We all know the silhouette. The carpet bag, the parrot-head umbrella, and those sensible shoes floating over the London skyline. But if you look past the flying nannies and the dancing penguins, the story of the Mary Poppins original cast is actually a wild mix of "revenge" casting, tragic ends, and one of the most famous apologies in Hollywood history.
Honestly, it’s a miracle the movie even happened. Walt Disney spent twenty years chasing P.L. Travers for the rights, and when he finally got them, the casting process became a drama of its own.
The Revenge of Julie Andrews
You’ve probably heard the legend, but it bears repeating because it’s just so satisfying. Julie Andrews was the toast of Broadway. She had originated the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, but when the movie version came around, Jack Warner basically told her she wasn't a big enough star. He cast Audrey Hepburn instead.
Disney saw Andrews in Camelot and knew better. He wanted her so badly he even agreed to wait for her to give birth before starting production.
The kicker? In 1965, Audrey Hepburn wasn't even nominated for an Oscar for My Fair Lady. Julie Andrews, however, stood on that stage and took home the Best Actress trophy for Mary Poppins. At the Golden Globes that same year, she famously thanked Jack Warner for making it all possible by firing her. Talk about a "spoonful of sugar" with a side of shade.
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Bert, the Banker, and the "Atrocious" Accent
Dick Van Dyke is a national treasure. We can all agree on that. But man, that accent.
Van Dyke played two roles in the film: Bert the chimney sweep and the ancient, crotchety banker Mr. Dawes Sr. To get the part of the banker, he actually had to audition for Walt and donate a chunk of money to CalArts just to prove he could do it.
But back to Bert. Van Dyke has spent the last sixty years apologizing to the British people for what he calls "the most atrocious cockney accent in the history of cinema." His dialect coach was Irish, which explains why the accent sounds like it’s wandering somewhere between Dublin and East London but never quite lands in either.
The Banks Family: Where Are They Now?
The house at 17 Cherry Tree Lane was anchored by David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns.
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Tomlinson, who played the stiff-collared George Banks, was actually a bit of a hero in real life—a trained pilot who saw the film as just another job. He ended up becoming a Disney staple, starring in The Love Bug and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. He passed away in 2000.
Glynis Johns, our favorite "Sister Suffragette," lived to be 100 years old, passing away just recently in early 2024. She was a powerhouse who had already been nominated for an Oscar before Poppins, and her career spanned eight decades.
The Kids
Karen Dotrice (Jane) and Matthew Garber (Michael) were recruited as a pair because they had such great chemistry in The Three Lives of Thomasina.
- Karen Dotrice: She mostly stepped away from acting in the 80s. She’s been open about how being a child star was "kinda weird" and has said she wouldn't want her own kids doing it.
- Matthew Garber: This is the sad part. Matthew stopped acting shortly after the film. In 1976, while traveling in India, he contracted hepatitis. He was only 21 when he died. It’s a gut-punch for fans who remember him as the cheeky kid who just wanted his two pennies back.
Supporting Players You Missed
There’s a lot of "blink and you'll miss it" talent in the Mary Poppins original cast.
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Take Jane Darwell, who played the Bird Woman ("Feed the Birds"). She was a legend from the John Ford era and was literally in retirement when Walt Disney personally went to her nursing home to beg her to do the role. It was her final film appearance.
Then there’s Ed Wynn as Uncle Albert. You know, the guy who floats to the ceiling when he laughs? Wynn was a vaudeville genius who was basically playing himself. The "I love to laugh" sequence took forever to film because they had to suspend the actors on wires, which, for a man in his late 70s, was no small feat.
Why This Cast Still Matters
A lot of people think the 2018 sequel Mary Poppins Returns was a "reboot," but it was more of a love letter. Karen Dotrice actually makes a cameo in it as a lady on the street.
The reason the 1964 film works isn't the magic—it’s the chemistry. The cast felt like a real, albeit dysfunctional, family. When Mr. Banks finally mends his kite at the end, you actually care. That’s not just Disney magic; that’s solid acting from a group of people who, at the time, weren't even sure if the movie would be a hit.
Fun Facts for Your Next Trivia Night
- The Voice of the Bird: That whistling bird on Mary's finger? That was actually Julie Andrews. She’s an expert whistler.
- Hidden Cameos: Several of the chimney sweeps were actually expert dancers from the West End who had to be taught how to look "dirty."
- The Nanny Shortlist: Before Julie Andrews, Disney considered Bette Davis. Imagine how much darker that movie would have been!
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of this production, your next move should be watching the film Saving Mr. Banks. It covers the brutal negotiations between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers. While it takes some creative liberties, it gives you a much better sense of why the characters in the 1964 classic were written the way they were. You can also check out the official Disney+ documentaries on the Sherman Brothers to hear the original demos for the songs that made this cast famous.