Today In Disney History ~ July 12th
“Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, loosely based on P. L. Travers’ book series Mary Poppins. The film, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in the role of Mary Poppins who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family’s dynamic. Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, andGlynis Johns are featured in supporting roles. The film was shot entirely at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
Mary Poppins was released on August 27, 1964 to universal acclaim, receiving a total of thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture—an unsurpassed record for any other film released by Walt Disney Studios—and won five; Best Actress for Andrews, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee”. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
Mary Poppins premiered on August 27, 1964, at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Travers was not extended an invitation to the event, but managed to obtain one from a Disney executive. It was at the after-party that Richard Sherman recalled her walking up to Disney and loudly announcing that the animated sequence had to go. Disney responded, “Pamela, the ship has sailed,” and walked away. The film grossed between $31–33 million during its initial run. The film was re-released theatrically in 1973, in honor of Walt Disney Productions’ 50th anniversary, and earned an estimated $9 million in North American rentals. It was released once more in 1980 and earned another $14 million, and achieved a total lifetime gross of over $102 million. The film was very profitable for Disney. Made on an estimated budget of $4.4–6 million, it was reported by Cobbett Steinberg to be the most profitable film of 1965, earning a net profit of $28.5 million. Walt Disney used his huge profits from the film to purchase land in central Florida and finance the construction of Walt Disney World.
TMSM Today in Graphic by Sherry Rinaldi DeHart; Wiki
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