Though Mary Poppins has been a classic film for kids born as recently as this decade to watch, unbelievably, it has been a whopping 60 years since it first premiered in 1964.
The beloved musical, starring legends Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke, both of whom are still working today, marked the milestone 60th anniversary of its release on August 27.
At the time, it earned $44 million, making it the highest-grossing film of the year, and received 13 Academy Award nominations. Moreover, not only was it the Sound of Music actress' film debut, when she was 29, but among the Oscar nominations was her nod for Best Actress, which she won.
You may also likeDick Van Dyke's health routine at 96 will seriously surprise you Walt Disney had been trying to make Mary Poppins for decades, and in fact, he chose Andrews as his lead star back in 1962, however she was pregnant at the time; Mr. Disney, set on her being the iconic nanny, waited for her to give birth to start production.
"In retrospect, I could not have asked for a better introduction to film, in that it taught me so much in such a short period of time. The special effects and animation challenges alone were a steep learning curve, the likes of which I would never experience again," she wrote in her second memoir, 2019's Home Work, per the BBC.
Scroll below for some of the best throwback photos of both Andrews and Van Dyke, plus how much they still look like their characters today.
Waiting for a star
Though Mr. Disney knew Andrews was his Mary Poppins by 1962, he told her he'd wait until she gave birth to her daughter Emma, shared with ex-husband Tony Walton, to start production. Her casting was announced as soon as she gave birth, on November 28, 1962.
Ms. Poppins & Bert
Andrews, now 88, was 29 years old when Mary Poppins was released, while Van Dyke, now 98, was 39.
When one door closes…
Before filming Mary Poppins, Andrews was famously passed over in favor of Audrey Hepburn to play Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady, a role she had first played in its theatrical production. Despite the setback, it allowed her to star in Mary Poppins, making for her first film and first Oscar win (Hepburn did not receive a nomination).
A decade later
The Mary Poppins co-stars reunited exactly ten years after the 1964 release for a television music and comedy special titled Julie and Dick at Covent Garden.
Forever Mary & Bert
The former co-stars have reunited several times throughout the years, however they had an extra special reunion in 2013, one year before the 50th anniversary of the film, for the premiere of Saving Mr. Banks, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, which tells the story of Mr. Disney's 20-year quest to obtain the movie rights to Mary Poppins in the first place.
