Glynis Johns

Biography

Glynis Johns was a British actress and singer whose stage and screen career spanned more than seven decades, taking in over 60 films and 30 plays. Born in Pretoria to the Welsh actor Mervyn Johns and raised in England, she danced on stage as a child and made her screen debut in South Riding (1938). She broke through in the 1940s as Anna in 49th Parallel (1941), winning a National Board of Review Award, and starred in Miranda (1948); later films included The Court Jester (1955), The Sundowners (1960), which brought an Academy Award nomination, and Mary Poppins (1964), playing Winifred Banks and singing Sister Suffragette. On Broadway she originated Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, earning a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. Her final screen role was in Superstar (1999). She died in 2024.

100years old at death

Born October 5, 1923Pretoria
Died January 4, 2024Los Angeles
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (birth name)Also credited as Glynis John and Glynnis Johns

Movie Career

Films: 25
Career span: 59 years1940 to 1999

Genres

Drama52%, 13 films
Comedy48%, 12 films
Romance40%, 10 films
Fantasy24%, 6 films
Family20%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
Glynis Johns was cast as Anna in the 1941 war drama 49th Parallel, replacing Elisabeth Bergner in the role, and her performance earned her a National Board of Review Award for Best Acting.
Beyond film
Stephen Sondheim wrote A Little Night Music, and Johns was part of its original cast in 1973. The musical premiered on 25 February at the Shubert Theatre in New York City, and "Send In the Clowns" was written with her in mind.

Glynis Johns movies on Netflix

Superstar1999IMDb rating 5.3as Grandma
While You Were Sleeping1995IMDb rating 6.8as Elsie
The Ref1994IMDb rating 6.9as Rose
Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School1988IMDb rating 6.8as Ms. Grimwood (voice)
The Vault of Horror1973IMDb rating 6.6as Eleanor (segment 2 "The Neat Job")
Under Milk Wood1972IMDb rating 5.8as Myfanwy Price
Lock Up Your Daughters!1969IMDb rating 5.0as Mrs. Squeezum
Dear Brigitte1965IMDb rating 6.3as Vina Leaf
Mary Poppins1964IMDb rating 7.8as Mrs. Banks
The Cabinet of Caligari1962IMDb rating 5.8as Jane Lindstrom
The Chapman Report1962IMDb rating 5.5as Teresa Harnish
Shake Hands with the Devil1959IMDb rating 7.0as Kitty Brady
Another Time, Another Place1958IMDb rating 5.8as Kay Trevor
All Mine to Give1957IMDb rating 7.2as Jo Eunson
The Court Jester1955IMDb rating 7.8as Maid Jean
Mad About Men1954IMDb rating 6.3as Caroline Trewella / Miranda Trewella
The Sword and the Rose1953IMDb rating 6.3as Princess Mary Tudor
The Card1952IMDb rating 7.1as Ruth Earp
No Highway in the Sky1951IMDb rating 7.1as Marjorie Corder
State Secret1950IMDb rating 7.0as Lisa Robinson
Miranda1948IMDb rating 6.8as Miranda Trewella
Perfect Strangers1945IMDb rating 7.1as Dizzy Clayton
The Adventures of Tartu1943IMDb rating 7.0as Paula Palacek
49th Parallel1941IMDb rating 7.3as Anna
The Thief of Bagdad1940IMDb rating 7.4as Princess's Maid

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Mary Poppins1964 Comedy, Family, Fantasyas Mrs. Banks
IMDb rating 7.8200K votes
While You Were Sleeping1995 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Elsie
IMDb rating 6.8129K votes
The Court Jester1955as Maid Jean
IMDb rating 7.815K votes
The Ref1994as Rose
IMDb rating 6.929K votes
Superstar1999as Grandma
IMDb rating 5.322K votes
The Vault of Horror1973as Eleanor (segment 2 "The Neat Job")
IMDb rating 6.67.2K votes
Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School1988as Ms. Grimwoodvoice
IMDb rating 6.87.1K votes
No Highway in the Sky1951as Marjorie Corder
IMDb rating 7.15.1K votes

Most often with

Michael Powell directed two of these films, Henry Koster two and Ken Annakin two. 22 actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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James Stewart

Marianne Stone

Wilfrid Hyde-White

John Le Mesurier

Maurice Denham

Niall MacGinnis

Michael PowellDirector, 2 films Henry KosterDirector, 2 films Ken AnnakinDirector, 2 films

Films together

James Stewart2 films together, 1951 to 1965
James Stewart's page
- Dear Brigitte1965IMDb rating 6.3Johns as Vina LeafStewart as Professor Robert Leaf
- No Highway in the Sky1951IMDb rating 7.1Johns as Marjorie CorderStewart as Theodore Honey
Marianne Stone2 films together, 1969 to 1973
Marianne Stone's page
- The Vault of Horror1973IMDb rating 6.6Johns as Eleanor (segment 2 "The Neat Job")Stone as Jane (segment 2 "The Neat Job")
- Lock Up Your Daughters!1969IMDb rating 5.0Johns as Mrs. Squeezum
Wilfrid Hyde-White2 films together, 1951 to 1952
Wilfrid Hyde-White's page
- The Card1952IMDb rating 7.1Johns as Ruth EarpHyde-White as Lord at the Liverpool Dock
- No Highway in the Sky1951IMDb rating 7.1Johns as Marjorie CorderHyde-White as Fisher, Inspector of Accidents
John Le Mesurier2 films together, 1958 to 1959
John Le Mesurier's page
- Shake Hands with the Devil1959IMDb rating 7.0Johns as Kitty BradyMesurier as British General
- Another Time, Another Place1958IMDb rating 5.8Johns as Kay TrevorMesurier as Dr. Aldridge
Maurice Denham2 films together, 1948 to 1951
Maurice Denham's page
- No Highway in the Sky1951IMDb rating 7.1Johns as Marjorie Corder
- Miranda1948IMDb rating 6.8Johns as Miranda TrewellaDenham as Cockle Vendor
Niall MacGinnis2 films together, 1941 to 1959
Niall MacGinnis's page
- Shake Hands with the Devil1959IMDb rating 7.0Johns as Kitty BradyMacGinnis as Michael O'Leary
- 49th Parallel1941IMDb rating 7.3Johns as AnnaMacGinnis as Vogel
Michael PowellDirector, 2 films, 1940 to 1941
All films by Michael Powell
- 49th Parallel1941IMDb rating 7.3Johns as Anna
- The Thief of Bagdad1940IMDb rating 7.4Johns as Princess's Maid
Henry KosterDirector, 2 films, 1951 to 1965
All films by Henry Koster
- Dear Brigitte1965IMDb rating 6.3Johns as Vina Leaf
- No Highway in the Sky1951IMDb rating 7.1Johns as Marjorie Corder
Ken AnnakinDirector, 2 films, 1948 to 1953
All films by Ken Annakin
- The Sword and the Rose1953IMDb rating 6.3Johns as Princess Mary Tudor
- Miranda1948IMDb rating 6.8Johns as Miranda Trewella
Also two films together16 more actors
- Jack HawkinsNo Highway in the Sky (1951) and State Secret (1950)
- Joan HicksonMad About Men (1954) and The Card (1952)
- Peter CopleyThe Sword and the Rose (1953) and The Card (1952)
- Margaret RutherfordMad About Men (1954) and Miranda (1948)
- Dora BryanMad About Men (1954) and No Highway in the Sky (1951)
- David TomlinsonMary Poppins (1964) and Miranda (1948)
- Martin BoddeyMad About Men (1954) and State Secret (1950)
- Robert DonatPerfect Strangers (1945) and The Adventures of Tartu (1943)
- Allan JeayesPerfect Strangers (1945) and The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
- Ed WynnDear Brigitte (1965) and Mary Poppins (1964)
- Reta ShawMary Poppins (1964) and All Mine to Give (1957)
- Howard DouglasState Secret (1950) and Miranda (1948)
- Valerie HobsonThe Card (1952) and The Adventures of Tartu (1943)
- Martin MillerMad About Men (1954) and The Adventures of Tartu (1943)
- Walter RillaState Secret (1950) and The Adventures of Tartu (1943)
- Roy EmertonThe Adventures of Tartu (1943) and The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Glynis Johns's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$333 million

6 of the 25 films have a worldwide figure.

6Worldwide figure
3US gross only
1Never in cinemas
15Figure not found

Top grosser

While You Were Sleeping1995Elsie$182 million

Highest grossing

The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
While You Were Sleeping1995as Elsie
$182M54.6% of the total
2
Mary Poppins1964as Mrs. Banks
$103M30.9% of the total
3
Superstar1999as Grandma
$31M9.2% of the total
4
The Ref1994as Rose
$11M3.4% of the total
5
49th Parallel1941as Anna
$5.3M1.6% of the total
6
Miranda1948as Miranda Trewella
$834K0.3% of the total

Awards

Five awards and honors from 1942 to 1998, one of them major.

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Glynis Johns's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Tony Awards
1973	Best Actress in a Musical	A Little Night Music	Won
Other honors
1998	Disney Legends		Honored
1973	Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical	A Little Night Music	Won
1965	Laurel Awards	Mary Poppins	Won
1942	National Board of Review Award for Best Actress	49th Parallel	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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