‘Mary Poppins’ Actress Glynis Johns Dies at 100

Glynis Johns in ‘Marry Poppins.’ Glasshouse Images/Cover Images

Acclaimed actress Glynis Johns died on Thursday, January 4. She was 100.

“Glynis powered her way through life with intelligence, wit and a love for performance, affecting millions of lives,” Johns’ longtime manager, Mitch Clem, tells Us Weekly 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.”

Clem added: “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 passed away at an assisted living facility in Los Angeles and will be buried next to her father, who died in 1993, in England.

Johns’ death comes shortly after her 100th birthday on October 5, 2023.

“It doesn’t make any difference to me,” she told California’s ABC affiliate in October 2023 about her milestone birthday. “Well, I looked very good for every age.”

Karen Dotrice, Glynis Johns, Matthew Garber, and David Tomlinson in ‘Marry Poppins.’ Cover Images

A stage and screen veteran for over 20 years, Johns was perhaps best known for her role in Mary Poppins. She played Mrs. Banks in the 1964 film, costarring alongside Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Mrs. Banks, the mother of the family that Andrews’ titular Mary Poppins came to nanny for, sang “Sister Suffragette.”

Johns also notably appeared in South Riding, Miranda, Mad About Me, While You Were Sleeping and Cheers. Johns earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Mrs. Firth in 1960’s The Sundowners. Two years later, Johns was nominated for a Golden Globe award for 1962’s The Chapman Reporter. Johns also earned a Tony Award for her performance in 1973’s A Little Night Music. In the Stephen Sondheim musical, Johns notably belted out “Send In the Clowns” nightly on the stage.

“I got applause for that. I loved doing it. I felt it,” she told ABC of A Little Night Music.

Glynis, who was born in South Africa and raised in England, was the daughter of actor Mervyn Johns and concert pianist Alys Steele. She joined her father in 1944’s The Halfway House, 1951’s The Magic Box and The Sundowners.

Glynis is survived by grandson Thomas and three great-grandchildren. Glynis was married four times to Anthony Forwood, David Ramsey Foster, Cecil Henderson and Elliot Arnold.