Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 58

i i. aaiisa Vyrt Li 0 Mary Poppins -perhaps a revival Wall Disney musical returns to "fun shows' of tlie past vr I Li Rooftop Dance One of the Mary Poppins highlights is this dance of the chimney-sweepfe done, of course, on the rooftops where the sweeps work. FROM the day the enchanting, elusive Mary Poppins character appeared on the American scene, straight from the pen of P. L. Travers, she was taken to the hearts of youngsters, and their parents.

Now, the whimsical nursemaid, whose amazing out-of-this-world adventures have been related in five children's classics "Mary Poppins," "Mary Poppins Comes Back," "Mary Poppins Opens the Door," "Mary Poppins in the Park" and "Mary Poppins from A to steps from the printed page to become a 'living, breathing personality' through the motion picture magic of Walt Disney and the inspired performance of vivacious English singing star Julie Andrews in Disney's "Mary Poppins." "Mary Poppins" first appeared on the literary scene in 1934. Since then, people continually ask the author if the now famous English governess was modeled from a living person. "No, she wasn't," Miss Travers is quick to answer. "I didn't even think her up. She just brushed past me and said, 'You take it Walt's first brush with Mary Poppins was about 15 years ago, when he overheard his daughter, Diane, chuckling to herself over the wonderful adventures of the magical nursemaid.

His curiosity aroused, Disney waited his turn for the book and found it equally amusing, so amusing in fact he could immediately see its potential as a motion picture. When Disney tried to acquire the movie rights, he learned they were not for sale. In the meantime, other producers, in turn, considered the Poppins stories perfect material for a Broadway musical, a television special and a motion picture, but their offers too were rejected. Several years ago, the paths of Disney and Miss Travers happened to cross in London. Walt told her of his interest in Mary Poppins and inquired again about the movie rights.

The noted authoress confided she had never considered a theatrical, TV or film offer for fear of what might happen to her stories, and particularly her heroine, in the dramatizing process. Disney's integrity and artistic endeavors impressed the English writer and their meeting concluded with her verbally agreeing to come to Hollywood at some future date to discuss a Disney film approach to "Mary Poppins." If it met with her approval, she would sell Walt the movie rights. On Disney's return to the studio, the project was set in motion. Several months later, with preliminary work completed, Miss Travers was summoned for story conferences. She was very pleased with the treatment her beloved story was receiving.

Contracts were drawn and signed, and the beloved lady and her amazing adventures were on their way to production. During one of the conferences, a Disney writer inquired if Mary Poppins was considered ageless. "Not at all," Miss Travers answered, positively. "She is precisely twenty-seven." Coincidentally, this is precisely the age of the lovely and talented Julie Andrews, who makes her screen debut in the title role. Miss Travers' one stipulation was that there would.

be no romance invented between Mary Poppins and her friend and confidant, Bert. "They should remain just good friends," she said. Disney not only abided by this request; but he was also careful to retain the original concept of the stories, realizing that his production must net only meet with the approval of the authoress, but must, also please millions of "Mary Poppins" readers who have thrived on her adventures in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian and many, other translations throughout the world. 4 Filmed in technicolor, "Mary Poppins" also stars Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns. Directed by Robert Stevenson, the Buena Vista please will begin its engagement at the Bay Theatre on April 9.

10 Sunday, ApriL 1965, GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE 4ik4'wu mis? ii I A MAGIC STORY TURNED INTO A MAGIC MOVIE tilie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke star in the Disney adaptation of the traver's childhood favorite..