She turned 100 in October – now actress Glynis Johns is dead. However, her role in “Mary Poppins” makes her immortal.
British actress Glynis Johns, who played mother Winifred Banks in the classic film “Mary Poppins,” died on Thursday (January 4) at an assisted living home in Los Angeles. This was confirmed by her manager Mitch Clem. She turned 100 in October.
“A dark day for Hollywood”
“Glynis fought through life with intelligence, wit and love of achievement and influenced millions of lives,” said manager Clem in a statement. “She came into my life early in my career and set very high standards for how to navigate this industry with grace, class and truth. Her light shone very brightly for 100 years.” He continued: “She had a mind that could stop you in your tracks, driven by a heart that loved deeply and purely. Today is a dark day for Hollywood. We mourn not only our dear Glynis, but also the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood.”
Acting was something Glynis Johns was born into: a 1963 profile in The Desert Sun described her as the “fourth generation of a theatrical family” and reported that she made her theatrical debut at just three weeks old, as her parents brought them on stage during a performance. She made her screen debut in 1938 at the tender age of 13 in “South Riding”. Her breakthrough came with her role as Mrs. Banks in “Mary Poppins” alongside Julie Andrews (88), Dick Van Dyke (98) and David Tomlinson (1917-2000) in the Disney classic from 1964. However, her most famous role began with a disappointment: Johns initially believed that she was intended for the leading role of Mary Poppins in the film, whereupon Walt Disney asked the production to write a song for Mrs. Banks. The result of these efforts was the song “Sister Suffragette”.
Glynis Johns won a Tony for her role as Desiree Armfeldt in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music,” in which she performed the song “Send in the Clowns” written for her by Sondheim. She was also nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in 1960’s “The Sundowners.” Johns’ last film appearance was in Molly Shannon’s film “Superstar” (1999), in which she played the role of Grandma.
Eventful private life
The actress was able to celebrate her 100th birthday in October 2023. She told the ABC7 news agency at the time that she didn’t feel any different despite this remarkable anniversary. “It makes no difference to me,” she insisted, adding in her famously witty manner: “Well, I looked very good at any age.”
Glynis Johns was married and divorced four times. With her first husband Anthony Forwood (1915-1988) she had a son in 1945, who also worked as an actor. However, Gareth Forwood died in 2007.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
