Julie Andrews

Vocalist of Broadway and film musicals

For the Record…

Selected discography

Sources

Singer and actress Julie Andrews has long been famed for her perfect pitch and impressive vocal inger and actress Julie Andrews has long beenrange. From her 1954 Broadway debut as Polly in “The Boy Friend,” she has received rave reviews from critics and lasting devotion from music fans. Best known for her roles in stage and film musicals, including “My Fair Lady,” The Sound of Music, and Mary Poppins, Andrews has concentrated in later years on acting on the screen rather than singing, appearing in husband Blake Edwards’s films, including S.O.B. and That’s Life.

Andrews had a somewhat unusual childhood. Born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1,1935, at Walton-on-Thames, England, her parents divorced when she was very young. Her mother, a pianist, married Edward Andrews, who sang in music halls, and the child took her stepfather’s last name. The newly made family traveled throughout England, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews performing for a living. Julie, as they called her, first began displaying her own considerable vocal talents during World War II, when she was about eight years old. While hiding in community air-raid shelters, Mr. Andrews led the frightened citizens in singing to keep spirits up. Mrs. Andrews began to notice that her daughter’s voice often rose far above those of even the men and women; when examined by a doctor, Julie’s vocal chords proved to have already developed to an adult level. As soon as they were able, the Andrewses provided their prodigy with professional singing lessons by Madame Stiles-Allen.

By the time Andrews was twelve, she was performing in the same venues as her mother and stepfather; she made her professional singing debut with the “Starlight Roof” revue at the Hippodrome Theatre on London’s West End. But she was destined to go further than her parents. After performing in several other pantomimes, Andrews played the featured role in a pantomime of “Cinderella” in 1953, and in this capacity she caught the attention of director Vida Hope, who was working on the London production of Sandy Wilson’s musical about the 1920s, “The Boy Friend.” Hope brought this discovery to the United States to shine on Broadway, where she won rave reviews portraying Polly Brown, an earnest young British flapper. Critic John Beaufort asserted in the Christian Science Monitor that the young singer’s interpretation of the part was both “comic and adorable” and that “her solemnly pretty ingenue-ness” was “a triumph of controlled exaggeration”; Wolcott Gibbs agreed, calling Andrews “the season’s dramatic highlight” in the New Yorker. The New York version of “The Boy Friend” ran for four hundred and eighty-five performances.

Andrews moved to an even bigger triumph in 1956, when she became the youngest actress ever to play the

For the Record…

Born Julia Elizabeth Wells, October 1, 1935, in Walton-on-Thames, England; daughter of Edward C. Wells (a teacher) and Barbara Wells (a pianist); married Tony Walton (a set designer), May 10, 1959 (divorced, 1968); married Blake Edwards (a film director, producer, and screenwriter), November 12, 1969; children: (first marriage) Emma Kate Walton; children: (second marriage; adopted) Jeanna Lynne, Amy Leigh.

Singer, 1947—; actress, 1948—. Has appeared in stage musicals, including “The Boy Friend,” Royale Theatre, New York, 1954; “My Fair Lady,” Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York, 1956; “Camelot,” Majestic Theatre, New York, 1960. Has appeared in films, including Mary Poppins, Buena Vista, 1964; The Americanization of Emily, MGM, 1964; The Sound of Music, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1965; Hawaii, United Artists, 1966; Torn Curtain, Universal, 1966; Thoroughly Modern Millie, MGM, 1967; Darling Lili, Paramount, 1970; The Tamarind Seed, AVCO-Embassy, 1974; 10, Warner Bros., 1979; Little Miss Marker, Universal, 1980; S.O.B., Paramount, 1981; Victor/Victoria, MGM/United Artists, 1982; The Man Who Loved Women, Columbia, 1983; Duet for One, Cannon, 1986; That’s Life, Columbia, 1986. Has also written children’s books.

Awards: New York Drama Critics Award, Best Actress in a Musical, 1956, for “My Fair Lady”; Golden Globe Awards, 1964, 1965, and 1967, for Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and as “World’s Film Favorite,” respectively; Academy Award, 1964, Best Actress, for Mary Poppins ; Academy Award nominations for Best Actress, 1965 and 1982, for The Sound of Music and Victor/Victoria ; Antoinette Perry Award nominations, 1956, 1961, for “My Fair Lady” and “Camelot” Woman of the Year Award from Los Angeles Times, 1965; Woman of the Year Award from the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League, 1983; Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award from the Harvard Hasty Pudding Theatricals, 1983. Honorary D.F.A. from the University of Maryland, 1970.

part of Eliza Doolittle professionally. She starred in the musical version of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion —“My Fair Lady”—and in it warbled songs such as “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “Just You Wait, Henry Higgins.” Inthis capacity Andrews garnered a nomination for an Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award and the New York Drama CriticsAward for best actress in a musical. Despite her critically acclaimed performance, however, she was passed over for the film version in favor of actress Audrey Hepburn. Andrews received another Tony nomination in 1961 for her portrayal of Queen Guinevere in the smash Arthurian musical, “Camelot.”

Though Andrews was again passed over for the film version of “Camelot”—this time in favor of actress Vanessa Redgrave—her time in films was not long in coming. She made her screen debut in 1964 in Mary Poppins. Her appearance as the magical nanny won her both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for best actress. This film and the following year’s The Sound of Music, in which she played a children’s governess who wins the love of her charges’ father, began to establish Andrews as a specialist in wholesome family entertainment. As Clive Hirschhorn put it in his 1981 book, The Hollywood Musical, The Sound of Music was accused of “mawkish sentimentality” by many critics, but “it was Andrews’s extraordinarily assured and appealing central performance… that was largely responsible for the film’s enormous success.” Her featured songs in the film included the title theme, “I Have Confidence in Me,” and “My Favorite Things.”

Another musical film featuring Andrews was 1967’s Thoroughly Modern Millie, which Hirschhorn hailed as “an irresistible mixture of brashness, charm, and nostalgia put together with expertise.” Like her first major stage play, Millie had Andrews portraying a young woman during the 1920s—a young woman who goes to New York City as a secretary in search of a rich husband and becomes involved in a white slavery ring. During what Hirschhorn describes as a “thoroughly captivating star performance,” Andrews sang ditties such as “Jimmy” and “Poor Butterfly.”

Not long after filming Millie, Andrews divorced her first husband, theatrical designer Tony Walton, and married motion-picture producer and director Blake Edwards, famed for his “Pink Panther” films. She began working in Edwards’s efforts, including 1970’s Darling Lili. Andrews was also featured as actor Dudley Moore’s long-suffering girlfriend in Edwards’s 10. In 1981’s S.O.B., Edwards spoofed his wife’s wholesome image by making a big production of her character, Sally Miles, baring her breasts for the camera. Andrews perhaps moved even further from her former reputation when she portrayed a singing transvestitein Edwards’s 1982 motion picture, Victor/Victoria. The critics especially took her seriously in the latter role, and she received nominations for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her part in the film.

During the late 1980s, Andrews concentrated on more serious film roles, ones that did not utilize her talent for singing. Though Edwards’s 1986 effort That’s Life is a comedy, Andrews’s portrayal of Gillian Fairchild is a serious one—Gillian is waiting for the results of a biopsy. Andrews “is the movie’s strong, quiet heart,” declared reviewer David Ansen in Newsweek, “and it is she who devastates us when she finally unleashes her pent-up emotions.” Despite some negative comments about the film in general, critics tended to agree favorably about Andrews’s performance in Duet for One. Playing a famed violinist dying of multiple sclerosis, “Andrews doesn’t tear a passion to tatters; she uses it to stitch a coherent soul,” according to Richard Corliss of Time. And Maclean’s critic Lawrence OToole asserted that “Andrews gives what may be the performance of her life in Duet for One.”

But Andrews continues entertaining fans with her voice. In 1988 she released the album Love, Julie, which featured her renditions of songs like “Tea for Two,” “Come Rain or Come Shine.” Though People reviewer David Hiltbrand considered the disc a mixed effort, he had praise for the “sensuousness to her tone,” and said that her voice was “sweet and clear, often frosted with an appreciable sparkle.”

Selected discography

Albums

(With cast) My Fair Lady, Columbia, 1956.

(With cast) Camelot, Columbia, 1960.

Love, Julie, U.S.A., 1988.

Also recorded Christmas with Julie Andrews, Columbia; Tell It Again, Broadway’s Fair Julie, Lion’s Cage, and, with Carol Burnett, Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett at Carnegie Hall.

Sources

Books

Hirschhorn, Clive, The Hollywood Musical, Crown, 1981.

Periodicals

Christian Science Monitor, October 9, 1954.

Maclean’s, March 2, 1987.

McCall’s, November 1986.

Newsweek, October 6, 1986.

New Yorker, October 9, 1954.

People, January 25, 1988.

Time, September 29, 1986; March 2, 1987.

—Elizabeth Thomas

Julie Andrews

Singer

For the Record…

Selected discography

Sources

Singer and actress Julie Andrews has long been famed for her perfect pitch and impressive vocal range. From her 1954 Broadway debut as Polly in The Boy Friend, she has received rave reviews from critics and lasting devotion from music fans. Best known for her roles in stage and film musicals, including My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and Mary Poppins, Andrews has concentrated in later years on acting on the screen rather than singing, appearing in husband Blake Edwards films, including S.O.B. and That’s Life. Andrews’ latest film, The Princess Diaries, was scheduled for release in August of 2001.

Andrews had a somewhat unusual childhood. Born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1, 1935, at Walton-on-Thames, England, her parents divorced when she was very young. Her mother, a pianist, married Edward Andrews, who sang in music halls, and the child took her stepfather’s last name. The newly made family traveled throughout England, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews performing for a living. Julie, as they called her, first began displaying her own considerable vocal talents during World War II, when she was about eight years old. While hiding in community air-raid shelters, Mr. Andrews led the frightened citizens in singing to keep spirits up. Mrs. Andrews began to notice that her daughter’s voice often rose far above those of even the men and women; when examined by a doctor, Julie’s vocal chords proved to have already developed to an adult level. As soon as they were able, the Andrewses provided their prodigy with professional singing lessons by Madame Stiles-Allen.

By the time Andrews was 12, she was performing in the same venues as her mother and stepfather; she made her professional singing debut with the Starlight Roof revue at the Hippodrome Theatre on London’s West End. But she was destined to go further than her parents. After performing in several other pantomimes, Andrews played the featured role in a pantomime of Cinderella in 1953, and in this capacity she caught the attention of director Vida Hope, who was working on the London production of Sandy Wilson’s musical about the 1920s, The Boy Friend. Hope brought this discovery to the United States to shine on Broadway where she won rave reviews portraying Polly Brown, an earnest young British flapper. Critic John Beaufort asserted in the Christian Science Monitor that the young singer’s interpretation of the part was both “comic and adorable” and that “her solemnly pretty ingenue-ness” was “a triumph of controlled exaggeration”; Wolcott Gibbs agreed, calling Andrews “the season’s dramatic highlight” in the New Yorker. The New York version of The Boy Friend ran for 485 performances.

Andrews moved to an even bigger triumph in 1956, when she became the youngest actress ever to play the part of Eliza Doolittle professionally. She starred in the musical version of George Bernard Shaw’s

For the Record…

Born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1, 1935, in Walton-on-Thames, England; daughter of Edward C. (a teacher) and Barbara Wells (a pianist); married Tony Walton (a set designer), May 10, 1959 (divorced, 1968); married Blake Edwards (a film director, producer, and screenwriter), November 12, 1969; children: (first marriage) Emma Kate Walton; children: (second marriage; adopted) Jeanna Lynne, Amy Leigh.

Singer, 1947—; actress, 1948—; has appeared in stage musicals including The Boy Friend, Royale Theatre, New York, 1954; My Fair Lady, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York, 1956; Camelot, Majestic Theatre, New York, 1960; has appeared in films including Mary Pop-pins, Buena Vista, 1964; The Americanization of Emily, MGM, 1964; The Sound of Music, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1965; Hawaii, United Artists, 1966; Torn Curtain, Universal, 1966; Thoroughly Modern Millie, MGM, 1967; Darling Lili, Paramount, 1970; The Tamarind Seed, AVCO-Embassy, 1974; 10, Warner Bros., 1979; Little Miss Marker, Universal, 1980; S.O.B., Paramount, 1981; Victor/Victoria, MGM/United Artists, 1982; The Man Who Loved Women, Columbia, 1983; Duet for One, Cannon, 1986; That’s Life, Columbia, 1986; has also written children’s books including Dumpy the Dump Truck, 2000.

Awards: New York Drama Critics Award, Best Actress in a Musical, 1956, for My Fair Lady, Golden Globe Awards, 1964, 1965, and 1967, for Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and as World’s Film Favorite, respectively; Academy Award, 1964, Best Actress, for Mary Poppins; Woman of the Year Award from Los Angeles Times, 1965; Woman of the Year Award from the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League, 1983; Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award from the Harvard Hasty Pudding Theatricals, 1983. Honorary D.F.A. from the University of Maryland, 1970; Dame Commander, Order of the British Empire (OBE), 2000.

Addresses: Agent —William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

pygmalion—My Fair Lady—and in it warbled songs such as “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “Just You Wait, Henry Higgins.” In this capacity Andrews garnered a nomination for an Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award and the New York Drama Critics Award for best actress in a musical. Despite her critically acclaimed performance, however, she was passed over for the film version in favor of actress Audrey Hepburn. Andrews received another Tony nomination in 1961 for her portrayal of Queen Guinevere in the smash Arthurian musical, Camelot.

Though Andrews was again passed over for the film version of Camelot— this time in favor of actress Vanessa Redgrave—her time in films was not long in coming. She made her screen debut in 1964 in Mary Poppins. Her appearance as the magical nanny won her both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for best actress. This film and the following year’s The Sound of Music, in which she played a children’s governess who wins the love of her charges’ father, began to establish Andrews as a specialist in wholesome family entertainment. As Clive Hirschhorn put it in his 1981 book, The Hollywood Musical, The Sound of Music was accused of “mawkish sentimentality” by many critics, but “it was Andrews’s extraordinarily assured and appealing central performance … that was largely responsible for the film’s enormous success.” Her featured songs in the film included the title theme, “I Have Confidence in Me,” and “My Favorite Things.”

Another musical film featuring Andrews was 1967’s Thoroughly Modern Millie, which Hirschhorn hailed as “an irresistible mixture of brashness, charm, and nostalgia put together with expertise.” Like her first major stage play, Millie had Andrews portraying a young woman during the 1920s—a young woman who goes to New York City as a secretary in search of a rich husband and becomes involved in a white slavery ring. During what Hirschhorn describes as a “thoroughly captivating star performance,” Andrews sang ditties such as “Jimmy” and “Poor Butterfly.”

Not long after filming Millie, Andrews divorced her first husband, theatrical designer Tony Walton, and married motion-picture producer and director Blake Edwards, famed for his Pink Panther films. She began working in Edwards’ efforts, including 1970’s Darling Lili. Andrews was also featured as actor Dudley Moore’s longsuffering girlfriend in Edwards’ 10. In 1981’s S.O.B., Edwards spoofed his wife’s wholesome image by making a big production of her character, Sally Miles, baring her breasts for the camera. Andrews perhaps moved even further from her former reputation when she portrayed a singing transvestite in Edwards’ 1982 motion picture, Victor/Victoria. The critics especially took her seriously in the latter role, and she received nominations for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her part in the film.

During the late 1980s, Andrews concentrated on more serious film roles, ones that did not utilize her talent for singing. Though Edwards’s 1986 effort That’s Life was a comedy, Andrews’ portrayal of Gillian Fairchild was a serious one—Gillian is waiting for the results of a biopsy. Andrews “is the movie’s strong, quiet heart,” declared reviewer David Ansen in Newsweek, “and it is she who devastates us when she finally unleashes her pent-up emotions.” Despite some negative comments about the film in general, critics tended to agree favorably about Andrews’ performance in Duet for One. Playing a famed violinist dying of multiple sclerosis, “Andrews doesn’t tear a passion to tatters; she uses it to stitch a coherent soul,” according to Richard Corliss of Time. And Maclean’s critic Lawrence O’Toole asserted that “Andrews gives what may be the performance of her life in Duet for One.”

But Andrews continues entertaining fans with her voice. In 1987 she released the album Love, Julie, which featured her renditions of songs like “Tea for Two,” “Come Rain or Come Shine.” Though People reviewer David Hiltbrand considered the disc a mixed effort, he had praise for the “sensuousness to her tone,” and said that her voice was “sweet and clear, often frosted with an appreciable sparkle.” Andrews appeared on the short-lived television sitcom Julie on ABC in 1992, and she made her first stage appearance after a 30-year hiatus in Stephen Sondheim and Julia McKenzie’s musical Putting It Together in 1993. Andrews appeared on the Broadway stage to sold-out crowds in Victor/Victoria during 1995-97. Though she was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the musical, she bowed out of the awards because the production was not recognized in other categories. According to Time, Andrews told the crowd after a performance of Victor/Victoria: “I have searched my conscience and my heart, and I find that I cannot accept this nomination—and prefer to stand with the egregiously overlooked.”

Andrews had throat surgery at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital in 1997 to remove noncancerous nodules, an operation which resulted in a significant deterioration of the singer’s voice. Andrews filed a malpractice claim against her doctors in 1999; the claim was settled in September of 2000. While continuing rehabilitation exercises to strengthen her voice, Andrews continues to perform. She appeared in the television specials One Special Night with James Garner on CBS in 1999 and On Gold Pond with Christopher Plummer on CBS in 2001. Andrews also continues to write children’s books. Some of her most successful have been Mandy, published in 1971, and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, published in 1974. Her most recent book is Dumpy the Dump Truck, published in 2000.

Selected discography

The Boy Friend, RCA, 1955.

My Fair Lady, Columbia, 1956.

Cinderella, Columbia, 1957.

Julie Andrews Sings, RCA, 1958.

Camelot, Columbia, 1961.

Broadway’s Fair Julie, Columbia, 1962.

Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall, Columbia, 1962.

Mary Poppins, Buena Vista, 1964.

The Sound of Music, RCA, 1965.

Thoroughly Modem Millie, Decca, 1967.

A Little Bit of Love, Harmony, 1970.

TV’s Fair Julie, Harmony, 1972.

The World of Julie Andrews, Columbia, 1972.

Julie Andrews, RCA(U.K), 1975.

Victor/Victoria, MGM, 1982.

Love, Julie, USA, 1987.

A Little Bit of Broadway, CBS, 1988.

The King & I, Philips, 1992.

Thoroughly Modern Julie: The Best of Julie Andrews, Rhino/Sony, 1995.

The Sound of Julie Andrews: 22 Classic Songs, Time Life Records, 1996.

Christmas with Julie Andrews, Sony/Columbia, 1999.

Classic Julie: Classic Broadway, Uni/Decca, 2001.

Sources

Books

Hirschhorn, Clive, The Hollywood Musical, Crown, 1981.

Periodicals

Christian Science Monitor, October 9, 1954.

Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, April 26, 2001.

Maclean’s, March 2, 1987.

McCall’s, November 1986.

Newsweek, October 6, 1986.

New Yorker, October 9, 1954.

People, January 25, 1988; November 29, 1999.

Publisher’s Weekly, September 11, 2000.

Time, September 29, 1986; March 2, 1987; May 20, 1996.

Online

“Julie Andrews,” Julie Andrews.tv, http://www.julieandrews.co.uk (June 26, 2001).

“Dame Judy Settles over Op Damages” BBC Online, http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_915000/915932.stm (June 26, 2001).

“Queen Honours Movie Dames,” BBC Online, http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_750000/750290.stm (June 26, 2001).

—Elizabeth Thomas

Andrews, Julie 1935- (Dame Julie Andrews, Julie Edwards, Julie Andrews Edwards)

PERSONAL

Original name, Julia Elizabeth Wells; born October 1, 1935, in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England; daughter of Edward C. (a teacher) and Barbara (a pianist; maiden name, Ward) Wells; stepdaughter of Edward "Ted" Andrews (a music hall singer); married Tony Walton (a costume and production designer), May 10, 1959 (divorced May 7, 1968); married Blake Edwards (a film producer, director, and screenwriter), November 12, 1969; children: (first marriage) Emma Kate Walton Hamilton (an actress, artistic director, and writer); (second marriage) Amy Leigh, Joanna Lynne; (stepchildren; second marriage) Jennifer (an actress), Geoffrey (a director, writer, and actor). Education: Studied voice with Lilian Stiles-Allen. Avocational Interests: Boating, skiing, horseback riding.

Addresses:

Agent—William Morris Agency, 1 William Morris Pl., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Manager—Steve Sauer, Media Four, 8840 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Career:

Actor, singer, and writer. Performed in vaudeville as a child and teenager, including appearances as a concert vocalist in the United States and England; also worked in nightclubs. United Nations Development Fund for Women, goodwill ambassador, 1993; Operation U.S.A. (international relief organization), spokesperson and member of board of the directors; also affiliated with Foundation for Hereditary Disease.

Member:

Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Awards, Honors:

Theatre World Award, 1955, for The Boy Friend; New York Drama Critics Award, 1956, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, 1957, both best actress in a musical, for My Fair Lady; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding actress in a single performance, 1958, for Cinderella; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actress in a musical, 1961, for Camelot; Grammy Award, best recording for children, 1964, for Mary Poppins; Academy Award, best actress, Film Award, most promising newcomer to film, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Golden Globe Award, best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy, and Golden Laurel Award, best female musical performance, Producers Guild of America, all 1965, for Mary Poppins; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding individual achievement in entertainment by actors and performers, 1965, for The Andy Williams Show; Golden Laurel Award nominations, best female star, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971; Woman of the Year Award, Los Angeles Times, 1965; Academy Award nomination, best actress, Film Award nomination, best British actress, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Golden Globe Awards, best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy and best female musical performance, all 1966, for The Sound of Music; Film Award nomination, best British actress, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1966, for The Americanization of Emily; named female star of the year, ShoWest Convention, National Association of Theatre Owners, 1967; Golden Laurel Awards, outstanding female star, 1967, 1968; Henrietta Awards, female world film favorite, Golden Globe Awards, 1967, 1968, and nominations, 1969, 1970; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy, 1968, for Thoroughly Modern Millie; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy, 1969, for Star!; honorary D.F.A., University of Maryland, 1970; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy, 1971, for Darling Lili; Emmy Award nomination (with Carol Burnett and Joe Hamilton), outstanding single program in variety or musical category, 1972, for Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center; Emmy Award (with William O. Harbach and Nick Vanoff), outstanding variety musical series, Emmy Award nomination, outstanding new series, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best television actress in a musical or comedy, all 1973, for The Julie Andrews Hour; received star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1979; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy, 1980, for 10; Emmy Award nomination, individual achievement in children's programming, 1981, for "Julie Andrews' Invitation to the Dance with Rudolf Nureyev," The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People; Academy Award nomination, best actress, Golden Globe Award, best motion picture actress in a motion picture comedy or musical, Golden David Award, best foreign actress, David di Donatello Awards, and Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award, best actress, all 1983, for Victor Victoria; named woman of the year, Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, 1983; named Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year, Harvard Hasty Pudding Theatricals, 1983; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a motion picture comedy or musical, 1987, for That's Life!; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a motion picture drama, 1987, for Duet for One; Lifetime Tribute Award, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1989; Crystal Award, Women in Film, 1993; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program, 1995, for The Sound of Julie Andrews; Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award, both outstanding actress in a musical, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination (declined), best actress in a musical, all 1996, for Victor/Victoria; inducted into Theatre Hall of Fame, 1997; decorated dame commander, Order of the British Empire, 1999; Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award, San Sebastian International Film Festival, 2001; Kennedy Center Honors, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2001; Blimp Award nomination, favorite female movie star, Kids' Choice Awards, 2002, for The Princess Diaries; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie, 2004, for Eloise at Christmastime; Emmy Award (with others), outstanding nonfiction series, 2005, for Broadway: The American Musical; Lifetime Achievement Award, Las Vegas Film Critics Society, 2005; Life Achievement Awards, Screen Actors Guild, 2007.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

(English version) Voice of Princess Zeila, The Singing Princess (animated; also known as The Rose of Bagdad, The Thief of Baghdad, and La rosa di Bagdad), Trans-National, 1952.

Emily Barham, The Americanization of Emily (also known as Emily), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1964.

Title role, Mary Poppins, Buena Vista, 1964.

Herself, Action on the Beach, 1964.

Maria, The Sound of Music (also known as Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music"), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1965.

Herself, Salzburg Sight and Sound, 1965.

Jerusha Bromley Hale, Hawaii, United Artists, 1966.

Dr. Sarah Louise Sherman, Torn Curtain, Universal, 1966.

Millie Dillmount, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1967.

Herself, Think Twentieth, 1967.

Gertrude Lawrence, Star! (also known as Loves of a Star and Those Were the Happy Times), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1968.

Lili Smith/Schmidt, Darling Lili, Paramount, 1970.

(Uncredited) Herself, The Moviemakers, 1971.

Herself, Julie, 1972.

Mary Poppins (in archive footage), The Walt Disney Story, 1973.

Judith Farrow, The Tamarind Seed, Avco-Embassy, 1974.

Samantha "Sam" Taylor, 10, Warner Bros., 1979.

Amanda, Little Miss Marker, Universal, 1980.

Sally Miles, S.O.B., Paramount, 1981.

Victoria Grant/Count Victor Grezhinski (title roles), Victor Victoria (musical), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1982.

(Uncredited) Charwoman, Trail of the Pink Panther, 1982.

Marianna, The Man Who Loved Women, Columbia, 1983.

Stephanie Anderson, Duet for One, Cannon, 1986.

Gillian Fairchild, That's Life! (also known as Blake Edwards' "That's Life!"), Columbia, 1986.

Omnibus: The Last Moguls, 1986.

Narrator, Hanya: Portrait of a Pioneer, 1988.

Pamela Picquet, A Fine Romance (also known as A Touch of Adultery and Cin cin), Castle Hill, 1992.

Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Queen of Genovia), The Princess Diaries (also known as The Princess of Tribeca), Buena Vista, 2001.

Voice of queen, Shrek 2 (animated), DreamWorks, 2004.

Queen Clarisse Renaldi, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Buena Vista, 2004.

(Uncredited) Maria (in archive footage), Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters, 2006.

Voice of Queen Lillian, Shrek the Third (animated; also known as Shrek 3 and The Third), Paramount, 2007.

Narrator, Enchanted, Walt Disney, 2007.

Some sources cite appearances in a film titled After the Laughter.

Film Work:

Song performer, "The Lonely Goatherd" and "The Sound of Music," Welcome to Woop Woop, Goldwyn Films, 1997.

Film clips of Andrews's song performances in previous films have been used in several subsequent films.

Television Appearances; Series:

Host, The Julie Andrews Hour, ABC, 1972-73.

Julie Carlyle-McGuire, Julie, ABC, 1992.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Audrey Grant, Our Sons (also known as Too Little, Too Late), ABC, 1991.

Title roles, Victor/Victoria (television version), 1995.

Catherine Howard, One Special Night, CBS, 1999.

Felicity, Countess of Marshwood, Relative Values, Starz!, 2000.

Ethel Thayer, On Golden Pond, CBS, 2001.

Herself, Unconditional Love, Starz!, 2002.

Nanny, Eloise at the Plaza, ABC, 2003.

Nanny, Eloise at Christmastime, ABC, 2003.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Lise, "High Tor," Ford Star Jubilee, CBS, 1956.

Title role, Cinderella, CBS, 1957.

The Jack Benny Hour, CBS, 1959.

The Fabulous 50s, CBS, 1960.

Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, CBS, 1962.

The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe, 1962.

Host, The Julie Andrews Show, NBC, 1965.

Host, The Julie Andrews Special, ABC, 1968.

Host, An Evening with Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte (also known as A World in Music), NBC, 1969.

Host, A World of Love, CBS, 1970.

Disney World—A Gala Opening: Disneyland East (also known as The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World), NBC, 1971.

Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center, CBS, 1971.

Host, Julie!, ABC, 1972.

Host, Julie on Sesame Street, ABC, 1973.

Walt Disney: A Golden Anniversary Salute, 1973.

Host, Julie's Christmas Special (also known as The Julie Andrews Christmas Special), 1973.

Host, Julie and Dick in Covent Garden, ABC, 1974.

Julie and Jackie: How Sweet It Is, 1974.

Host, Julie—My Favorite Things, ABC, 1975.

Salute to Lew Grade, 1975.

Host, Julie Andrews: One to One, 1975.

Host, Puzzle Children, PBS, 1976.

Song performer, "Peter Pan," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1976.

Julie and Perry and the Muppets, 1976.

America Salutes the Queen, NBC, 1977.

Host, Julie Andrews: One Step into Spring, CBS, 1978.

ABC's Silver Anniversary Special, 1978.

Host, Merry Christmas … With Love, Julie, syndicated, 1979.

"Julie Andrews' Invitation to the Dance with Rudolf Nureyev," The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People, CBS, 1980.

Walt Disney: One Man's Dream, 1981.

Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope's Pink Panther Thanksgiving Gala, NBC, 1982.

Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration, NBC, 1985.

(In archive footage) The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years, 1986.

Host, Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas, ABC, 1987.

Mancini and Friends, 1987.

Host, The 16th Annual American Film Institute Life Achievement Award: A Salute to Jack Lemmon, CBS, 1988.

Lerner and Loewe: Broadway's Last Romantics, 1988.

"An Evening with Alan Jay Lerner," Great Performances, PBS, 1989.

"Julie and Carol: Together Again," AT&T Presents, ABC, 1989.

"Julie Andrews in Concert" (also known as "An Evening with Julie Andrews"), Great Performances, PBS, 1990.

Carnegie Hall at 100: A Place of Dreams, PBS, 1991.

(In archive footage) The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show, 1991.

(In archive footage) The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show 2, 1991.

Host, Christmas in Washington, NBC, 1992.

Anna Leonowens, The King and I: Recording a Hollywood Dream, PBS, 1993.

The Sound of Julie Andrews, Disney Channel, 1994.

(In archive footage) Carol Burnett: The Special Years, 1994.

The Making of "My Fair Lady": More Loverly than Ever, Disney Channel, 1995.

"Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II" (also known as "Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II"), Great Performances, PBS, 1995.

Julie Andrews: Back on Broadway, 1995.

(In archive footage) 50 Years of Funny Females, 1995.

Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies (also known as The Sound of Movies), Arts and Entertainment, 1996.

20th Century-Fox: The First 50 Years, 1997.

Host, The American Film Institute Salute to RobertWise, NBC, 1998.

Host, "Hey, Mr. Producer" (also known as "Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh"), Great Performances, PBS, 1998.

Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1, 1999.

Host, "My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies," Great Performances, PBS, 1999.

Mary Poppins, Hollywood Musicals of the 60's, 2000.

Maria and Gertrude Lawrence (in archive footage), Twentieth Century-Fox: The Blockbuster Years, 2000.

Host, The Nutcracker from the Royal Ballet, 2001.

Host, "My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs," Great Performances, PBS, 2000, 2001.

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 2001.

(In archive footage) Walt: The Man Behind the Myth, 2001.

Liza Minnelli: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2002.

"Broadway's Lost Treasures," Great Performances, PBS, 2003.

"30th Anniversary: A Celebration in Song," Great Performances, PBS, 2003.

(In archive footage) Celebrity Naked Ambition, Channel 5, 2003.

(In archive footage) The 100 Greatest Musicals, Channel 4, 2003.

AFI's 100 Years … 100 Songs, CBS, 2004.

On the Set: The Princess Diaries 2—Royal Engagement, Starz, 2004.

Cinderella (in archive footage), "Rodgers and Hammerstein's ‘Cinderella,’" Great Performances, PBS, 2004.

(In archive footage) Andy Williams: My Favorite Duets, PBS, 2004.

(In archive footage) "Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of the Tony Awards," Great Performances, PBS, 2005.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 2006.

"Carol Burnett: A Woman of Character," American Masters, PBS, 2007.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium (also known as Sunday Night at the London Palladium), 1955.

"High Tor," Ford Star Jubilee, CBS, 1956.

Toast of the Town (also known as The Ed Sullivan Show), 1956, 1961.

Herself, Crescendo," DuPont Show of the Week, CBS, 1957.

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (also known as The Dinah Shore Show), 1958.

The Big Record, 1958.

The Andy Williams Show, NBC, 1964.

The Muppet Show, syndicated, 1977.

Aspel & Company, 1987.

Herself, "Caroline and Victor/Victoria," Caroline in the City (also known as Caroline), NBC, 1996.

Carol Burnett: Just to Have a Laugh, 1996.

Monica Mancini … On Record, 1998.

Richard Rodgers: The Sweetest Sounds, 2001.

Lifetime Presents: Disney's American Teacher Awards, Lifetime, 2001.

Hollywood Screen Tests: Take Two, 2001.

Gary Marshall, 2001.

"A Man for All Stages: The Life and Times Of," Life and Times, CBC, 2002.

"Legends," 48 Hours (also known as 48 Hours Investigates and 48 Hours Mystery), CBS, 2002.

The 26th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 2003.

Host, Broadway: The American Musical, PBS, 2004.

Corazon de …, 2005.

(In archive footage) Cinema mil, 2005.

Eigo de shabera-night, 2005, 2007.

Mary Poppins (in archive footage) De que te ries?, 2006.

(As Dame Julie Andrews; in archive footage) "The Legends," The Best of the Royal Variety, ITV, 2006.

Maria (in archive footage), "Magnificent Movies," 20 to 1, Nine Network, 2006.

Maria (in archive footage), Today Tonight, Seven Network, 2007.

"The Making of "Shrek the Third," HBO First Look, HBO, 2007.

Countdown, Channel 4, 2007.

The Insider, syndicated, 2007.

Voice of Queen Lillian (in archive footage), Planet Voice, 2007.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, The 36th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1964.

The 37th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1965.

Presenter, The 38th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1966.

Presenter, The 40th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1968.

Host, The 24th Annual Tony Awards, NBC, 1970.

Presenter, The 45th Annual Academy Awards, NBC, 1973.

Host, The 38th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1984.

The 2nd Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1988.

Host, The 45th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1991.

The 17th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1991.

(In archive footage) The 50th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1996.

Presenter, The 69th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1997.

Presenter, The 51st Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1997.

Presenter, The 53rd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1999.

The 73rd Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2001.

The 75th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2003.

Presenter, 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT, 2005.

Presenter, The 60th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2006.

Presenter, The National Television Awards, ITV, 2006.

The 2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards, TBS and TNT, 2007.

Television Guest Appearances; Episodic:

Mystery guest, What's My Line?, 1960.

Today (also known as NBC News Today and The Today Show), 1974.

Entertainment Tonight, syndicated, 1989.

Showbiz Today, 1990.

Reflections on the Silver Screen with Professor Richard Brown, AMC, 1990.

Clive Anderson Talks Back, 1994.

Late Show with David Letterman (also known as The Late Show and Late Show Backstage), CBS, 1997.

The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002.

Larry King Live, Cable News Network, 2003.

(Credited as Dame Julie Andrews) Breakfast with Frost, BBC1), 2003.

The Oprah Winfrey Show (also known as Oprah), syndicated, 2004.

Parkinson, BBC, 2004.

This Morning (also known as This Morning with Richard and Judy), ITV, 2004, 2005, 2006.

Live with Regis and Kelly, syndicated, 2004, 2007.

Good Morning America, ABC, 2005.

The Early Show, CBS, 2005.

The Heaven and Earth Show (also known as Heaven and Earth with Gloria Hunniford), BBC, 2005.

(As Dame Julie Andrews) The Paul O'Grady Show (also known as The New Paul O'Grady Show), ITV, 2005.

(As Dame Julie Andrews) Breakfast, BBC, 2006.

Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show, syndicated, 2006, 2007.

Television Work; Specials:

Theme song performer, Peter Pan, 1976.

Stage Appearances:

Singer, Starlight Roof (revue), Hippodrome Theatre, London, 1947.

Title role, Humpty Dumpty (pantomime), Casino Theatre, London, 1948.

Title role, Red Riding Hood (pantomime), Nottingham Theatre Royal, Nottingham, England, 1950.

Princess Balroulbadour, Aladdin, Casino Theatre, 1951.

Jack and the Beanstalk (pantomime), Coventry Hippodrome, Coventry, England, 1952.

Title role, Cinderella (pantomime), Palladium Theatre, London, 1953.

Member of the ensemble, Caps and Belles (revue), Empire Theatre, Nottingham, England, 1953.

Becky Dunbar, Mountain of Fire, Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, England, 1954.

Polly Browne, The Boy Friend, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1954-55.

Eliza Doolittle, My Fair Lady (musical), Shubert Theatre, New Haven, CT, then Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, beginning 1956, later Drury Lane Theatre, London, 1958-59.

Guinevere, Camelot (musical), Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1960-61.

Putting It Together (revue), Manhattan Theatre Club Stage I, New York City, 1993.

Victoria Grant, Victor/Victoria, Marquis Theatre, New York City, 1995-97.

Host, Hey, Mr. Producer (musical), Lyceum Theatre, London, 1998.

Host, My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies, Theatre at Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1998.

Host, My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs, City Center Theatre, New York City, 2000.

Also appeared in a royal command performance at Stage Door Canteen, London, 1948.

Stage Director:

The Boy Friend (musical), Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, NY, 2003.

Radio Appearances:

Monday Night at Eight, BBC, 1946.

Educating Archie (series), BBC, 1950.

RECORDINGS

Albums:

The Boy Friend, RCA, 1955.

My Fair Lady (original Broadway cast recording), Columbia Special Projects, 1956.

Cinderella, Columbia, 1957.

The Lass with the Delicate Air, RCA, 1958.

Rose-Marie, 1958.

Julie Andrews Sings, RCA, 1958.

Camelot (original cast recording), Columbia, 1960.

My Fair Lady (original London cast recording), Columbia, 1960.

Broadway's Fair Julie, Columbia, 1962.

Don't Go into the Lion's Cage Tonight, 1962.

Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall, Columbia, 1962.

Heartrending Ballads and Raucous Ditties, 1962.

Mary Poppins (original soundtrack recording), Buena Vista, 1964.

The Sound of Music (original soundtrack recording), RCA, 1965.

A Christmas Treasure, RCA, 1967.

Thoroughly Modern Millie (original soundtrack recording), 1967.

Star! (original soundtrack recording), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1968.

A Little Bit of Love, Harmony, 1970.

TV's Fair Julie, Harmony, 1972.

The World of Julie Andrews, Columbia, 1972.

The Secret of Christmas, Embassy, 1975.

Julie Andrews, RCA, 1975.

An Evening with Julie Andrews, RCA, 1977.

A Little Bit of Broadway, Columbia, 1977.

Victor/Victoria (original soundtrack recording), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1982.

Christmas with Julie Andrews, Legacy, 1982.

Love Me Tender, Bainbridge, 1983.

Love, Julie, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1987.

The Sounds of Christmas—from Around the World, Hallmark, 1989.

Julie & Carol at Lincoln Center, Verve, 1989.

The King and I (studio cast recording), Philips, 1992.

The Souvenir Album, 404 Music Group, 1992.

Putting It Together (original cast album), RCA, 1993.

Broadway—The Music of Richard Rodgers, Philips, 1994.

The Best of Julie Andrews: Thoroughly Modern Julie, Rhino, 1995.

Victor/Victoria (original Broadway cast album), Philips, 1995.

Here I'll Stay: The Words of Alan Jay Lerner, Philips, 1996.

Nobody Sings It Better, K-Tel, 1996.

The Sound of Julie Andrews: 22 Classic Songs, Time Life Records, 1996.

Tea for Two, Hallmark, 1999.

Greatest Christmas Songs, RCA, 2000.

Classic Julie: Classic Broadway, Uni/Decca, 2001.

Broadway Best, Universal, 2001.

Collection, MRA, 2002.

So in Love, Mastersong, 2002.

Come Rain or Shine, Going for a Song, 2004.

Christmas with Julie Andrews and Andre Previn, Christmas Gold, 2005.

Christmas with Julie, Colliers, 2006.

At Her Very Best, 2006.

Once Upon a Time, 2007.

Also released the soundtrack album High Tor, Decca; other recordings include Tell It Again, Angel Records.

Videos:

Muppet Video: Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff, Playhouse Home Video, 1985.

Mary Poppins (in archive footage), The Walt Disney Comedy and Magic Revue, 1985.

(In archive footage) Children's Songs and Stories with the Muppets, 1985.

Carnegie Hall at 100: A Place of Dreams, BMG Classics/RCA, 1991.

Mary Poppins (in archive footage), Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Heigh-Ho, 1992.

Mary Poppins (in archive footage), Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, 1993.

Mary Poppins (in archive footage), Disney Sing-Along-Songs: You Can Fly, 1993.

The Making of "My Fair Lady," King World Productions, 1994.

Silver Star!, Fox Video, 1994.

Together Again, Live Video, 1994.

Herself, The Sound of Music: From Fact to Phenomenon, Twentieth Century-Fox Home Entertainment, 1994.

Mary Poppins (in archive footage), Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Be Our Guest, 1994.

Broadway, Polygram, 1995.

(In archive footage) Mary Poppins Practically Perfect in Every Way: The Magic behind the Masterpiece, 1997.

A New Princess (also known as The Making of "The Princess Diaries"), Walt Disney, 2001.

Live in Concert, Panorama, 2001.

Meet the Cast of Shrek 2, DreamWorks Home Entertainment, 2004.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: The Making of "Mary Poppins," 2004.

Mary Poppins, The Cat that Looked at a King, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2004.

Host, My Favorite Things: Julie Andrews Remembers, Twentieth Century-Fox Home Entertainment, 2005.

Disneyland: Secrets, Stories & Magic, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2007.

WRITINGS

Books; As Julie Andrews Edwards; With Daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton:

Simeon's Gift, illustrated by Gennady Spirin, Harper-Collins, 2003.

Dragon: Hound of Honor, HarperCollins, 2004.

The Great American Mousical, illustrated by Tony Walton, HarperCollins, 2006.

Thanks to You: Wisdom from Mother and Child, HarperCollins, 2007.

Children's Books:

(As Julie Edwards) Mandy, illustrated by Judith Gwyn Brown, Harper & Row, 1971.

(As Julie Edwards) The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, Harper & Row, 1974.

(As Julie Andrews Edwards) Little Bo: The Story of Bonnie Boadicea, illustrated by Henry Cole, Hyperion Books for Children, 1999.

(As Julie Andrews Edwards) Little Bo in France: The Further Adventures of Bonnie Boadicea, illustrated by Cole, Hyperion Books for Children, 2002.

"Dumpy" Picture-Book Series; as Julie Andrews Edwards; With Emma Walton Hamilton; Illustrated by Tony Walton:

Dumpy the Dump Truck, Hyperion Books for Children, 2000.

Dumpy at School, Hyperion Books for Children, 2000.

Dumpy and His Pals, Hyperion Books for Children, 2001.

Dumpy's Friends on the Farm, Hyperion Books for Children, 2001.

Dumpy Saves Christmas, Hyperion Books for Children, 2001.

Dumpy and the Big Storm, Hyperion Books for Children, 2002.

Dumpy and the Firefighters, Hyperion Books for Children, 2003.

Dumpy to the Rescue!, illustrated by Walton and Cassandra Boyd, Hyperion Books for Children, 2004.

Dumpy's Apple Shop, illustrated by Walton and Boyd, Hyperion Books for Children, 2004.

Dumpy's Extra-Busy Day, Hyperion Books for Children, 2006.

Dumpy's Valentine, Hyperion Books for Children, 2006.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Arntz, James, and Thomas S. Wilson, Julie Andrews, foreword by Carol Burnett, Contemporary Books, 1996.

Contemporary Musicians, Volume 33, Gale, 2002.

Cottrell, John, Julie Andrews: The Story of a Star, Mayflower, 1968.

Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Volume 25, Gale, 2005.

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, 4th edition, St. James Press, 2000.

Spindle, Les, Julie Andrews: A Bio-Bibliography, Greenwood Press, 1989.

Windeler, Robert, Julie Andrews, 1970, revised edition published as Julie Andrews: A Biography, St. Martin's Press, 1982.

Windeler, Robert, Julie Andrews: A Life on Stage and Screen, Thorndike Press, 1997.

Periodicals:

Advocate, May 21, 1991, p. 71.

AARP, September, 2004, pp. 48-52.

Chicago Tribune, June 28, 1981, Section 12, p. 1; January 24, 1988, Section 13, p. 4; October 11, 1992, Section 6, p. 5.

Los Angeles Family, August, 2004, pp. 22-23.

New York Daily News, September 10, 1972, Section 3, p. 15; August 21, 1977, Section 3, p. 7; December 10, 1989, p. 2.

New York Newsday, September 14, 1968, p. 2; November 15, 1987, Section 2, p. 3.

New York Times, August 21, 1977, Section 2, p. 1; March 14, 1982, Section 2, p. 1.

Parade, October 17, 2004, p. 16.

People Weekly, December 13, 1999, pp. 175-176; January 29, 2007, p. 137.

Playboy, December, 1982, p. 77.

Premiere, May, 2004, p. 120.

Saturday Evening Post, May-June, 1996, pp. 36-40.

TV Guide, November 20, 1999, pp. 38-42; December 12, 2004, pp. 50-51; November 14, 2005, p. 37.

Julie Andrews

Perhaps best known for her award–winning roles in the films Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, the multi–talented Julie Andrews (born 1935) has been entertaining fans with her singing ever since she was a little girl. Even though she lost her singing voice in the late 1990s, she has continued to delight her fans by writing children's books and taking supporting roles in hit movies.

In his 1983 biography Julie Andrews, writer Robert Windeler reflected, "By the time she was 30, Julie Andrews was the best–loved, highest–paid entertainer in the world. With her crystalline, five–octave voice and impeccable demeanor, she was the essence of innocence, the nanny–next–door." However, he noted, her fame "stamped her with an image she would come to hate: wholesome."

Talented From an Early Age

Julie Andrews was born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1, 1935 in Walton–on–Thames, a suburb south of London. She was the daughter of Ted Wells, a teacher, and Barbara Morris Wells, an accomplished pianist who was also a piano teacher and part–time pianist for her sister's dance school. Biographers James Arntz and Thomas S. Wilson noted in Julie Andrews, "From a very early age, baby Julia was aware of the sound of music. As a toddler, she was already learning tap and ballet from her aunt."

Educated by her father, the little girl was reading and writing by age three. Biographers Arntz and Wilson wrote that the child "displayed such exceptional imagination, intelligence, and musical talent that both parents became convinced she would find success in the world of entertainment."

When Andrews was four years old, her parents divorced and her mother married Ted Andrews, her vaudeville partner. In an attempt to get to know her better, her stepfather began to give her singing lessons. Andrews recalled to Windeler, "I loathed singing and resented my stepfather." However, later in life, she would admit she was grateful that he instilled a sense of discipline and structure.

As World War II began and England was bombed, citizens were often forced to take cover in air raid shelters. The Andrews tried to keep up everyone's spirits by getting people to sing. Now called [Julie], the little girl's voice often stood out, even among the experienced adult singers. In a 1996 interview with the Saturday Evening Post, Andrews shared with Earl L. Conn, "For some reason, I had this freakish voice. I was sort of a child prodigy who had a really strong voice and a very large vocal range."

In fact, the biography on the Julie Andrews website noted, "To everyone's surprise [she] had a fully developed larynx, perfect pitch and a large four octave vocal range." The website continued, "At the age of eight [she] began to have singing lessons from Madame Lilian Stiles–Allen, who had once been a renowned concert singer."

When Andrews was ten, World War II ended, and she spent much of her time touring with her mother and stepfather. Biographers Arntz and Wilson noted that many theater managers liked family acts, so "eventually [she] changed her last name to Andrews to make the billing simpler." As noted on the Julie Andrews website, "On December 5th 1946, [she] performed alone for the first time at London's Stage Door Canteen. The Queen (later the Queen Mother) and the late Princess Margaret were in attendance."

Made Professional Debut

In the fall of 1947, shortly after Andrews turned 12, she made her professional debut in London in a revue called "Starlight Roof." In December of that year, the Julie Andrews website noted, she was given a screen test by the British division of Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer. The studio decided against signing her because they said she was "unfilmable."

Andrews went on to perform in other revues and pantomimes, including "Humpty Dumpty" in 1948, "Red Riding Hood" in 1950, and "Cinderella" in 1953. The role in "Humpty Dumpty" was the most significant to her personal life, as she met Tony Walton, whom she would later marry.

Playing in "Cinderella" impacted Andrews' professional life. While doing this role, she caught the eye of the director who was working on the London production of a musical about the 1920s, entitled The Boy Friend. The show was to debut in the United States, on Broadway, in New York City. Andrews was offered the lead role and eventually accepted the part. At the age of 18, she joined the cast of The Boy Friend and went to New York in August of 1954. The show became an overnight success and Andrews became a star.

A Star in Musical Theatre

After almost 500 performances, Andrews' run in The Boy Friend ended, and she took on her next professional challenge. She played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, the musical version of George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion." For this role, Andrews was nominated for an Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award and won the New York Drama Critics Award for best actress in a musical. It was during her run in My Fair Lady that Andrews married Walton, her childhood sweetheart, who was now a set designer. They would have a daughter, Emma, in 1962.

In 1960, Andrews took on the role of Queen Guinevere in Camelot on Broadway. The show ran for two years, and she received another Tony Award nomination. It was during the run of Camelot that Andrews was introduced to American comedienne and actress Carol Burnett. The two became good friends, and would later do many television shows and specials together.

In 1962, producer Walt Disney went to see a performance of Camelot and was impressed by Andrews' performance. He thought she would be perfect in the production he was working on. Arntz and Wilson noted that Andrews met with Disney "who offered her a choice role in what was to be her first motion picture, Mary Poppins." Arntz and Wilson added, "Once Hollywood beckoned, [she] would not return to the stage for more than three decades."

Hollywood

Although Andrews had success on Broadway, she was passed over in favor of "name" actresses when the musicals My Fair Lady and Camelot were made into films. Her luck changed, however, when she made her screen debut in Mary Poppins in 1964. The story of a nanny with magical powers that featured the songs "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," and "Chim Chim Cher–ee" was unique because it mixed real, live people and animation.

For her first feature film, Andrews earned the Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a musical or comedy in February of 1965, and two months later, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Right after Mary Poppins, Andrews tackled her first dramatic role, The Americanization of Emily, before taking possibly her best–known role.

Biographer Windeler noted that initially, Andrews "did not greet the prospect of playing Maria in The Sound of Music with great joy." However, she did take on the role of the singing novice who is sent from the convent to be the governess of the seven von Trapp children. Partially filmed in Europe and based on a true story, the film featured memorable songs like "I Have Confidence in Me," "My Favorite Things," and "Do–Re–Mi."

As noted on the Julie Andrews website, The Sound of Music "would end up being one of the most loved movies of all time." The movie won five Oscars, including Best Picture, and Andrews received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Subsequently, Andrews took a role in yet another musical film, 1967's Thoroughly Modern Millie. Arntz and Wilson commented, "Her first six films were so successful that for nearly a decade [she] held the record as the highest grossing performer in the history of movies." However, Arntz and Wilson added, "Almost as abruptly, [her] box office temperature plunged."

Slipped at the Box Office

In 1968, shortly after wrapping up Thoroughly Modern Millie, Andrews and her husband divorced. She began work on a new project, Darling Lili with producer Blake Edwards, perhaps best known for the Pink Panther movies. Arntz and Wilson described the movie as an "entertaining, well–crafted, often–funny, always–beautiful movie musical . . . a notorious Hollywood flop."

Even though the film did not succeed, the relationship between Andrews and Edwards did. Although both were divorced with children from their previous marriages, the couple married in 1969. Andrews shared with Conn, "You try harder and are more realistic with a second marriage . . . We vowed when we married that this we would take a day at a time—not have any fantasies that sort of precluded the realities." The couple adopted two daughters, Jeanna and Amy, and even though Andrews would continue to perform, family would be the priority.

Andrews did several variety shows and specials in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including "Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center" and the television series, "The Julie Andrews Hour." She also did a concert of Christmas songs, performing with the London Symphony Orchestra, and gave concerts where she would perform most of her Broadway and Hollywood hits.

In addition to acting and singing, Andrews worked on another talent, as a children's author. Using the pen name Julie Edwards, Andrews wrote her first two books. Mandy was published in 1971, and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles in 1974.

Andrews did continue acting, however, and she worked on many of her husband's projects. She played Dudley Moore's girlfriend in 10 and had a somewhat notorious part in the movie S.O.B. (Standard Operating Bull), where she had a brief nude scene. Biographers Arntz and Wilson called it "one of the most talked–about events of her career." They added that "[her] willingness to take on this relatively small role, disrobe, and then endure the inevitable press frenzy, [was] proof positive that she and [Edwards] have a loving, highly supportive relationship, as well as a healthy sense of humor."

In 1982, Andrews received high marks for her performance in Victor/Victoria, a musical comedy about a female singer who impersonates a man impersonating a woman, so she can find work in a night club. Andrews earned another Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a musical or comedy.

In 1986, Andrews received great reviews for her role as a concert violinist stricken with multiple sclerosis. Biographers Arntz and Wilson described Duet for One as "a thoughtful, beautifully crafted film" where Andrews gave her "finest dramatic performance."

Triumphant Return to Broadway

In 1995, Andrews returned to Broadway in what she described to Conn as her "big, new adventure." She and her husband collaborated on the stage version of her hit movie Victor/Victoria, with Edwards as the director. It was a demanding role, and Andrews was in almost every scene. Doing eight shows per week and performing eight numbers per show did take a toll on Andrews, and she missed several performances due to illness.

Andrews caused a bit of controversy when she declined a Tony award nomination for her role in Victor/Victoria after she was the only one with the show who was recognized. As noted by Belinda Luscombe of Time, Andrews told a matinee crowd at a performance, "I have searched my conscience and my heart, and I find that I cannot accept this nomination—and prefer to stand with the egregiously overlooked." Luscombe added that the controversy caused ticket sales to the show to dramatically increase.

Near the end of her two–year run with Victor/Victoria, Andrews was diagnosed with a non–cancerous growth on her vocal cords. She wrapped up the musical in June of 1997, and had surgery shortly afterwards. Even though she had been told her vocal cords would not be compromised, Andrews lost her singing voice.

Lost Singing Voice

As recounted by People Weekly, Andrews told television reporter Barbara Walters, "I went in for a routine procedure that I was told would not be threatening to my vocal cords. And since then . . . I've just been unable to sing." Stepdaughter Jennifer Edwards added, "She said that when she lost her voice, she had lost her identity." Ultimately, the People Weekly article noted, Andrews became depressed and "underwent grief therapy at Sierra Tucson, an Arizona rehab clinic noted for treating celebrity clients."

Andrews was bolstered by the support and love of her family, and threw herself into other projects. She told Sean M. Smith and Jac Chebatoris of Newsweek, "It was a tremendous setback. But I'm one of those people who see the glass as half full rather than half empty. And in truth, it seems I've never been busier." Early in 2000, Andrews filed a lawsuit against her doctor and his associates. Later that year, she accepted an undisclosed settlement and dropped the lawsuit.

Still Entertained Her Fans

As Andrews shared with Newsweek, despite the loss of her singing voice, she kept busy with many projects. In 1998, she appeared in a stage production of Dr. Dolittle in London. As recounted on the Julie Andrews website, she performed the voice of Polynesia the parrot and "recorded some 700 sentences and sounds, which were placed on a computer chip that sat in the mechanical bird's mouth. In the song "Talk To The Animals," Polynesia the parrot even sings."

Andrews also returned to her writing. Little Bo: The Story of Bonnie Boadicea was published in 1999. She also made the Dumpy the Dump Truck series a family affair, as she wrote the books with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, which were in turn illustrated by her ex–husband, Tony Walton. Andrews also collaborated with old friends. In 1999, she teamed up with James Garner to make One Special Night, a television movie for CBS. In 2001, Andrews and Christopher Plummer worked together for the first time since making The Sound of Music, when they appeared in a live broadcast of the play On Golden Pond.

In addition to entertaining her fans, Andrews worked on behalf of many charities, including Operation USA, UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), and Save the Children. She received many honors for her charity work as well as for her contributions to entertainment. In 2000, she was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2001, she received an Honor Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, in Washington, D.C. She also received a 2002 Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service, and was recognized for "bringing joy and inspiration to audiences of all ages."

Andrews also returned to the big screen in a big way in 2001. The Princess Diaries told the story of a gawky teenager who learned that her deceased, long–lost father was a prince of a small European country, and she was now the heir, if she wanted to be. Andrews played her grandmother, the queen, who wanted to transform her into a crown princess. Richard Natale of Variety wrote, "Thirty–seven years after Walt Disney transformed her into an instant movie star in Mary Poppins—and Oscar winner to boot—[Andrews] returned to the studio this year with another $100 million winner."

The year 2004 was also a busy, successful movie year for Andrews. She appeared in two movie sequels playing queens in both. She reprised her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, and also starred as the voice of Queen Lillian in Shrek 2. And on December 14, 2004, everyone's favorite magical nanny was re–introduced to audiences as the 40th anniversary edition DVD of Mary Poppins was released. The DVD featured both commentary and a musical reunion of Andrews and her co–star, Dick Van Dyke.

Biographers Arntz and Wilson noted that her friends and family consider Andrews "warm, sensitive, bright, upbeat, and funny." In addition, she is a successful author, dedicated to her charities, and a fine of fine arts. Arntz and Wilson concluded that Andrews "is celebrated around the world for a remarkable career encompassing stage, film, television, recordings, and the concert stage."

Books

Arntz, James, and Thomas S. Wilson, Julie Andrews, Contemporary Books, 1995.

Contemporary Musicians, Volume 4, Gale Research, 1990.

Windeler, Robert, Julie Andrews, St. Martin's Press, 1983.

Periodicals

Entertainment Weekly, January 7, 2000.

Newsweek, April 28, 2003.

People Weekly, December 13, 1999; September 13, 2004.

PR Newswire, April 20, 2002.

Saturday Evening Post, May – June 1996.

Time, May 20, 1996; October 16, 2000.

Variety, September 24, 2001; August 16, 2004.

Online

"Biography for Julie Andrews," Internet Movie Database Website,http://www.imdb.com (December 2, 2004).

Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2005, http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC (December 2, 2004).

"Julie Andrews biography," Julie Andrews website, http://www.julieandrews.co.uk/biog.htm (December 2, 2004).

ANDREWS, Julie

Nationality: British. Born: Julie Elizabeth Wells in Walton-on-Thames, England, 1 October 1935. Family: Married 1) the art director Tony Walton, 1959 (divorced 1968), daughter: Emma; 2) the director Blake Edwards, 1969, daughters (adopted): Joanne and Amy. Career: 1947—first stage appearance in the "Starlight Roof" revue in London; 1954—New York stage debut in The Boy Friend; 1964—film debut in Disney's Mary Poppins; 1972–73—featured in TV series The Julie Andrews Hour on ABC-TV, winner of eight Emmy Awards; 1979—film career revived by appearance in 10, first of series of comedies directed by husband Blake Edwards; 1992—in TV series Julie; 1996—on Broadway in Victor, Victoria. Awards: Best Actress Academy Award, and Most Promising Newcomer, British Academy, for Mary Poppins, 1964. Address: P.O. Box 666, Beverly Hills, CA 90213, U.S.A.

Films as Actress:

1964

Mary Poppins (Stevenson) (title role); The Americanization of Emily (Hiller) (title role)

1965

The Sound of Music (Wise) (as Maria)

1966

Torn Curtain (Hitchcock) (as Sarah Sherman); Hawaii (George Roy Hill) (as Jerusha Bromley)

1967

Thoroughly Modern Millie (George Roy Hill) (title role); The Singing Princess (animation) (as voice of Princess Zeila)

1968

Star! (Wise) (as Gertrude Lawrence)

1970

Darling Lili (Edwards) (title role)

1974

The Tamarind Seed (Edwards) (as Judith Farrow)

1979

10 (Edwards) (as Sam)

1980

Little Miss Marker (Bernstein) (as Amanda)

1981

S.O.B. (Edwards) (as Sally Miles)

1982

Victor/Victoria (Edwards) (title role)

1983

The Man Who Loved Women (Edwards) (as Marianna)

1984

Hanya: Portrait of a Dance Legend (Cristofori)

1985

Pandora's Box (Heath)

1986

Duet for One (Konchalovsky) (as Stephanie Anderson); That's Life! (Edwards) (as Gillian Fairchild)

1991

Our Sons (Erman—for TV) (as Audrey Grant)

1992

A Fine Romance (Tchin-Tchin) (Saks) (as Pamela Picquet); Julie (Edwards—series for TV) (as Julie Carlisle)

1995

The Sound of Julie Andrews

1998

Hey Mr. Producer (as Host/Herself—for video); A Winter Visitor; One Special Night (Young—for TV)

1999

My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies (as Host/Herself—for TV)

2000

Relative Values (as Felicity)

Publications

By ANDREWS: books—

Mandy (children's fiction), 1973.

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles (children's fiction), 1973.

By ANDREWS: articles—

"My Fair Victor/Victoria," interview with John Gruen, in Dance, September 1995.

"Victor/Victorious," interview with Jonathan Van Meter, in Vanity Fair (New York), October 1995.

"J'ai appris, j'ai appris," interview with Yann & Viviani Tobin, in Positif (FR), July/August 1997.

On ANDREWS: books—

Cottrell, John, Julie Andrews, New York, 1968.

Rosen, Marjorie, Popcorn Venus, New York, 1973.

Windeler, Robert, Julie Andrews: A Biography, New York, 1983.

Spindle, Les, Julie Andrews: A Bio-Bibliography, New York, 1989.

Arntz, James, Julie Andrews, Chicago, 1995.

On ANDREWS: articles—

Shipman, David, "The All-Conquering Governess," in Films and Filming (London), August 1966.

"The Now and Future Queen" (cover story), in Time (New York), 23 December 1966.

Lawrenson, Helen, "Sweet Julie," in Esquire (New York), January 1967.

Higham, Charles, "The Rise and Fall—and Rise—of Julie Andrews," in New York Times, 21 August 1977.

Gross, Linda, "Julie Andrews: A Talk with a Flickering Star," in Close-Ups: The Movie Star Book, edited by Danny Peary, New York, 1978.

Articles in Ciné Revue (Paris), 25 June 1981, 2 September 1982, and 27 January 1983.

Bennetts, Leslie, "Julie Andrews: Prim and Improper," in New York Times, 14 March 1982.

Szymanski, Michael, "Our Fair Lady: Julie Andrews Discusses Gay Fans, AIDS, and Her TV Movie Debut," Advocate (Los Angeles), 21 May 1991.

"Julie Andrews," in Stars (Mariembourg), March 1992.

Current Biography 1994, New York, 1994.

Landrot, Marine, "Bonne-maman Julie," Télérama (Paris), 12 January, 1994.

Barry, Norman, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Julie?" in Radio Times (London), August 2, 1997.

Julie Andrews's cinematic persona was established with her first appearance on screen as the magical title character in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins (one of the top grossing films of all time). Her performance a year later as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music further reinforced her popular "sweetness and light" image, and the movie was an unprecedented financial success. This, together with her Academy Award for Mary Poppins, placed Andrews at the forefront of bankable Hollywood stars of the 1960s. Winning the Oscar for Mary Poppins was also a personal coup for Andrews. Just before getting the role, she had lost the movie role of Eliza Doolittle—a character she had brought to life in the Broadway production of My Fair Lady—to Audrey Hepburn.

After a while, Andrews became tired of this squeaky clean screen image and like most actors, sought different kinds of roles. Unfortunately, however, a subsequent string of box-office failures, as well as several atypical film roles, failed to alter the picture of Andrews that had become so firmly entrenched in the moviegoing public's mind, and it is only in her more recent films with her husband, director Blake Edwards, that the actress has succeeded (at least partially) in changing the sugary image that has followed her throughout her career. With the exception of Victor/Victoria, however, these movies did not really showcase her talent.

The phenomenal impact of Andrews's debut in films coincided with the final days of the traditional movie musical. The decade's increasing desire for realism and relevancy led to an inevitable decline in stories that allowed their characters to express themselves in song and dance. Andrews, however, was a former child star of British revues and a very successful Broadway star (The Boy Friend, My Fair Lady, Camelot) and her theatrical training made her ideally suited to the filmmaking style that had had its heyday in the Hollywood musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. Yet the very films that brought her international acclaim, also made it impossible for audiences—and producers—to envision her in realistic, nonmusical roles at just the time that such roles were the only ones available.

Andrews's portrayals of Mary Poppins and Maria von Trapp—roles that so marked and, in effect, pigeonholed her career—are nevertheless separate and distinct performances. She creates in the former a strict but loving figure whose no-nonsense manner hides magical powers and enables her to regard them as commonplace. While Mary Poppins is all-knowing and supremely confident, the young novice Maria is inexperienced, naive, and frequently unsure of herself. Both roles are made memorable by Andrews's fresh, energetic style, a quality which would also color her work in such later films as Thoroughly Modern Millie, Star!, and Victor/Victoria. Yet her early dramatic parts in The Americanization of Emily, Torn Curtain, and Hawaii demonstrated Andrews's ability to handle nonsinging characters with quiet assurance, although her reception in these roles was never equal to that accorded her musical work.

In recent years, however, Andrews's films with Blake Edwards have given a new direction in her career. Although their first film together, the box-office disaster Darling Lili, proved professionally damaging to both, Edwards has succeeded in broadening his wife's public image by casting her in a series of uncharacteristic roles. In the popular 10, Andrews gives a much underrated performance as the intelligent, outspoken woman Dudley Moore forsakes to pursue Bo Derek, while the savagely funny S.O.B. finds Andrews's playing a spoof of her own on-screen persona. The latter includes a brief, highly publicized scene in which she appears topless. Victor/Victoria dealt the final blow to Andrews's pristine image, presenting her as a woman masquerading as a "male" female impersonator in Edwards's sophisticated examination of sexual lifestyles and stereotypes. (In 1996 Andrews appeared on Broadway in Victor/Victoria, once again on stage where she first began her show biz career.) The Academy Award nomination for her performance suggested that Andrews had at last broken free of her "singing governess" image and had embarked on a promising new phase in her career.

—Janet E. Lorenz, updated by Linda J. Stewart