Julie Andrews

Current Role

After recently staring in the popular sequel "Shrek the Third", Julie has also lent her voice to the narration of the Disney film Enchanted, which is set to be released Autumn 2007. In April 2008, Andrews will release "part one", of her autobiography, entitled Home: A Memoir, which will chronicle her early years in England's Music Hall circuit, up to her winning the role of Mary Poppins.

Early Life

Julie Andrews was born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England to Edward C.Wells (a teacher) and Barbara Ward (a pianist). Julie's mother shortly divorced her father and married Ted Andrews - a man with whom she worked with in a Vaudeville act. Julie was often brought along with her mother to her practices and from this was given her first non speaking part at the age of two as a fairy.

Career Highlights

Julie's talents were first noticed by her step-father when huddled in an air raid shelter, Ted Andrews would lead the community in capella choruses of which Julie sang in octave above everyone else. Ted encouraged Julie's talents by putting her up for voice lessons with Madame Lilian Stiles-Allen and enrolling her in the Cone-Ripman School in London which taught ballet mixed with academic subjects.

Julie was given her first true acting opportunity in her parents' Vaudeville act, however her first professional debut was at the London Hippodrome in 1947 in a musical called Starlight Roof. Julie then went on to perform at Royal Command Variety Performance and at the London Palladium, where she performed for King George VI. During the next ten years Julie starred in or made a special appearance in a number of West End theatre productions and radio shows.

Interesting Facts

• Julie lost her incredible singing voice in March 1998 after throat surgery, the loss of her voice was not officially announced until November of that year.
• Julie Andrews was married twice
• Mary Poppins was the first movie Julie Andrews starred in.