mr Dawes Sr
Dick required heavy prosthetics to play the smaller of his two roles, that of Mr Dawes Sr. Today, the 93-year-old needed minimal make-up to play the son of the same character in the sequel! After Mary Poppins, the already well-established TV comic starred in another family-friendly hit, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and his career continues to flourish today with turns in films including the Night At The Museum series.
Glynis Johns as Winifred Banks
Before Mary Poppins, South African-born Glynis already had a successful stage and film career, which included an Oscar nomination for The Sundowners in 1960. But it was the theatre that called her back once the Disney classic wrapped. Now 95, Glynis won a new generation of fans with roles in Cheers and Sandra Bullock’s hit flick While You Were Sleeping before retiring in 1999.
Karen Dotrice as Jane Banks
With both of her parents stage actors, eight-year-old Karen seemed born to play the eldest Banks child. However, she retired from showbusiness in the early 1980s. “It would never have been anything I would have chosen for myself,” says the 62-year-old mum-of-three about acting. “I don’t particularly like it and I’m a very shy person.”
David Tomlinson as George Banks
He is best remembered for his role as the film’s firm father figure but it certainly wasn’t his only box-office success. David starred in two more Disney classics: 1968’s The Love Bug and Bedknobs And Broomsticks in 1971. His final role was in The Fiendish Plot Of Dr Fu Manchu in 1980. He retired to spend more time with his family. David passed away in 2000 at the age of 83.
Matthew Garber as Michael Banks
If you thought the relationship between then-seven-year-old Matthew and his on-screen sister Karen was realistic, the two had plenty of practice. Already family friends, the pair had starred earlier together in The Three Lives Of Thomasina and later in The Gnome-mobile. Sadly, Matthew passed away from pancreatitis in 1977 at the age of 21.