-
Places Where She Has Lived
She first lived in the village of Walton-on-Thames on the banks of the River Thames when she was born. Now she lives in Long Island, New York. -
Parents
Her stepfather Ted Andrews, was an abusive man who drank too much. Her mother, Barbara also was an alcoholic. Andrews thought that Edward Wells was her father. Wells treated her and her siblings well and cared for them. Later on, Andrews learned that Wells wasn't her biological father. She found out when she drove her drunk mother home from a party. Her mother told her that her real father was the man who hosted the party. -
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews was born on October 1, 1935, in Walton on Thames, Surrey, England. -
Siblings
Andrews has 4 siblings. Johnny who is her whole brother, Donald and Chris who are her half brothers, and Celia who is her half-sister. -
Madame Lillian Stiles-Allen's influence on Andrews
The famous concert soprano and voice instructor, Madame Lillian Stiles-Allen was Andrews vocal teacher. Andrews said that Lillian had an enormous influence on her and that her relationship with her was almost like that of mother and daughter. -
Singing
At the age of 10, Andrews began singing with her pianist mother and singer stepfather in their music-hall act. Throughout the first few decades of her career, Julie was well-known for her "pure and clear" singing voice. She was a classically trained soprano singer who excelled in the musical theater space. Her vocal performances won her an Oscar, multiple Golden Globes, and some Grammy awards. -
Education
When she was eight, she attended a dramatic-cum-ballet school, which had regular school in the afternoon and dramatic and ballet training in the morning. From ten to twelve she went to a private girls' school. But from twelve on, she worked professionally. She had a compulsory three hours of lessons every day until she was fifteen. -
Her Royal Variety Command Performance
Andrews made history at the age of 13. She became the youngest solo artist to perform at the Royal Variety Command Performance for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. -
Broadway debut
The eve of her 19th birthday, Andrews made her Broadway debut as Polly Browne in the London musical The Boy Friend. -
My Fair Lady
In 1956, Andrews originated the role of Eliza Doolittle in Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s classic musical My Fair Lady based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 stage play Pygmalion. But she wasn't casted in the film adaptation in 1964, since the producers thought her lack of film experience would be an issue. So, instead they casted Audrey Hepburn to star in the film My Fair Lady. Andrews was disappointed that she wasn't casted. That same year she made her film debut in Mary Poppins. -
Debut Solo Album
In 1957, Andrews released her debut solo album, The Lass with the Delicate Air, which harked back to her British music hall days. -
First Husband: Tony Walton
She was married to her first husband, set designer Tony Walton, for nine years. They had one child and worked on many creative projects together before their divorce in 1968. -
How the 1960's Affected Julie Andrews
The 1960s brought an immense shift in American culture. Families across America witnessed the first televised presidential debates, the Cold War, and many other things. Traditional film musicals were declining in popularity. Andrews starred in two expensive musical flops—Star! (1968) and Darling Lili (1970), which were produced, directed, and cowritten by Blake Edwards, whom she married in 1970. -
Daughter Emma Walton Hamilton
Emma Walton Hamilton is Andrews first child, whom she had with Tony Walton. -
Mary Poppins
Walt Disney hand-picked Julie Andrews to play her most famous role, Mary Poppins. He saw one of Andrews play and when the show was over, he rushed backstage to offer her the part. She won an Oscar for Best Actress in her first film, playing the title role in Mary Poppins. She also won a Grammy, BAFTA, and Academy Award for her performance. -
The Sound of Music
Julie Andrews played as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music. It became the number one box office film after four weeks, and the highest-grossing film of 1965. Andrews won Best Actress and Best Female Musical Performance in her acting for The Sound of Music. -
Husband Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards was Andrews longest love and she married him in 1969. With the marriage came two stepchildren from Edward's previous marriage — Geoffrey Edwards and Jennifer Edwards. They were married for 41 years until Edwards death of pneumonia in 2010. -
Author of Books
Aside from her career in film and theatre, Julie Andrews has written over twenty books. Her work includes children's books, memoirs, and collections of poems and stories. She wrote many of her books with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. -
Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree
Julie Andrews, received her honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at the June 6, 1970, commencement. -
First Adopted Daughter
Amy Edwards was born in Vietnam and adopted by Andrews and Blake Edwards in 1974 when she was 2 months old. -
Second Adopted Daughter
Andrews and Edwards adopted Joanna Edwards from Vietnam in 1975, a year after they brought home Amy. -
Tribute Award of the British Academy film and Television
In 1989, Andrews became the first actress to receive the special Tribute Award of the British Academy for Film and Television. -
Vocal Surgery
She underwent throat surgery to remove non-cancerous nodules with which doctors had misdiagnosed her. After the surgery, Andrews was left with permanent damage that destroyed her four-octave soprano voice. Which forever altered her acting career. Andrews filed a malpractice suit against the doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital. And it was settled in September 2000. She then had 4 different operations that restored her speaking voice, but not her singing voice. -
Dame Commander
She was named a Dame Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her extraordinary career and her service to charities. -
Transition from actor to director
After losing her singing voice Andrews became a director at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY, where she directed a production of The Boy friend, the musical that first brought her to Broadway. She said the transition from actor to director is a natural progression and a good way to pass along many of the acting techniques she's learned. Andrews said that "Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly." -
Advocate in the Fight Against Huntington's Disease
Julie Andrews served on the board of trustees at the Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) for over 30 years. Her late husband, Blake Edwards, also served on the board until his death in 2010. -
Julie Andrews’ Collection Of Poems, Songs, And Lullabies
She won a Grammy Award for 2010 Best Spoken Word Album For Children for Julie Andrews’ Collection Of Poems, Songs, And Lullabies. -
Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award
She received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award for her long career in film. -
A Rose Named After her
Julie Andrews has a rose named after her which is The Julie Andrews hybrid tea rose. This rose is known for its enchanting aroma and beauty. -
A Feminist
Andrews describes herself as a feminist and considers both Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music's Maria to be feminist characters. -
AFI Life Achievement Award
The American Film Institute presented the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award to Julie Andrews at the Dolby Theatre on June 9, 2022. The AFI award is the highest honor for a career in film. -
References Used
-
-
-
