The Tragic & Inspiring Life of Julie Andrews
The Tragic and Inspiring Life of Julie Andrews
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Her voice brought the hills to life, and will always remind us of some of our more magical childhood moments. But things weren’t always so rosy behind the scenes. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re having a look at the tragic and inspiring life of singer/actress Julie Andrews.
Birth & Childhood
Julie Andrews was born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1st, 1935, to Barbara Ward Wells and Edward Charles Wells in England. Wartime woes brought the couple to divorce, and Julie’s mother got remarried to Ted Andrews in 1943. Ted Andews was an entertainer, and his wife joined him in entertaining the troops during WW2. Julie lived for a short time with her father until about the age of 5, at which time she was sent to live with her mother and stepfather. She wasn’t very enamored with her stepfather, and took offense to her mother insisting she refer to him as “Pop”.
Difficult Times
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Julie’s living situation was less than ideal in her adolescence, as the family lived in a “slum” area of London and were impoverished. She has referred to this as a “black” period in her life, describing her stepfather as an aggressive alcoholic who tried to get into bed with her on two occasions. This resulted in her installing a lock on her bedroom door. In 1945 when she was around the age of 10, Julie began to join her mother and stepfather on stage. She slept in the afternoons in order to be awake for evening performances. She subsequently began to perform solo, becoming her family’s main support for a time. All while helping to raise her younger siblings, Julie had to perform up to two shows per evening, in halls filled with smoke and alcohol. She would attempt to liven up the gloomy dressing rooms with bunches of flowers, adding some light to her dark situation. Eventually, the careers of her mother and stepfather looked up, and the family moved to a better situation in Hersham.
Her Father Was Not Who She Thought He Was
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In 1949, at the age of 14, Julie performed at a family friend’s gathering. She later had a conversation with the man of the house, and claims she felt a strange sort of connection to him. She later spoke to her mother of the experience, and was told he was her real father. Her mother had had an affair with him, resulting in her conception. Julie, however, always considered Edward Charles Wells to be her father, as he had raised her and she had tremendous respect for him.
A Timeless Talent
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Julie Andrews’s talent did not go unnoticed, and despite his faults, her stepfather provided her with voice tutors and coaches. Her most notable influence was Madame Lillian Stiles-Allen, who later went on to greatly praise Andrews’s voice in a book the voice instructor penned. Andrews, ever the modest woman, refuted the praise - however, she did recognize that she had a clear four-octave range. From her humble beginnings on stage with her parents, she went on to perform in countless productions, eventually making her Broadway debut in “The Boy Friend” in 1954, followed by the coveted role of Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” - which she originated Her most significant early television role was in 1957’s “Cinderella,” which was broadcast live and in which she played the titular character. Her film career essentially began in 1964, with the well-known classic “Mary Poppins”, for which she won an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Around this time, Andrews was passed over for the role of Eliza Doolittle in the film adaptation of “My Fair Lady”. The role went to Audrey Hepburn, whose vocal parts had to be dubbed over by “ghost singer” Marni Nixon, as the actress was not a singer. Andrews confessed that she felt slighted by this, but because the decision allowed her to appear in the Disney classic, she was thankful in the long run. What followed was, of course, 1965’s “The Sound of Music”, which we all know and love.
An Unhappy Marriage
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Andrews married Tony Walton, a set designer, in 1959. The marriage proved difficult, however, as the two were separated for long periods of time due to their respective careers. Andrews was adamant about resolving the issue, even to the point of considering giving up her own career in order to focus on her marriage. She sought the help of a therapist, who convinced her to not give up on her career, as she would be depriving the world of her incredible gift. Thankfully for us (and herself), Andrews took her therapist’s advice. Unfortunately, her marriage failed shortly thereafter. However, it proved to be a blessing in disguise, as one day, upon exiting the therapist’s office, she bumped into writer and director Blake Edwards, who would become her second husband in 1969, and the love of her life. The two were together for over 40 years, and saw each other through hardships, such as the loss of Julie Andrews’s vocal range.
The Loss of a Legendary Voice
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In 1997, two years after she made her big return, Andrews had to leave the Broadway production “Victor/Victoria”, when she noticed that her voice was becoming hoarse. She underwent surgery in New York, supposedly to remove “non-cancerous nodules” from her throat. She later claimed that the hoarseness was actually caused by a “muscular striation [on her] vocal chords” that was acquired during her work on the Broadway show. The surgery left her with permanent damage to her vocals, and she ended up pursuing the surgeons. Her four-octave range was no more, and was replaced by a simple alto, albeit a fragile one. She underwent 4 subsequent surgeries, which were successful in enhancing her speaking voice. However, they could not restore her former singing voice.
Continued Optimism
Despite all this, Andrews remained occupied in the entertainment industry, providing voiceovers in film series like “Shrek” and the like. Hers is definitely an attitude to admire, as through the hardships, she has continued to emerge a strong and successful woman. In 2000, she was made a Dame Commander by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to the performing arts. In 2001, she appeared in Disney’s “The Princess Diaries” as Queen Clarice Marie Renaldi. Its 2004 sequel saw the return of the songbird in Andrews, as she performed a duet for the film. Music supervisor Dawn Soler said that she “nailed the song on the first take,” and that the film crew was in tears following the on-set performance.
Her Life at Present
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Dame Julie Andrews will be 85 in 2020. Her husband of 41 years, Blake Edwards, passed away in 2010. She has one daughter from her first marriage, Emma Katherine, two stepchildren from her second, Jennifer and Geoffrey, and two daughters adopted in the 1970s, Vietnamese orphans Amy and Joanna. She has 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She continued to keep quite busy in the 2010s, directing plays, doing speaking tours and voiceover work, most notably in the “Despicable Me” franchise and “Aquaman.” In 2017, she turned down the chance to cameo in “Mary Poppins Returns”, citing her desire to keep Emily Blunt as the focus of the sequel’s attention. She’s a truly humble woman to this day.
