It was all suddenly overwhelming, and I felt the intense need for some privacy. So I locked the bathroom door. Seconds later, Tony rattled the knob, wanting to come in.
“Why did you lock the door?” he inquired in a hurt voice.
“Because there’s nowhere else I can go to be on my own!”
Soon after that, we found and bought a big, airy apartment on the edge of Wimbledon Common. Alas, we never moved into it. Life had other plans for us.
Svetlana and Sudi visited often in the days before we left for America. Sudi was sweetly gentle, with me and with Emma.
“Julie-gee,” he said, “be sure to give the baby time every day to kick and be free, without clothes. It is important that she feel the air on her skin—to learn who she is.” So every evening, Emma would lie naked on a big bath towel on our living room couch by the warm fire. She obviously enjoyed the experience—kicking, punching, gurgling, and happily doing her calisthenics. We made sure that Shy still felt an important part of the family.
Tony and I became hopelessly weary, awake every night with our hungry baby. We suffered through this for what seemed like an age, and one day, in desperation, I called my mother.
“Mum,” I wailed, “we feed her as late as we can, hoping that she’ll sleep all night, but still it doesn’t work.”
My mother, who had raised four children, lovingly explained that I was going about it the wrong way. “By delaying her evening feed, she’s getting her longest sleep before you even go to bed,” she said. “Wake her up every four hours, no matter what, and give her something to eat, and she will soon adjust to your schedule.”
That’s exactly what happened.
On February 24, 1963, we held a christening for Emma at St. Mary’s, Oatlands, the church where we were married. The Reverend Keeping did the honors, Emma behaved beautifully, and all the Waltons, Wellses, and Andrewses gathered at The Meuse afterward for a small celebration. Three days later we left for Hollywood.
TONY, WENDY, EMMA, and I flew first-class, sitting in the bulkhead at the front of the plane. The airline had installed a bassinet against the wall, and Emma traveled comfortably.
Disney Studios had rented and furnished a house for us in Toluca Lake, but I had not seen it. As before, when I first headed to Broadway, I was once again venturing into a totally new world. I could not know that life would turn me inside out and upside down several times in the years ahead. I only knew that at this moment, all was serene and happy, and I felt supremely blessed. Tony and I were going to work together, we had a beautiful baby daughter who was the love of our lives, and Walt Disney beckoned with kind, creative hands.
As it turned out…I was going home.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
WHEN I FIRST began this memoir, I had no idea how many people would come forward to help and share in my journey of rediscovery. My gratitude and thanks go to them all.
Without my daughter Emma, there would be no memoir. I had established an extensive timeline and, working from that, she interviewed and recorded me, researched, and ultimately correlated all the information so that I could begin writing. She then used her good editorial skills to advise and reinforce my instincts. Her encouragement, enthusiasm, and interest in the history of my early years were ever present. A mother with her own family and career, she embraced this project unreservedly, and was patient, understanding, and generous of heart throughout it all. I could not have been given a greater gift.
My deep gratitude goes to Bob Miller and Ellen Archer of Hyperion. Ten years ago, Bob approached me about writing a memoir and, to my amazement, never lost faith. With a “day job” that took up so much of my time, I missed every deadline and even offered to return my advance payment—but he always politely refused.
Leslie Wells, my trusted editor at Hyperion, in New York, and Ion Trewin, of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, in England, contributed so much to the final shape of the book, and I am indebted to them.
Francine Taylor, my longtime friend and assistant, tirelessly took my notes, transcribed my recordings and those of my family, and put up with my pleas for “just one more insert” at all hours of the day and night.
My deepest thanks go to her and to our dear friend, Jim Brennan, who did so much research in England for me concerning vaudeville and my own stage appearances.
Similarly, my thanks go to my Los Angeles assistant and friend, Christine Jardine; her counterpart in our California household, Carmen Garcia; and Eliza Rand, our editorial associate in the Julie Andrews Collection, for their constant help.
Tony Walton and his wife, Gen (who fondly refer to me as “our Ex”) were generous in their support, comments, and contribution of letters and photographs. Jen Gosney, Tony’s sister, could not have been more contributive, providing memorabilia she had saved of our early lives together, and I have her to thank for introducing me to Peter De Rougemont, whose expertise in archival research turned up valuable and sometimes surprising information.
I extend a thank you to Giles Brearley, whom I have never met, but whose work on the life of my maternal grandfather arrived on my desk, incredibly, the day I began this memoir.
I was able to record my father, Ted Wells, and interview his wife, Win, and my mother’s friend, Gladys Barker, while they were alive, and their recollections turned out to be invaluable.
Similarly, my late Aunt Joan wrote many biographical pages, and I have unashamedly borrowed from them.
My brothers, John, Donald, and Christopher, and sister, Celia (Shad), shared many hours with me while we discussed family recollections. For all of us it was a time of stirred feelings and, ultimately, deeper understandings—special moments that I shall always treasure.
I am grateful to dear friends Carol Burnett, Sybil Christopher, Zoë Dominic, and Catherine Ashmore for their love and help.
Special thanks must go to my personal manager, Steve Sauer, for his belief in this project, and for his efforts to facilitate a smooth path, especially during the last hectic months when it was finally coming together.
I extend my gratitude to Ted Chapin for providing research concerning my work with Rodgers and Hammerstein.
To David Lott, production editor, and Linda Lehr, production manager, my thanks for helping to correct and improve the book. Thanks to Beth Gebhard, Jane Comins, Jessica Wiener, and Betsy Spigelman for marketing and publicity; and to Jill Sansone for her work in subsidiary rights. For the many hours spent in photo researching, I would like to acknowledge Ruth Mandel. Fritz Metsch delighted me with his design of the book, and to all the good people behind the scenes at Hyperion, my warm appreciation.
I am deeply touched that our four other children, Jennifer, Geoffrey, Amy, and Joanna, and all the grandchildren, put up with this mum who, though present in love, must have seemed absent when writing occupied her thoughts.
My gratitude also goes to Steve Hamilton, who was ever patient during this period, both with his wife, Emma, and his mother-in-law.
Finally, to my dearest Blackie, husband for the past thirty-eight years and the real writer in our household: bless you for understanding so completely the obligations and needs of a work that consumed so much of my time. Thank you for always being there and for holding the fort.
JA
Sag Harbor, 2007
Searchable Terms
Note: Entries in this index, carried over verbatim from the print edition of this title, are unlikely to correspond to the pagination of any given e-book reader. However, entries in this index, and other terms, may be easily located by using the search feature of your e-book reader.
Abbey Road Studios, 255
Aberdeen, 113
Act One (Hart), 284–85
Actors’ Equity Association, 232
Actors’ Fund of America, 223
Adams, Edie, 227, 228, 231, 263
Adler, Ernie, 199
Adler, Jerry, 191, 195, 213
Adler, Larry, 127
Adrian, 279, 283
Aeolian Hall, 77
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nbsp; Aladdin, 140, 141, 142
Alderney, 267, 268, 271–75, 313–16
Alexandra, Princess, 242
Allen, Archie, 272–73
Allen, Maisie, 272–73, 315
Allers, Franz, 190, 198, 207, 278, 285
Alvin Theater, 222
Americanization of Emily, The, 127
Anderson, Maxwell, 184
Andrews, Barbara Ward Morris (mother):
on Alderney, 315
birth of, 3, 5
cars and trailer of, 64, 147
depression suffered by, 41, 123, 138
dream house purchased by, 65, 70, 75, 112
drinking of, 106, 114, 120, 122, 132–33, 135, 220, 270
early years of, 6–7, 9
in ENSA, 23–24
Granny Elizabeth and, 20–21
housekeepers of, 62
hysterectomy of, 137, 138
Julie’s first American trip and, 163, 164, 165
Julie’s first word and, 1
Julie’s paternity and, 121–23, 240
Julie’s piano lessons and, 61
Julie’s pregnancy and childbirth and, 316, 318, 320
and Julie’s relationship with McCallum, 161, 162, 176–77
Julie’s singing appearances with, 59–60, 62–64, 66, 112–13, 114–15, 127–28, 133
Julie’s singing training and, 54, 61
Julie’s wedding and, 261, 262
as mother, 18, 24, 28
musical career of, 7, 10–11, 12, 15, 19, 21, 25, 28, 29, 32, 37, 58–60, 63–65, 66, 68, 75, 77, 102, 103–4, 112–13, 270
in New York, 211, 220–21, 298
parents’ death and, 9, 10, 12
in Paris, 234
parties thrown by, 89–91, 128–29, 163
perfect pitch of, 160–61
piano playing of, 6–7, 54, 61, 89, 114–15, 149, 270
and sons’ enrollment in boarding school, 109
Andrews, Barbara Ward Morris (mother)
Ted Andrews’ fights and problems with, 104–5, 106, 107, 113, 164, 165, 172–73
Ted Andrews’ marriage to, 39, 41
Ted Andrews’ meeting of, 21
vacations of, 15
Walton family and, 100
Wells’ divorce from, 27, 32, 33, 39, 41, 76
Wells left by, 26, 30
Wells’ marriage to, 14
World War II and, 25, 28, 29–30, 42, 43, 57
Andrews, Christopher Stuart (half brother), 73, 75, 105, 106, 107, 128, 129, 161, 239, 262, 270, 315
birth of, 67–68
Julie’s American trip and, 163, 164, 165, 172, 186
at school, 109, 234, 270–71
Ted Andrews’ abusiveness and, 108
Andrews, Donald Edward (half brother), 39, 40, 41, 57, 62, 73, 75, 96, 103, 105, 106, 107, 128, 129, 234, 239, 262, 270, 315
birth of, 32–33, 34, 123
at boarding school, 109
Julie’s American trip and, 163, 164, 165, 172, 186
kidnapping of, 34–35
Ted Andrews’ abusiveness and, 107–8
Andrews, Julie:
acting lessons of, 85, 195–96
arrival in America, 163–66
back injury of, 247–48
bicycle of, 62
biological father of, 121–23, 240
birth of, 15
Broadway debut of, 170
cinema enjoyed by, 62, 76, 83
dance lessons of, 46–47, 55, 74, 133, 145
daughter of, see Walton, Emma Katherine
dogs of, 40, 91, 176, 249, 275, 278, 313, 314, 316, 319
dubbing work of, 143–44
earliest memories of, 15–16
early solo appearances of, 129
European vacation of, 233–35
evacuation during World War II, 35–37
family background of, 3–9, 12–13
family responsibilities of, 112, 114, 147, 155, 157–58, 186
fashion modeling of, 173–74
fifteenth birthday of, 128
first nightmare of, 24
first stage appearance of, 20
first word spoken by, 1
horse owned by, 242–43
horses and, 74–75, 222, 310
husbands of, see Edwards, Blake; Walton, Tony
laryngitis of, 143
low blood sugar of, 223
name change of, 40
in pantomimes, 93, 94–97, 129–31, 140, 141, 142, 145–46, 147–48, 155–57, 159
perfect pitch of, 160–61
piano lessons of, 61, 85–86
playhouse of, 40–41
plays put on by, 68–69
poem written by, 124–25
pregnancy of, 306–7, 308, 313, 315, 316–17
radio performances of, 77, 118–19, 126–27, 131, 143
reading enjoyed by, 39
record albums made by, 84, 227, 243
in Royal Command Performance, 88–89
schooling of, 37, 45, 46–47, 55–56, 60–64, 81, 128, 155
in school plays, 60
scoliosis of, 248
screen test of, 84–85
sense of humor of, 139
78 discs recorded by, 84
singing appearances with mother, 112–13, 114–15, 127–28
singing appearances with parents, 59–60, 62–64, 66, 112–13, 133
singing training and practice of, 37–38, 47, 48, 49, 50–55, 56, 113, 180, 188, 249
smoking of, 38
sports and, 60–61
strabismus of, 31, 39
swimming of, 44–45
television appearances of, 184, 226, 227–31, 232, 257, 259, 262, 263–64, 271, 303–4
television show of, 232, 267, 268
thirteenth birthday of, 90–91
tonsil problems of, 241, 265, 268, 271, 309
tutors of, 81; see also Knight, Gladys
twenty-first birthday of, 220
in variety shows, 77–80, 81, 82–84, 87–88, 93, 102, 103, 109, 142–43, 150–53
vocal problems of, 212–16, 241, 243, 265, 281
voice change of, 149, 155
wax model made of, 246
wedding of, 257–58, 259, 261–62
wisdom teeth of, 241
work as viewed by, 252–53
Andrews, Ted “Pop” (stepfather), 26, 27, 31, 234
abusive behavior of, 107–8
appearance and physicality of, 27, 47–48
background of, 27
Barbara’s fights and problems with, 104–5, 106, 107, 113, 164, 165, 172–73
Barbara’s marriage to, 39, 41
Barbara’s meeting of, 21
carpentry work of, 71
cars and trailer of, 64, 147
Donald’s birth and, 32, 33
drinking of, 104, 105, 106, 107, 129, 137–38, 157, 163–64
golfing of, 75, 108
jobs of, 107, 164, 270
Julie given singing lessons by, 37–38, 47, 48, 49
Julie sent to live with, 26
Julie’s name for, 39
Julie’s relationship with, 38, 40–41, 47–48, 59, 137–38, 139
Julie’s singing appearances with, 59–60, 62–64, 66, 133
at Julie’s wedding, 261
lonely hearts ad of, 164
musical career of, 21, 23, 28, 29, 32, 37, 58–60, 63–65, 68, 75, 77, 102, 103–4, 107, 112–13, 126–27, 164
parties thrown by, 89–91
World War II and, 25, 29, 43, 57
Angel Records, 227
Annigoni, Pietro, 258, 267
Armstrong, Louis, 226
Armstrong-Jones, Tony, 271
Arosa, 234
Art of Seeing, The (Huxley), 31
Astaire, Fred, 263, 309
Attlee, Clement, 100
Backstage Club, 83
Ballard, Kaye, 227, 228
Banner, Bob, 302–3, 304
Barker, Gladys “Gladdy,” 68–69, 90, 129, 141, 147, 163, 164
Barker, John, 68
Barker, Susan, 68–69, 90, 129, 163, 220, 315
Barker, William “Bill,” 68–69, 163
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