Julie Andrews is a beloved actress and singer, famous for her roles in many classic musicals and films. Her lovely, crystalline voice spanned an astonishing four octaves, charming audiences everywhere.
She was born in England in 1935. She began performing as a child, joining her mother and step-father on stage at age 10. By 1947, she had begun her solo career, performing in London. Soon, she moved to New York City to perform on Broadway. Playing Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady, a musical in which she attempts to learn how to act like a proper lady from a professor, brought Andrews wide acclaim. She also performed as Queen Guinevere in Camelot, a musical that tells the story of King Arthur and his round table of knights.
In 1964, Andrews made her debut as a movie star, playing Mary Poppins in the beloved Disney movie, Mary Poppins. The movie begins with Mary Poppins, a magical nanny, arriving by flying umbrella at the home of the Banks family. She is peculiar, proper, and delightful. She takes the children on a series of fantastic adventures, and sets things right in their household. Andrews won an Academy Award and a Grammy for this part.
Only a year later, in 1965, Andrews starred in another movie, The Sound of Music. As Maria, governess to the von Trapp children, Andrews brings music and joy to the family, eventually even softening the stern father. These two films have become adored classics, remaining popular across generations.
Andrews continued to act in musicals and films, some of which were collaborations with her second husband, Blake Edwards. She also began writing children’s books. In 1997, Andrews received surgery to remove a lesion from her vocal cords. The surgery damaged her voice; she was no longer able to sing. While this was a devastating blow, Andrews continued to act, in films such as The Princess Diaries, Shrek, and the Despicable Me series. She continued to write children’s books, as well as autobiographies . Andrews has received numerous awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Grammy. When schools closed in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic, she announced a podcast, called Julie’s Library: Story Time with Julie Andrews.
Julie Andrews remains an icon in American pop culture, and her famous portrayals of Maria and Mary Poppins continue bring delight to new generations.
