Mary Poppins cast: Where are the talented actors now?
The Mary Poppins cast included stars like Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns. Julie became a global star, Dick remained active in showbiz into his 90s, and sadly, Matthew Garber died young. Their careers and lives unfolded in very different ways after the film's 1964 release.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Julie Andrews was 28 when she filmed Mary Poppins.
- Glynis Johns lived to 100, while David Tomlinson retired in the 1980s and died in 2000.
- Karen Dotrice retired early to raise her children, but later made a cameo; Matthew Garber sadly died at 21 from pancreatitis.
Meet the Mary Poppins cast
The Disney film's cast united seasoned performers and promising young actors in Disney’s 1964 musical masterpiece. Here are the main Mary Poppins cast members and where they are now.
Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins
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- Date of birth: 1 October 1935
- Place of birth: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England
- Age: 89 years old (as of August 2025)
- Age during filming: 28
Julie Andrews’s portrayal of the titular nanny made her an overnight star and earned her the 1965 Academy Award for Best Actress. In Mary Poppins, she transports the Banks children (and the audience) on a whimsical adventure, singing hits like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “A Spoonful of Sugar”.
The prominent actress built on that success with a long, celebrated career, even winning a Golden Globe for playing Maria in The Sound of Music (1965). She earned Academy Award nominations for the Maria role and for Victor/Victoria (1982).
Andrews later won an Emmy for her variety show The Julie Andrews Hour (1972–73) and introduced herself to new generations as Queen Clarisse in The Princess Diaries films and as the voice of Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton.
Active for over 70 years, Andrews was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II with a damehood in 2000. She married set designer Tony Walton (1959–1968) and film director Blake Edwards (1969–2010). She shares a daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, with her first husband, Tony.
Dick Van Dyke as Bert/Mr. Dawes Sr.
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- Date of birth: 13 December 1925
- Place of birth: West Plains, Missouri, USA
- Age: 99 years old (as of August 2025)
- Age during filming: 38
Dick Van Dyke played Bert, the cheerful chimney sweep, and also appeared briefly as Mr. Dawes Sr. in Mary Poppins. He “swept audiences off their feet” with his tap-dance number “Chim-Chim Cher-ee”. The actor later remarked in a 2011 People interview that he loved working with the film’s child actors.
I loved working with kids. You do a lot of clowning and get to know them.
Van Dyke went on to star in various films and TV shows. He headlined his sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–66), winning multiple Emmys. In the decades that followed, he played memorable roles in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Dick Tracy (1990) and Night at the Museum (2006), and he led the TV series Diagnosis: Murder (1993–2001).
In 2018, he returned to the world of Mary Poppins, starring alongside Emily Blunt in Mary Poppins Returns. As a Disney Legend since 1998, he has also earned a Tony Award, a Grammy, and the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award.
Van Dyke remains positive about his long life. In a 2025 interview with Business Insider, he said,
Life’s been good to me. I can’t complain.
Ahead of his 99th birthday in 2024, he shared his thoughts on ageing during an E! Online interview.
I've often tried to think, ‘what did I do to live this long,’ and I can't figure out. The only thing is I've always exercised. We still go to the gym three days a week and work out. I think that must be the secret because I don't really watch my diet or anything. Stayed skinny. That helps.
Off-screen, Van Dyke’s first marriage to Margie Willett (1948–84) produced four children (Carrie, Barry, Christian and Stacy). The actor was then in a long-term relationship with actress Michelle Triola until her demise in 2009. In 2012, he married his current wife, makeup artist Arlene Silver.
David Tomlinson as George Banks
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- Date of birth: 7 May 1917
- Place of birth: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England
- Age: aged 83 at death
- Age during filming: 46
David Tomlinson portrayed Mr. George Banks, the stiff banker who learns to embrace fun thanks to Mary Poppins. Throughout the film, Tomlinson’s character transforms; he joins in the finale’s joyful song, Let’s Go Fly a Kite.
After Mary Poppins, Tomlinson continued working with Disney. He played the villainous Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug (1969) and the bumbling Professor Emelius Browne in Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). He appeared in more than 50 films, mostly comedies.
Tomlinson married actress Audrey Freeman in 1953, and the couple have four sons. He retired from acting in 1980 to spend time with his family. Tomlinson passed away in his sleep at King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on 24 June 2000, following a stroke.
Glynis Johns as Mrs. Winifred Banks
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- Date of birth: 5 October 1923
- Place of birth: Pretoria, South Africa
- Age: aged 100 at death
- Age during filming: 40
Glynis Johns played Winifred Banks, the suffragette mother who sings “Sister Suffragette” with comic flair. A versatile performer, Johns built a six-decade career on stage and screen. She originated roles in six major Broadway musicals and won a Tony Award in 1973 for A Little Night Music.
On TV, she had her sitcom Glynis and guest-starred on Batman, Cheers and Murder, She Wrote in the 1960s–80s. In the 1990s, she appeared as Sandra Bullock’s character’s grandmother in While You Were Sleeping (1995) and in the comedy Superstar (1999).
When asked during the ABC interview on her 100th birthday how she felt, she quipped,
It doesn’t make any difference to me, I looked very good for every age.
Johns was married four times; her only child was a son, Gareth Horwood, whom she had with her first husband, Anthony Forwood. Unfortunately, Gareth passed away in 2007. Glynis Johns lived to 100 and passed away from natural causes on 4 January 2024.
Karen Dotrice as Jane Banks
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- Date of birth: 9 November 1955
- Place of birth: Guernsey, Channel Islands
- Age: 69 years old (as of August 2025)
- Age during filming: 8
Karen Dotrice played Jane Banks, the young daughter of George and Winifred. In the film, she duets with her brother (Matthew Garber) on The Perfect Nanny and joins Bert in Chim Chim Cher-ee. Dotrice’s other film credits include Disney’s The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963) and The Gnome-Mobile (1967), in which she co-starred again with Matthew Garber.
She appeared on several television shows, including Upstairs, Downstairs in 1971 and played Desdemona in a pre-Broadway production of Othello before retiring from acting in the early 1980s.
Dotrice gave up her career to raise a family. She has three children from two marriages. Karen Dotrice married actor Alex Hyde-White from 1986 to 1992 and later Ned Nalle from 1994. She shares two children with Ned Nalle.
Matthew Garber as Michael Banks
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- Date of birth: 25 March 1956
- Place of birth: London, England
- Age: 21 at death
- Age during filming: 7
Matthew Garber, as a seven-year-old Michael Banks, accidentally causes a bank run and joins Mary Poppins on her magical adventures. The young actor also co-starred with Dotrice in two other Disney films: The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963) and The Gnome-Mobile (1967).
Tragically, Garber contracted hepatitis (which led to pancreatitis) and died at the Royal Free Hospital in London on 13 June 1977. He was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2004.
Who turned down the role of Mary Poppins?
Julie Andrews initially turned down the role of Mary Poppins because she was pregnant. Walt Disney admired her talent and agreed to delay production until after she gave birth. Andrews accepted the role once her schedule cleared.
How old was Julie Andrews when Mary Poppins was filmed?
Julie Andrews was 28 years old during the filming of Mary Poppins. The legendary movie was shot between 1963 and early 1964. Andrews had already gained recognition on Broadway but had never appeared in a film.
How old was Michael from Mary Poppins when he died?
Matthew Garber, who played Michael Banks, passed away at 21 years old. He passed away in 1977 from haemorrhagic pancreatitis caused by hepatitis. Despite his short life, Disney recognised his contribution by naming him a Disney Legend posthumously in 2004.
How many children did Julie Andrews give birth to?
Julie Andrews has one biological child, a daughter named Emma Walton Hamilton, whom she had with her first husband, set designer Tony Walton.
The Mary Poppins cast created a timeless classic that continues to inspire audiences worldwide. While some actors went on to have long and decorated careers, others left the spotlight or sadly passed away too young. Their legacy lives on through songs, magical scenes, and the impact they made on Disney history.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
