Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (born 5 October 1923 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a retired British stage and screen actress active for over sixty years, and one of the last living performers from The Golden Age of Hollywood.
From the playhouses of London's West End to the movies, television, Broadway, and everything in between, Johns's striking beauty — lovingly contrasted with her husky, feminine voice — made her a favourite among her many fans. One of her most famous film roles is as the suffragette mother Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins.
Born to British theatre actors in South Africa, Johns began her career at the age of ten in England, working on the stage and eventually making it to the big screen in the late 1930s. Opportunities to star in bigger films came in the early '40s with roles in 49th Parallel and The Adventures of Tartu. Following World War II she found further success with Miranda and The Court Jester.
As the years passed, Johns was relegated to character parts, but this era also gave her most well-remembered roles, like the suffragette mother Winnifred Banks in Mary Poppins and her Tony Award-winning turn as Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music.
Her career continued through the '90s, with her last film appearance being in the Molly Shannon Cult Classic Superstar.
Roles on TV Tropes:
- 49th Parallel (1941) as Anna
- The Adventures of Tartu (1943) as Paula Palacek
- The Halfway House (1944) as Gwyneth
- Vacation from Marriage (1945) as Dizzy Clayton
- Frieda (1947) as Judy
- An Ideal Husband (1947) as Mabel Chiltern
- Miranda (1948) as Miranda Trewella
- The Court Jester (1950) as Maid Jean
- Appointment with Venus (1951) as Volunteer Nicola Fallaize
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) as Sporting Lady's Companion
- The Sundowners (1960) as Mrs. Firth
- Mary Poppins (1964) as Winnifred Banks
- Dear Brigitte (1965) as Vina Leaf
- Vault of Horror (1973) as Eleanor
- Nukie (1987) as Sister Anne
- Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School (1988) as Ms. Grimwood (voice)
- The Ref (1994) as Rose
- While You Were Sleeping (1995) as Elsie
- Superstar (1999) as Grandma. Her last film.
- Dr. Kildare (1 episode, 1962) as Sister Brigid Marie
- Burke's Law (1 episode, 1964) as Steffi Bernard
- Batman (4 episodes, 1967) as Lady Penelope Peasoup
- Cheers (1 episode, 1983) as Mrs. Helen Chambers
- The Love Boat (1 episode, 1984) as Edna Miles
- Murder, She Wrote (1 episode, 1985) as Bridget O'Hara
- Major Barbara (1956) as Barabara Undershaft
- A Little Night Music (1973) as Desiree Armfeldt. She won a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical.
