Glynis Johns, the renowned actress celebrated for her enchanting portrayal of Mrs. Banks in the timeless classic “Mary Poppins,” has bid farewell at the age of 100. Her graceful exit occurred on Thursday, peacefully, at an assisted living facility in the heart of Hollywood, as confirmed by her devoted manager, Mitch Clem.
Born in South Africa in 1923, Glynis Johns hailed from a family deeply rooted in the world of theater. Her father, Mervyn Johns, was a distinguished Welsh actor, while her mother, Alyce Steele-Wareham, enchanted audiences as an Australian-born concert pianist.
Glynis often recounted the invaluable lesson her father imparted upon her – to truly listen to her fellow actors. This sage advice paved the way for a remarkable career that spanned over eight glorious decades.
Her journey began in England, where she honed her talents as a dancer, singer, pianist, and actress. By the tender age of 10, she had already clinched over 24 gold medals in dance competitions and had earned a degree in ballet instruction.
In 1938, at the age of 13, Glynis made her remarkable film debut in “South Riding.” She also took flight as Peter Pan on stage when she was just 19, marking the early stages of an illustrious career. Noteworthy films such as “Miranda” (1948) and “Helter Skelter” (1949) further solidified her status as a rising star.
One of her memorable on-screen moments was alongside Angela Lansbury in the 1955 classic “The Court Jester.”
Glynis Johns’s destiny became even more entwined with stardom when the legendary Stephen Sondheim penned the iconic song “Send in the Clowns” specifically for her. Her breathtaking performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the 1973 production of “A Little Night Music” earned her a well-deserved Tony award.
Recalling the moment when she clinched the role, Glynis mused, “They didn’t say yes right there and then, so I flew to London and continued with my life until I received the news that I was chosen for the part of Desiree. I believe there were two or three others who were quite disappointed not to have landed the role.”
Sondheim revealed in 2003 that he tailored the song with short phrases to suit Glynis’s crystal-clear voice, acknowledging that sustaining notes was not her forte. “I wanted to write a song full of questions,” he explained.
Her talent also shone brightly on the silver screen, earning her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role as the widowed saloon and hotel owner, Mrs. Firth, in the Australia-set “The Sundowners.”
In 1964, Walt Disney handpicked her to co-star in the iconic “Mary Poppins” alongside Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Her endearing portrayal of Mrs. Banks, who recruits the nanny Mary Poppins, was complemented by her delightful rendition of “Sister Suffragette.” In 1998, she was honored as a “Disney Legend,” securing her place in the studio’s hall of fame.
Throughout her career, Glynis Johns graced the screen alongside luminaries like Elizabeth Taylor, Peter O’ Toole, and Richard Burton in the 1972 movie “Under Milk Wood.” Her later years saw her taking on roles in the 1988 CBS sitcom “Coming of Age” and the 1994 film “While You Were Sleeping.”
Despite her remarkable journey in the spotlight, Glynis Johns had no surviving family members. Her son, actor Gareth Forwood, tragically passed away at the age of 62 in 2007, following a battle with cancer and a heart attack.
Glynis walked down the aisle four times during her extraordinary life. She tied the knot with her first husband, Anthony Forwood, from 1942 to 1948. In 1952, she wed David Foster, president of Colgate-Palmolive, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1956. Businessman Cecil Henderson became her husband in 1960, but their union dissolved in 1962. Her final marriage was to novelist and screenwriter Elliott Arnold, lasting from 1964 to 1973.
In a candid interview with the New York Times in 1973, Glynis Johns reflected on her lifelong commitment to acting, asserting, “I became a professional at 12, so it’s always been my life. Later on, I wanted to lead what I thought of as a ‘normal’ existence, but I soon found I wasn’t as normal away from the theater as in it. Acting… acting is my highest form of intelligence, the time when I use the best part of my brain.”
She added, “Why so many marriages? It was absolute conservatism on my part. I was brought up to feel that if you wanted to have an affair with a man, well, you married him. I have friends who, if they’d followed that rule, would have collected an awful lot of pieces of paper by now.”
In a recent interview with KABC-TV, when asked about turning 100, Glynis Johns responded with her trademark charm, “It doesn’t make any difference to me. I’ve looked good at every age.”
As we say goodbye to this iconic star, Glynis Johns’s legacy lives on through her remarkable body of work, reminding us of the enduring magic of cinema and the timeless charm of her performances.
