During my vacation I had a chance to catch up on some reading, lots of sleep and watching movies.

I decided to revisit one of the all-time Disney classics, ' Mary Poppins.' It's hard to believe that the movie is turning 50 next year. I'm pretty sure I remember reading that for the 50th Anniversary release Disney gave the movie it's Blu-ray debut.

As I like to do from time-to-time, I dug up some nuggets of trivia to share with you. So grab your 'spoonful of sugar' and get ready for some trivia that would make any Nanny smile.

  • Walt Disney originally thought of casting Danny Kaye and Bette Davis in the movie (instead of Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews)
  • Although the book was written in the mid 30s, Walt and Company moved the time of the movie back to the turn of the century. Walt thought that time period was 'more colorful for the story.'
  • This would be Julie Andrews movie debut
  • Julie's first scene shot for the movie was the 'Jolly Holiday' scene. This is where Julie speaks her very first words, to 'Bert' on film, "Do you really think so?'
  • Elsa Lancaster, who played Katie Nanna, also played 'The Bride' in the 'Bride of Frankenstein' (1935)
  • Director Robert Stevenson originally hired a professional bird whistler for the song 'A Spoonful of Sugar,' but it sounded 'too smooth,' so Julie offered up to do it herself.

My favorite bit of trivia? The film stage that housed Cherry Tree Lane and the adjoining park was the same stage where she filmed 'The Princess Diaries' in 2001.

Being a huge Dick Van Dyke fan, this has to be one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

 

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