Glynis Johns is a British actress, dancer, musician, and singer, graced the stage and screen for an illustrious career spanning eight decades. Her presence was felt in over 60 films and 30 theatrical productions.
Bio/Wiki
Age-100 years
Full name-Glynis Margaret Payne Johns
Height- five feet four inches
Born-5 October 1923
Birthplace-Pretoria, South Africa
Died- 4 January 2024, Los Angeles, California, United States
Spouse-Elliott Arnold (m. 1964–1980), MORE
Profession-British actress and dancer
Nationality-British, South African
Glynis Johns’s Family
Glynis Johns was born into a theatrical family. Her parents, Mervyn Johns and Alyce Steele, Alyce’s family gained fame in the entertainment industry, and her mother, Elizabeth Steele-Payne, stood out as one of the pioneering accomplished women violinists of her era. Mervyn Johns, Johns’s Welsh father, achieved stardom in British films during the Second World War and maintained a consistent presence at Ealing Studios.
Glynis Johns’s Husband
Johns had four marriages. Her first husband was Anthony Forwood, whom she married on 29 August 1942 in Westminster, London. They had a son, actor Gareth Forwood, born on 14 October 1945, and divorced on 25 June 1948. Johns then married producer Antony Darnborough after collaborating on Encore (1951). Her second marriage was to Royal Navy officer David Foster on 1 February 1952 in Manhattan, New York; they divorced on 17 May 1956. Her third marriage was to businessman Cecil Henderson on 10 October 1960 in Westminster, London; they divorced on 21 June 1962. Her fourth and final husband was United States Air Force captain and writer Elliott Arnold; they were married on 1 October in Los Angeles, California, and divorced on 4 January 1973.
Glynis Johns’s Career
Glynis Johns began her stage career at a young age, establishing herself as a stage dancer in her early adolescence before making her screen debut in South Riding (1938). She gained prominence in the 1940s with notable roles in films such as 49th Parallel (1941), Miranda (1948), and Third Time Lucky (1949). Transitioning to American productions after No Highway in the Sky (1951), Johns took on leading roles in films like The Sword and the Rose (1953), The Weak and the Wicked (1954), and The Court Jester (1955).
She made her mark on television with her own sitcom, Glynis (1963), and achieved success in the 1990s with roles in While You Were Sleeping (1995) and The Ref (1994). Her diverse career also included narrating fairy tales for Caedmon Records and receiving recognition as a Disney Legend in 1998. Johns concluded her film career with Superstar (1999), where she played the grandmother of Molly Shannon’s character.
Glynis Johns’s Net Worth
At the time of her passing, Glynis Johns had an estimated net worth of $5 million.
Glynis Johns’s Cause of Death
Glynis Johns passed away on Thursday, January 4, in Los Angeles at the age of 100. Best known for her role as Winifred Banks, a suffragette mother in ‘Mary Poppins,’ her death was confirmed by her manager, Mitch Clem. Describing it as a “sombre day for Hollywood,” Clem acknowledged Glynis’s bright and impactful career spanning a century.
She is survived by her grandson, Thomas Forwood, and three great-grandchildren. The BBC reported that she will be laid to rest alongside her father, actor Mervyn Johns, in the United Kingdom.
