'Mary Poppins' Actress Glynis Johns Dies at 100

Award-winning British actress Glynis Margaret Payne Johns, who was famous for her role in the blockbuster 1964 movie musical ‘Mary Poppins,’ has passed away at the age of 100.

The Oscar-nominated actress, whose career spanned eight decades on stage and screen, died in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Mitch Clem, her manager, revealed that she died of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Los Angeles.

“Glynis powered her way through life with intelligence, wit, and a love for performance, affecting millions of lives,” Clem said.

“She had a wit that could stop you in your tracks powered by a heart that loved deeply and purely.

“Today is a somber day for Hollywood. Not only do we mourn the passing of our dear Glynis, but we mourn the end of the golden age of Hollywood.”

Johns was born on October 5, 1923, in South Africa. She appeared on stage from a young age and was typecast as a stage dancer from early adolescence, making her screen debut in ‘South Riding’ (1938).

She rose to prominence in the 1940s following her role as Anna in the war drama film ’49th Parallel’ (1941). In a career spanning eight decades on stage and screen, Johns appeared in more than 60 films and 30 plays.

She received various accolades throughout her career, including a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award. Before her death in 2024 she was one of the last surviving major stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood and classical years of British cinema.

Johns had one son, who died in 2007.

January 05, 2024