Facts
Julie Andrews was born Julia Elizabeth Wells on the 1st October 1935 in Walton-on-Thames, UK. After performing with her mother and stepfather in many of their stage shows, she performed in her first royal command performance, for the Queen (now better known as the Queen Mother), and Princess Margaret, at London's Stage Door Canteen. At the age of 12, Julie made her professional solo debut at the London Hippodrome in a new musical revue called Starlight Roof. Overnight she became a star, and has been a star ever since. On November 1, 1948, she became the youngest solo performer ever to be seen in a Royal Command Variety Performance, at the London Palladium, where she performed for King George VI, and members of the Royal Family.
Julie then went on to appear in many stage shows, and on many radio and television programs, in her native England. In August of 1954, when she was 18 years old, Julie flew to New York City, to star in the new Broadway production of the musical The Boyfriend, where she played the leading role of Polly. The show, and especially Julie, were a big hit. Because of her insecurity in moving away from her family and friends in England, Julie did not sign the standard two year contract,
but only agreed to sign on for one year.
Her insecurity would prove to be a good thing, since it
was this one year contract, that made
her available to star in the even more successful Broadway
production of My Fair Lady, as Eliza Doolittle.
Overnight, Julie was a star on
two continents. Julie
starred in My Fair Lady, where
she earned a Tony Award nomination, for
two years on Broadway
and another sixteen months in London.
During her long run in My Fair Lady,
both Rodgers and Hammerstein
and Lerner and Lowe
wrote musicals for her. Rodgers and Hammerstein
wrote the original television musical, Cinderella,
which was broadcast live and
in color, in March of 1957, and
set a record for most watched
entertainment television
show. Lerner and Lowe,
the composers of My Fair Lady,
wrote Camelot
(another Tony nomination),
in which Julie starred as
Queen Guenevere,
in 1962. During
a performance of Camelot, Walt Disney
was in the audience, and immediately
after the show went backstage to
offer Julie
the starring role in
his new motion picture, MARY POPPINS.
Julie accepted Disney's offer, and made her film debut in the 1964 smash hit, winning an Oscar for Best Actress. MARY POPPINS was the most successful film of 1964. Also in 1964, Julie starred
in THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY, and
filmed the starring role of Maria,
in Robert Wise's production of
THE SOUND OF MUSIC, earning
another Academy Award nomination. THE SOUND OF MUSIC
was the most successful film of the entire
decade, and for a while, of all time. Julie
went on to star in HAWAII,
the most successful film
of 1966; TORN CURTAIN,
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, STAR!, DARLING LILI, THE TAMARIND SEED, 10, LITTLE MISS MARKER, S.O.B., VICTOR/VICTORIA
(another Oscar nomination for
Best Actress), THE MAN WHO LOVED WOMEN, THAT'S
LIFE!, DUET FOR ONE and A FINE ROMANCE.
Due to her many film success during the 60's,
Julie held the number one
position at the box office, the
last female star to do so. During the
70's, Julie starred in her own variety series (winning an Emmy Award for Best Show) and many specials for television. She
made her television film debut
with Ann-Margret
and Hugh Grant, in OUR SONS. In
the 90's, she has appeared on the New York
stage in the limited run smash hit, Putting It Together, and the hit Broadway version of Victor/Victoria, and has released new recordings, as well.
Julie ends the century with
her starring role, opposite her
former Emily and VICTOR/VICTORIA
co-star, James Garner, in
the new television film
entitled ONE SPECIAL NIGHT,
which will have its United States
airing in November of 1999. Julie
has also just completed her new theatrical
feature film of Noel Coward's
RELATIVE VALUES, where she has the leading role.
For over 50 years, Julie Andrews has
been THE singer, actress and overall performer of this,
and assuredly the new millennium. Julie Andrews
has become one of the most loved movie stars ever.
