list_text=          Julie Andrews was "practically perfect in every way" as Mary Poppins. In her feature film debut role, she bowled everyone over with her charm and sense of fun and as a result, won an Oscar for best actress of 1964.
          As film critic Leonard Maltin wrote in his book The Disney Movies, Julie captured "every nuance of the character," created by author P.L. Travers. While Judith Crist, of the New York Herald Tribune, blurred distinction between the character and the actress, when she wrote, "Although she (Mary) pokes her pretty fingers into a world of sticky sweetness, she almost invariably pulls out a plum. All speeches and cream, with a voice like polished crystal, she seems the very image of a prim young governess who might spend her free Tuesdays skittering off to Oz." Indeed, Julie was the very image of Mary Poppins and to many Disney fans, she remains the magical "dream" nanny of their hearts.
          Julie was born on October 1, 1935, in Walton-on-Thames, England. During World War II, when schools were forced to close, she took singing lessons to keep busy and her unusual vocal ability, which ranged five octaves, was discovered. By age 12, Julie astounded an audience at the London Hippodrome when she sang a difficult operatic aria in the "Starlight Roof" revue. 
          She went on to appear in a variety of shows including, "Cinderella" at the London Palladium and "The Boy Friend" on Broadway, which led to her triumphant stage role as Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady."
          In the early 1960s, Walt Disney first spotted Julie while she played Queen Guinevere in "Camelot" on Broadway. After the performance, he made a beeline backstage to offer her the title role in his upcoming musical fantasy "Mary Poppins," which went on to win 13 Academy Award nominations, and five Oscars, including best music score, best song, best film editing, and best special visual effects.
          As one of Julie's most enthusiastic supporters, Walt allowed rival producer Martin Ransohoff to view her rushes for "Mary Poppins," which lead to her next film role in "The Americanization of Emily." She then appeared in one of Hollywood's top-grossing films of all time "The Sound of Music," produced by Robert Wise, for which she won an Oscar nomination. Among her other screen credits are "Hawaii," "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Victor/Victoria," for which she won another Oscar nomination in 1982. She reprised the famous role on Broadway in the mid-1990s, and continues her work in film.&