Julie Andrews Journey from Silence to Storytelling

Julie Andrews became a Hollywood superstar because of her amazing singing voice. She starred in famous movies like “Mary Poppins” in 1964 and “The Sound of Music” in 1965. People loved her voice, and it made her a big star.

But in 1997, something bad happened. Julie Andrews couldn’t sing like she used to. She lost some of her singing talent. It was a sad time for her because singing was such a big part of her life.

After that, Julie Andrews had to find new ways to be happy and creative. She started writing books for children. Even though she couldn’t sing anymore, she found joy in telling stories. Her books became really popular, and she found a new way to share her talent with the world.

Julie Andrews really loves theater. She started performing when she was very young, alongside her mom and stepdad. They entertained British soldiers during World War II. When Julie was just 12, she sang on stage professionally in London. She was really good at it.

After that, Julie went to Broadway in America and became a big star. She used her voice to make people happy for many years.

Even though she’s been in the entertainment world for a long time, Julie’s career isn’t slowing down. In fact, it’s been going on for almost 80 years. That’s a really long time.

Julie does something different. She writes books for kids, and her daughter Emma helps her. Their latest book is about the theater, but from a funny perspective a duck’s perspective. It’s a new way for Julie to share her love of storytelling with the world.

This story is actually true. Emma Hamilton, Julie Andrews’ daughter, said.

“A while ago, at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, we saw something interesting. A pair of ducks decided to make their nest in a planter in the courtyard.”

Of course, the ducks in our book are like actors themselves, said Andrews. They love theater just like we do. They even listen to music.

One of the ducks, Mr. Puddle Duck, sneaks into the theater.

Waiting in the Wings” is the 35th book written by Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. They’ve been working together for a long time, creating lots of books. This partnership has given Julie a new way to express herself.

About thirty years ago, Julie had a surgery that didn’t go well. It messed up her famous singing voice and made her feel like she lost a part of who she was. She missed singing a lot.

One day, Julie was feeling really sad about not being able to sing anymore. She talked to her daughter Emma about it. Emma said something that changed everything. She told her mom, Oh, Mum, you’ve just found another way of sharing your voice. Those words really struck Julie. They made her realize that she could still share her talents in different ways.

Since then, Julie hasn’t felt so sad about not being able to sing. She’s found joy in writing books with Emma and sharing stories with people in a new way.

Emma Walton Hamilton’s words sounded a lot like what Julie Andrews used to say when she played Maria. She once said, “When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.”

This means that even when something bad happens and it feels like a door is closing in your life, there’s still hope. You might find a new opportunity, like when you look out of a window and see a new path or a new chance to do something good.

There are some interesting similarities between the characters Maria and Mary Poppins, as pointed out by Pauley. Both of them have to convince children who are doubtful about them. They’re all about having fun, but there’s more to them than just fun. They’re like secret teachers who sneak in important lessons. They always see the bright side of things, but they also understand that kids face real problems in life.

We don’t talk to kids like they’re less important, explained Andrews. Instead, we try to lift them up, so we don’t treat them like they’re not as smart or capable as adults. We want to respect them and help them grow without talking down to them.

Julie Andrews has always had a passion for books, even when she was just a kid. She was born in 1935, and her early memories include scary times during World War II. She remembers hearing air raid sirens and having to hide during the Blitz, when London was being bombed by Germany.

Her parents had separated, but her stepfather played a big role in her life. He discovered her amazing singing talent when she was only nine years old. Julie could sing really high notes, spanning four octaves. She became known as Little Julie and performed with her parents in their musical shows on the vaudeville circuit.

Before she knew it, Julie was helping her family out financially. She was just a teenager but had to pay the family’s mortgage. Julie said, We really needed money badly. So, when she was around 15 years old, she started traveling all over England by herself. She went from place to place, trying to earn money however she could.

Pauley asked Julie if she felt the pressure of taking care of her family by making sure they had a place to live. Pauley wanted to know if Julie felt like it was her responsibility to do that job.

Well, I was doing my part to help the family, she explained. But as time went on, it became mostly my responsibility, because sadly, my stepfather had a problem with alcohol.

Even though Julie had talent and training, she wasn’t dreaming of big things at that time. No, I actually doubted if I could ever achieve big success, Andrews said. I was doing what I could because it was necessary. When I was a teenager, I used to wonder, ‘What’s the point of all this? Where is it going?’ Then, all of a sudden, everything changed.

When she was 19 years old, Julie got a big break. She was chosen to be the main character in a Broadway show called “The Boy Friend” by Sandy Wilson.

Even though she had been performing on stage for 10 years and had training in singing, she still felt like she wasn’t fully prepared. I didn’t have any acting lessons or anything like that, she explained. I just picked it up as I went along, and people were really kind to me.

You know, they don’t want to hurt someone who’s new and learning, like how people treat puppies gently. And I felt like a puppy, not knowing what I was doing. But I learned a lot and was thankful for all the help I got.

Even though she was still quite new to the scene, when Julie was 20 years old, she landed a major role as Eliza Doolittle in the popular musical “My Fair Lady” by Lerner & Loewe. She starred alongside the experienced actor Rex Harrison. It was a huge success when it debuted in 1956.

Just a year later, in 1957, she played the lead role in a TV production of “Cinderella” by Rodgers & Hammerstein. This was shown on CBS, a major American TV network, and it was watched by a staggering 100 million people across the country. It was the first time many Americans got to see Julie Andrews in action.

In 1960, Julie Andrews took on the role of Guenevere in the musical “Camelot,” starring alongside Richard Burton as King Arthur. It was a notable performance in her career.

However, it was during one of the “Camelot” shows that something incredible happened. Walt Disney, the famous movie producer, was in the audience. He watched Julie’s performance and was so impressed that he knew he had found his Mary Poppins.

Shortly after, Julie Andrews was cast as the beloved nanny in Disney’s movie adaptation of “Mary Poppins.” Her performance in the film was exceptional and won her an Academy Award. It was her very first motion picture, and it earned her one of the highest honors in the film industry.

In 1960, Julie Andrews played Guenevere in the musical “Camelot” with Richard Burton as King Arthur. This was a big moment in her career.

But something magical happened during one of the “Camelot” shows. Walt Disney, the famous movie maker, was in the audience. He watched Julie’s performance and was blown away. He knew right then that she was perfect for the role of Mary Poppins.

Soon after, Julie Andrews got the part of Mary Poppins in Disney’s movie version of the story. Her acting in the film was amazing, and it earned her an Academy Award, which is like the highest award in the movie world. This was her first time acting in a movie, and winning an Oscar was a huge achievement.

Andrews expressed how important it is to feel needed and valuable. She feels grateful for that.

Hamilton mentioned that her mom always says, Are we lucky or what? It’s like a saying that helps them stay positive.

Pauley brought up a line from “The Sound of Music” where Maria sings about feeling lucky because of something good she did in her past.

Andrews joked, Someone must have done something right, because I’m so lucky! Then, they both laughed and finished the saying, Are we lucky…?

…or what? Hamilton joined in, laughing too.