Katie Oates
Introduction to Music Technology
Mini Research Paper
April 12, 2008
The Life and Accomplishments of Julie Andrews
I chose to write my online research paper on the musical accomplishments of
Julie Andrews. She has been a musical role model of mine since I was a very small child.
From The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady to the Disney classic Mary Poppins, I have
longed to fill her shoes and catch even a small glimpse of her fame and musical talent.
Julie Elizabeth Wells was born on October 1, 1935 in a small village south of
London, England. Her mother was an avid pianist and her stepfather was a vocalist.
They performed together around England during WWII for stationed troops (Academy of
Achievement). Ted Andrews, Julie’s stepfather, was the first to recognize her vocal
talent, strength, and musicality. He brought her to Lilian Styles-Allen, a concert singer,
for voice lessons when she was eight years old. It was through these lessons that Julie
picked up her perfect diction which she would later become so famous for (AofA).
Through her childhood and teenage years, Julie performed in many music halls (IMDb).
She was also chosen to play for members of the Royal family on occasion (AofA).
Julie’s first major role was the lead in Cinderella, where she was noticed by Sandy
Wilson and Cy Feuer (AofA). Wilson and Feuer were the creators of the musical, The
Boy Friend, which they wanted to bring to America. They recruited Julie to play the lead
at 18 and she promptly moved to the US (AofA). The musical was a huge success and
Julie’s talent was quickly recognized by audiences. Her voice caught the eye of Lerner
and Lowe, writers of the Broadway musical, My Fair Lady. At age 20, Julie bagged the
role of Eliza Doolittle, the most demanding role she had yet experienced. The musical
was a universal sensation and the original cast’s soundtrack became a “best-seller, one of
the most successful releases in the history of Columbia Records” (AofA). Julie played
Eliza on Broadway for two years. After a short sabbatical back in London, Julie returned
to Broadway as Queen Guinevere in the musical Camelot (AofA). This musical did not
begin with as much support as had been anticipated from her previous shows, however,
after Julie and her costar performed a few scenes from Camelot on the Ed Sullivan show,
the show gained its deserved attention and tickets began selling (AofA). During the two
years Julie played the Queen, Walt Disney contacted her in hopes that she would embark
upon the lead role in their newest musical family film, Mary Poppins; she gladly
accepted. This career move not only launched her into film stardom but also won her an
Academy Award in 1964 for Best Actress (A & E). Many would argue that her next
accomplishment was her greatest and the legacy she would leave for the rest of the
musical world. She stared as Maria in the film version of The Sound of Music. She was
nominated for another Oscar and the film won the Best Picture (AofA). Since this
masterpiece, Julie has stared in many other films and TV specials. She has performed
many concerts, performed in the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, and has taken to
writing children’s books with her daughter, Emma (AofA). Julie Andrews developed
ovules on her vocal chords later in life and the corrective surgery was performed poorly,
which permanently damaged her singing abilities and ended her performing career
(AofA). She does however continue to be very active in her charities and hold respective
speaking roles in popular movies today including The Princess Diaries, Shrek, and
Enchanted (IMDb).
Bibliography
Boehm, Volker, and Tommy Peter. "Julie Andrews." IMDb. 10 Apr. 2008
<http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000267/bio>.
"Dame Julie Andrews." Academy of Achievement. 17 Nov. 2006. 10 Apr. 2008
<http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/and0bio-1>.
"Dame Julie Andrews Biography (1935– )." Biography.Com. 2007. A & E Television. 10
Apr. 2008 <http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9184978>.