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Glynis Johns

Glynis Johns
Glynis Johns - still.jpg
Glynis Johns (1952)
Born (1923-10-05) October 5, 1923 (age 93)
Pretoria, Union of South Africa
Nationality British
Occupation Actress, dancer, pianist, singer
Years active 1935–1999
Spouse(s) Anthony Forwood
(m. 1942–48, divorced); 1 child
David Foster
(m. 1952, divorced)
Cecil Henderson
(m. 1960–62, divorced)
Elliott Arnold
(m. 1964, divorced)
Children Gareth Forwood (1945–2007)

Glynis Johns (born October 5, 1923) is a retired South African-born Welsh stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer. She is best known for creating the role of Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music on Broadway, for which she won a Tony Award, and for playing Winifred Banks in Walt Disney's musical motion picture box office smash Mary Poppins. In both roles, she originated songs written specifically for her, including "Send in the Clowns", composed by Stephen Sondheim, and "Sister Suffragette", written by the Sherman Brothers.

Johns was born in Pretoria, South Africa, the daughter of Alys Maude (née Steele-Payne; (1920-1971), a pianist, and Mervyn Johns (1899–1992), the British stage and film actor. Her roots are in West Wales, and she was born in Pretoria while her parents were performing on tour there. She attended Clifton High School in Bristol for a short time. Her ancestors on the Johns side are recorded as living at the farm Glanmorlais Uchaf, Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire in 1701.

Johns made her first stage appearance in Buckie's Bears as a child ballerina at the Garrick Theatre in 1935. She made her film debut in 1938 in the movie version of Winifred Holtby's novel South Riding. In 1944, she appeared with her father in Halfway House and in 1948 starred as a mermaid in Miranda (Johns later reprised the role in a 1954 sequel, Mad About Men). In 1952, she co-starred in the movie version of Arnold Bennett's novel The Card. She was voted by British exhibitors the tenth most popular local star at the box office in 1951 and 1952.


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