‘Mary Poppins’ actress Glynis Johns dies at 100
The Hindu
Appearing in more than 60 films, Johns also earned an Oscar nomination for While ‘You Were Sleeping’ and ‘The Sundowners’
British actress Glynis Johns, who was best known for her role as Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins, died on Thursday at the age of 100, as reported by Variety. Johns's manager, Mitch Clem, highlighted that Johns died at an assisted living home in Los Angeles. Moreover, her publicist said that she died of natural causes, as reported by ABC News.
Johns made her film debut in 1938 when she was a teen, but she didn't break through until 10 years later when she played a mermaid in Miranda. She had been an actor in England for over 20 years when she was cast in Disney's adaptation of P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins novels.
Appearing in more than 60 films, Johns also earned an Oscar nomination for While You Were Sleeping and The Sundowners, according to Variety. "Glynis powered her way through life with intelligence, wit, and a love for performance, affecting millions of lives," Clem said in a statement.
"She entered my life early in my career and set a very high bar on how to navigate this industry with grace, class, and truth. Your own truth. Her light shined very brightly for 100 years. She had a wit that could stop you in your tracks powered by a heart that loved deeply and purely. Today is a sombre 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," Clem added.
Moreover, Johns had a long career in English films, but more recently she appeared in American movies, including 1994's The Ref, starring Denis Leary, in which she played the mother of Kevin Spacey's squabbling character. The British actor was married and divorced four times, to Anthony Forwood, David Ramsey Foster, Cecil Henderson and Elliot Arnold, respectively. Currently, she is survived by a son, Gareth, by Forwood.