Glynis Johns facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glynis Johns
Johns in a publicity photo, 1952
Born	Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (1923-10-05)5 October 1923 Pretoria, Union of South Africa
Died	4 January 2024(2024-01-04) (aged 100) Los Angeles, California, US
Citizenship	United Kingdom South Africa United States
Education	Clifton High School Cone School of Dancing South Hampstead High School
Occupation	Actress dancer singer
Years active	1923–1999
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Anthony Forwood ​ ​ (m. 1942; div. 1948)​ David Foster ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1956)​ Cecil Henderson ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1962)​ Elliott Arnold ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1973)​
Children	Gareth Forwood
Parent(s)	Mervyn Johns (father)
Relatives	Diana Churchill (stepmother) John Geoffrey Jones (cousin)
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Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (born 5 October 1923 – died 4 January 2024) was a famous British actress. She had a very long career, acting for eight decades on stage and in movies. Glynis Johns appeared in more than 60 films and 30 plays! She won many awards, including a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. She was also nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Before she passed away in 2024, she was one of the last big stars from the "Golden Age of Hollywood" and classic British movies.

Glynis Johns was born in Pretoria, South Africa. Her father, Mervyn Johns, was also a well-known actor. She started performing on stage when she was very young. She made her first movie, South Riding, in 1938. She became famous in the 1940s after her role in the war movie 49th Parallel (1941). For this, she won an award for Best Acting. She also starred in popular films like Miranda (1948).

Later, Glynis Johns took on more roles in the United States. She started acting on TV and on Broadway in 1952. She starred in movies such as The Sword and the Rose (1953) and The Court Jester (1955). She even had her own TV show called Glynis in 1963.

Glynis Johns was known for her unique, husky voice. She sang songs written just for her in movies and plays. One famous song was "Sister Suffragette" from Disney's Mary Poppins (1964). She played Winifred Banks in that movie. Another famous song was "Send In the Clowns" from the Broadway show A Little Night Music (1973). She won a Tony Award for her role in that show.

Early Life and Training

Glynis Johns came from a family of performers. Her mother, Alyce Steele-Wareham, was a talented pianist. Her father, Mervyn Johns, was a famous Welsh actor. He starred in many British films during World War II. Glynis's parents met while studying acting and music in London.

Glynis was born on 5 October 1923, while her parents were touring in Pretoria, South Africa. She was their only child. Just a few months later, her family moved back to England.

When she was five, Glynis started at the London Ballet School. By age six, people in Britain called her a "dancing wonder." At ten, she was teaching ballet! She even earned a teaching degree by age eleven. She also went to Clifton High School and the Cone School of Dancing. She won about 25 gold medals for her dancing. She also attended South Hampstead High School in London, where she was friends with actress Angela Lansbury.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out: 1923–1939

Glynis Johns made her first stage appearance when she was just three weeks old! Her grandmother carried her onto the stage in London.

At eight, she acted in a play called Judgement Day in London. As a child ballerina in 1935, she played Ursula in Buckie's Bears. Her dancing skills led her to many roles in children's plays. A manager noticed her, and she got her first big stage role in 1936. She played Napoleon's daughter in a play called St Helena.

Glynis Johns made her first movie in 1938. It was called South Riding, and she played Midge Carne. She also had small parts in other films like Murder in the Family (1938).

British Films and Theatre: 1940s

Publicity photo of Johns in 1951

In the 1940s, Glynis Johns made about one or two films each year. In 1946, she was called "one of the most sought-after young British stars." She gained international fame for her role in the war movie 49th Parallel (1941). She also played a supernatural innkeeper in The Halfway House (1944) alongside her father.

One of her most famous roles was as a playful mermaid named Miranda Trewella in the 1948 comedy film Miranda. She even wore a special tail made by a rubber company! She later appeared as the mermaid Miranda again in Helter Skelter.

On stage, she continued acting in plays like Quiet Weekend and Peter Pan.

Becoming a Star: 1950s

Johns with Danny Kaye and Cecil Parker in 1955

The 1950s were a very busy time for Glynis Johns in movies. Her success in films like Miranda made her well-known in Britain and America.

She appeared in the thriller State Secret (1950). She also starred in the Hollywood-funded film No Highway in the Sky (1951) with James Stewart. She played a flight attendant in this movie. She was so popular that British movie theaters voted her the 10th most popular box-office star in 1951 and 1952.

Glynis Johns made her TV debut in 1952 in the series Little Women. She also starred in two adventure films for Walt Disney: The Sword and the Rose (1953) and Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue (1953). In 1954, she played a prisoner in the drama film The Weak and the Wicked and was highly praised.

She starred in the comedy Mad About Men (1954), which was a sequel to Miranda. She also supported Danny Kaye in the musical-comedy The Court Jester (1955). Even though it was expensive to make, it didn't do well at first. Years later, a clip of her in The Court Jester was shown on the TV show Star Trek: Enterprise.

Mary Poppins and Beyond: 1960s

Studio publicity photo of Johns in 1959

In 1960, Glynis Johns starred in the mystery film The Spider's Web. She also had a supporting role in The Sundowners (1960). For this role, she was nominated for an Oscar. She also starred in The Cabinet of Caligari (1962).

One of her most famous roles was as Winifred Banks in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins (1964). She played the mother of Jane and Michael, who was part of the "Votes for Women" movement. When Walt Disney first talked to her, she thought she would play Mary Poppins! To convince her to play Mrs. Banks, the Sherman Brothers wrote a special song for her: "Sister Suffragette". This role earned her a Laurel Award.

Johns as Winifred Banks in the trailer of Mary Poppins (1964)

She also appeared in the family comedy Dear Brigitte (1965) with James Stewart. In 1963, she starred in her own TV show, Glynis, where she played a mystery writer. In 1967, she appeared in four episodes of the Batman TV series as the villainess Lady Penelope Peasoup.

On stage, she played in Too True to Be Good on Broadway in 1963. She also starred as Anne of Cleves in The King's Mare in London in 1966.

A Little Night Music and More: 1970s

In the 1970s, Glynis Johns focused more on stage work. She narrated several fairy tales and children's stories for Caedmon Records, including Peter Pan and Snow White.

In 1973, Glynis Johns was part of the original cast of A Little Night Music on Broadway. The famous song "Send In the Clowns" was written especially for her voice. For her role as Desiree Armfeldt, she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award. Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music, described her voice as a "rumpled bed."

She continued to act in plays like Ring Round the Moon and 13 Rue de l'Amour. From 1977 to 1978, she starred in Cause Célèbre and was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award.

Her film roles in the 1970s included Myfanwy Price in Under Milk Wood (1972) and Eleanor Critchit in the horror film The Vault of Horror (1973).

Later Roles: 1980s–1999

Playwright Noël Coward, in whose plays Johns frequently starred

In the 1980s, Glynis Johns mostly focused on stage work. She appeared in the play Hay Fever in 1981. She also starred in The Circle on Broadway from 1989 to 1990.

Her film work in the 1980s included the TV movie Little Gloria... Happy at Last (1982). She also provided the voice for Miss Grimwood in the animated film Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School (1988). In this movie, Scooby-Doo and his friends teach at a school for the daughters of monsters!

On TV, she guest-starred on the sitcom Cheers and the crime drama Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury. From 1988 to 1989, she played Trudie Pepper in the sitcom Coming of Age.

In 1991, Glynis Johns returned to A Little Night Music, but this time she played Madame Armfeldt, the mother of her original character. Her last film appearances were as grandmothers. She played the camera-loving grandmother in While You Were Sleeping (1995) with Sandra Bullock. She also played the grumpy Grandma Rose in The Ref (1994). In 1998, she was named a Disney Legend. Her very last film role was in Superstar (1999).

Life in the UK and US

Glynis Johns loved British movies. In 1946, she said she preferred acting in good British films over most American ones. However, she still made many American movies.

She became a big star in Britain in the 1940s. Her "glistening blue eyes and perfect comic timing" made her very popular. When she made No Highway in the Sky in 1951, it was a joint British and American film, and her first role in American cinema.

Glynis Johns became an important part of both British and American film history. She worked in both countries at the same time. Most of her TV roles were American, including her own show Glynis. However, many of her film and theater roles were British.

Personal Life

Glynis Johns was married four times and had one son, Gareth Forwood, who also became an actor. Her son passed away in 2007.

She often spoke about her love for acting. She believed it was where she used the best part of her brain. She also mentioned that she suffered from stage fright throughout her career, even though she seemed very confident on stage. Her grandson said she "never really got over" it, but managed it well.

Glynis Johns's voice was often described as unique. A press agent once said it was "like the sound of a brook burbling over a pebbled bed." It was also called "smoky," "silvery," and "wistful."

Glynis Johns lived to be 100 years old. She passed away in Los Angeles on 4 January 2024. At the time of her death, she was the oldest living Academy Award nominee in any acting category. She was also the oldest living Disney Legend. Her grandson, Thomas Forwood, is a writer and film director in France.

Advocacy

Sir Chris Bryant, a politician in the UK, called Glynis Johns "a lifetime ambassador for the creative arts in the UK and particularly Wales." In 1971, Glynis Johns said that a national theater in Wales would be a great idea. She believed Welsh people "have a love for their art."

Filmography and Discography

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Glynis Johns para niños