IT may be almost 60 years since he high-kicked across the roofs of London to Chim Chim Cher-ee but Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke hasn’t forgotten his most iconic role.
The 97-year-old actor – who starred as chimney sweep Bert in the 1964 classic – was spotted this week in a jumper emblazoned with the words “Spoonful of Sugar”, in reference to one of the film’s enduring songs.
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The endearing musical catapulted British actress Julie Andrews to fame and has been watched by generations of children for almost six decades.
But what happened to the rest of the cast – from kids Michael and Jane to the marvellous Mrs Banks.
Julie Andrews – Mary Poppins
Amazingly, Mary Poppins was Julie’s film debut, when she was 29 years old.
She won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the film and went onto star in The Sound of Music the next year.
The accomplished singer and actress was devastated after a botched throat operation in 1999 left her unable to sing, and she later sued the US surgeons for an undisclosed amount.
Julie turned down a cameo role in the 2018 reboot Mary Poppins Returns, starring Emily Blunt, reported to be worth £790,000, telling director Rob Marshall: “This is Emily’s show and I want her to run with this.”
But she continues to work on new projects, including the hit movie Aquaman and Netflix series Bridgerton, which she narrates.
She has an estimated net worth of £35million and lives in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.
Dick Van Dyke – Bert the chimney sweep
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Dick Van Dyke’s famous ditty Chim Chim Cheer-ee won the film an Oscar for Best Original Song – while the role also helped him bag a part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Now 97, the American actor has more recently starred in Night At The Museum (2006) and Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb (2014).
He made an emotional cameo in Mary Poppins Returns, switching roles to play Mr Dawes Jr, the son of the crotchety banker from the 1964 movie,
Emily Blunt described his appearance as “utterly moving”and it also reduced director Rob to tears.
In 2012, dad-of-four Dick, who has seven grandchildren, married make-up artist Arlene Silver. He was 86 and she was 40.
Karen Dotrice – Jane Banks
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Karen Dotrice was just nine when she played daughter Jane in the popular Disney movie.
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She later starred alongside her on-screen brother Michael (Matthew Garber) in The Gnome Mobile and the 70s servant drama Upstairs Downstairs.
Now 67, Karen retired from the industry to focus on being a mum in 1984.
She has three kids from two marriages and made a brief comeback with a cameo in Mary Poppins Returns.
David Tomlinson – Mr Banks
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David Tomlinson played the dad George in Mary Poppins, then went onto star in 1968 film The Love Bug and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, opposite Angela Landsbury, in 1971 .
The dad-of-four died in 2000, at the age of 83, following a sudden stroke.
He was posthumously named as a Disney Legend in 2002.
Glynis Johns – Mrs Banks
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Glynis Johns played mum Winifred in the film, with the Sherman brothers writing the feminist anthem Sister Suffragette specifically for her.
Now 99. the South African film star, a mum-of-one, retired from showbiz in 1999.
Although she had a couple of movie parts, including the 1969 comedy Lock Up Your Daughters, most of Glynis’ career was on the stage. She’s been married four times.
At almost a century old, Glynis is now the oldest living Oscar nominee in any category, having been nominated for the 1960 film The Sundowners.
Matthew Garber – Michael Banks
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Matthew was just eight when he starred as little Michael in the film.
He went on to star in The Three Lives of Thomasina and The Gnome Mobile, both alongside his on-screen sister Karen.
Tragically Matthew Garber died from hepatitis, which developed into pancreatitis, at the age of 21.
Co-star Karen paid tribute to the child actor, saying: “He was how he looked — an imp, and I loved being his shadow.
“He loved being naughty, finding and jumping off of small buildings on the back lot. While I was Victorian proper and wouldn’t let myself get dirty or muddy, Matthew had a great sense of fun and danger.
“He was a daredevil and could have been a race car driver. And he did live a full life over his 21 years.”
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