When Julie Andrews received her damehood from the Queen in 2000, it felt incredibly apt. Prim, posh perfection is the pervasive image of the British-born star of stage and screen. Of course, she must be a dame! And yet behind the polish and the innocent magic of her most famous roles – Mary Poppins and novice nun turned incomparable stepmum Maria von Trapp – is a personal life filled with struggle and fortitude, failure and passion, and plenty of heartache. Julie was raised “on the other side of the tracks” by an alcoholic and abusive stepfather and a mum who also descended into alcoholism. Her childhood was poor and troubled, and it was young Julie’s unique talent that became the much-needed meal ticket for the whole family.
After her exceptional singing voice was discovered – literally an adult’s vocal range in a child’s chords – she was thrust into vaudeville from the age of 10, performing on stage with her parents and touring England through World War II. At 13 Julie performed at the Royal Variety Command Performance in front of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. At the same time, thanks to the shortcomings of her addled parents, Julie was caring for her half-brothers and by the age of 15, the whole family was relying on her pay cheque.
On the eve of her 19th birthday, Julie made her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend – “the audience danced the Charleston down the aisles as they exited the theatre,” recalls Julie. And so began a pattern in Julie’s career; with every new venture another door opened.
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