Glynis Johns, Who Played Mrs. Banks in ‘Mary Poppins,’ Dies at 100
variety.comCarmel Dagan Staff Writer English actress Glynis Johns, who played the daffy suffragette mother Mrs. Banks in the classic film “Mary Poppins,” died Thursday at an assisted living home in Los Angeles, her manager confirmed to The Washington Post.
She was 100. She won a Tony for her role as Desiree Armfeldt in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music,” introducing the song “Send in the Clowns” — written for her by Sondheim.
In addition she was Oscar nominated for her supporting role in 1960’s “The Sundowners.” The actress was known for a delightfully husky, breathy voice, a buoyant persona and, when she was young, a charming flirtatiousness.
Johns had been an actress in England for more than 20 years when she was cast in Disney’s adaptation of P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins novels.
Read more on variety.com
