Mary Poppins cast: Then and now
Mary Poppins has made an indelible mark on every child who believes in magic.
Starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, the film follows a magical nanny who uses her powers to remind a dysfunctional family about what really matters.
It also brought on a berth of pop-culture moments, with people lining up down the street to catch the film in theatres and the word "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" still being used today.
As the film approaches its 60th anniversary on August 27, here's a look back at the iconic stars and where they are now.
Julie Andrews: Then
Julie Andrews played a magical nanny that descended from the skies to grant the wishes of some desperate children.
Julie Andrews: Now
Since then she has starred in a number of iconic projects such as The Sound of Music, The Tamarind Seed, The Princess Diaries franchise, the Shrek franchise, and most recently, the voice of Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton.
Andrews married twice, first to Toney Walton in 1959, with whom she had daughter Emma. They divorced in 1968.
In 1969 she married director Blake Edwards, with whom she adopted two Vietnamese daughters, Amelia Leigh and Joanna Lynne. They were married for 41 years until his death in 2010.
She received the title of Dame from Queen Elizabeth in 2000. She is now 88 years old.
Dick Van Dyke: Then
Dick Van Dyke played Bert, a jack-of-all-trades and Mary Poppins' close friend.
His knowledge of her powers seem to indicate this isn't the first family they have helped this way, but their playful banter shows they will enjoy doing so well after the Banks children.
Bert has at least four jobs in the film – a one-man band, a sidewalk chalk artist, a chimney sweep, and a kite seller.
Van Dyke also appeared as Mr. Dawes Sr., the old director of the bank where Mr Banks works. The actor credited in the end credits was "Navckid Keyd", before the letters "magically" rearranged themselves to reveal the actor's name.
Dick Van Dyke: Now
Dick Van Dyke had a number of hits to his name both before and after the film – namely The Dick Van Dyke Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Diagnosis Murder, Dick Tracy , Curious George
But he couldn't shake the pull of the magical film, eventually returning to the world with a role in the 2018 film, Mary Poppins Returns, this time playing Mr. Dawes Jr., the son of his former character.
Now 98, his age hasn't stopped him from all his endeavours. He made history as the oldest person to win a Daytime Emmy with his 2024 win of the Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series for 51st Daytime Emmy AwardsDays of Our Lives.
He also appeared on The Masked Singer and has a CBS special Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic which he is itching to take on the road.
He is currently married to his second wife and third partner, 52-year-old make-up artist Arlene Silver.
Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber: Then
"Wanted: A nanny for two adorable children."
That's how the child characters of Mary Poppins described themselves in an early scene of the beloved 1965 film.
The movie might be best remembered for the performances by leads Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, but there's no doubt Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber won hearts in their roles as Jane and Michael Banks.
David Tomlinson: Then
David Tomlinson played the father of Jane and Michael. He is strict and discipined and wants the same out of the nanny for his children, and so when his children drafted an advertisement for "A nanny for two adorable children," he ripped it up.
He was shocked when Mary Poppins showed up with the draft advertisement taped back together, but relented when she assured him she would remain disciplined.
David Tomlinson (1917-2000)
David Tomlinson was best known as a character actor for his roles in Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and The Love Bug.
But what many didn't know was the tragic story behind the facade of his jolly characters.
He married his first wife Mary in New York but was forced to return to England to serve as an RAF pilot for WWII. When she found out she wouldn't be able to see her husband until the war ended, she took her two sons and committed murder-suicide.
Later in life he found out his father had a secret second family.
He ended up marrying actress Audrey Freeman in 1953, with the couple welcoming four sons and remaining together for 47 years until his death in 2000 aged 83.
Tomlinson was posthumously inducted as a Disney Legend in 2002.
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