Glynis Johns was a South African-born British actress who appeared in 57 feature films, 3 short films, 32 television shows, and more than 30 plays across eight decades on screen and stage.

Overview Johns began her career performing as a child on stage. She was typecast as a stage dancer from early adolescence, making her screen debut in 1938 with the film adaptation of Winifred Holtby's posthumous novel South Riding. She rose to prominence in the 1940s following her role as Anna in the war drama film 49th Parallel (1941), for which she won a National Board of Review Award for Best Acting, and starring roles in Miranda (1948) and Third Time Lucky (1949).

Following No Highway in the Sky (1951), a joint British-American production, Johns took on increasingly more roles in America and elsewhere. She made her television and Broadway debuts in 1952 and took on starring roles in such films as The Sword and the Rose (1953), The Weak and the Wicked (1954), Mad About Men (1954), The Court Jester (1955), The Sundowners (1960), The Cabinet of Caligari (1962), The Chapman Report (1962), and Under Milk Wood (1971). On CBS, she starred in her own sitcom Glynis (1963) as the neophyte mystery writer Glynis Granvile with Keith Andes playing Glynis' husband Keith Granville.

In the 1970s and the 1980s, Johns narrated several fairy tales and other children's classics for Caedmon Records, the record label imprints of HarperCollins Publishers.Frances Stories by Russell Hoban - read by Glynis Johns on SoundCloudBargain for Frances and Other Frances Stories at Open Library Renowned for the breathy quality of her husky voice, she sang songs written specifically for her both on screen and stage, most notably "Sister Suffragette", written by the Sherman Brothers for Disney's Mary Poppins (1964), in which she played Winifred Banks and for which she won a Laurel Award for Best Female Supporting Performance, and "Send In the Clowns", composed by Stephen Sondheim for Broadway's A Little Night Music (1973), in which she originated the role of Desiree Armfeldt and for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

Filmography Features Year Title Role Director Leading man Studio Notes 1938 South Riding Midge Carne Victor Saville Ralph Richardson Victor Saville ProductionsLondon Film Productions Film debut Glynis Johns at the National Portrait Gallery, London Murder in the Family Marjorie Osborne Albert Parker Barry Jones 20th Century Fox Prison Without Bars Nina Brian Desmond Hurst Barry K. Barnes London Film Productions Glynis Johns on TV Guide1939 On the Night of the Fire Mary Carr Brian Desmond Hurst Ralph Richardson Greenspan & Seligman Enterprises Ltd. U.S. title: The Fugitive 1940 Under Your Hat Winnie Maurice Elvey Jack Hulbert Grand National Pictures The Briggs Family Sheila Briggs Herbert Mason Edward Chapman Warner Bros. The Thief of Bagdad Princess' Maid Michael PowellLudwig Berger Tim Whelan Conrad Veidt London Films Uncredited The Prime Minister Miss Sheridan Thorold Dickinson John Gielgud Warner Bros.First National Pictures Uncredited 1941 49th Parallel Anna Michael Powell Leslie Howard Ortus Films Won National Board of Review Awards 1942 for Best Acting 1943 The Adventures of Tartu Paula Palacek Harold S. Bucquet Robert Donat MGM-British Studios U.S. title: Sabotage Agent 1944 The Halfway House Gwyneth Basil Dearden Mervyn Johns Ealing Studios 1945 Perfect Strangers Dizzy Clayton Alexander Korda Robert Donat London FilmsMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer U.S. title: Vacation from Marriage 1946 This Man Is Mine Millie Marcel Varnel Tom Walls Columbia British Productions 1947 Frieda Judy David Farrar Basil Dearden Ealing Studios An Ideal Husband Miss Mabel Chiltern Alexander Korda Michael Wilding London Film Productions 1948 Miranda Miranda Trewella Ken Annakin Griffith Jones Gainsborough Pictures 1949 Third Time Lucky Joan Burns Gordon Parry Dermot Walsh Gainsborough Pictures Helter Skelter Miranda Trewella Ralph Thomas David Tomlinson Gainsborough Pictures Uncredited Dear Mr. Prohack Mimi Warburton Cecil Parker Thornton Freeland Wessex Film Productions 1950 State Secret Lisa Robinson Sidney Gilliat Douglas Fairbanks Jr. London Films U.S. title: The Great Manhunt 1951 Flesh and Blood Katherine Anthony Kimmins Richard Todd London Films No Highway in the Sky Marjorie Corder Henry Koster James Stewart 20th Century Fox Overseas title: No Highway in the Sky Appointment with Venus Nicola Fallaize Ralph Thomas David Niven British Film Makers Ltd U.S. title: Island Rescue Encore Stella Cotman Pat JacksonAnthony PelissierHarold French Nigel Patrick Two Cities Films Segment: Gigolo and Gigolette The Magic Box May Jones John Boulting Robert Donat Festival Film Productions 1952 The Card Ruth Earp Ronald Neame Alec Guinness British Film-Makers U.S. title: The Promoter 1953 The Sword and the Rose Princess Mary Tudor Ken Annakin James Robertson Justice Walt Disney Pictures Personal Affair Barbara Vining Anthony Pelissier Leo Genn Two Cities Films Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue Helen Mary MacPherson MacGregor Harold French Richard Todd Walt Disney Pictures 1954 The Weak and the Wicked Jean Raymond J. Lee Thompson John Gregson Associated British Picture Corporation U.S. title: Young and Willing The Seekers Marion Southey Ken Annakin Jack Hawkins Fanfare Productions U.S. title: Land of Fury The Beachcomber Martha Jones Muriel Box Donald Sinden London Independent Producers Mad About Men Caroline TrewellaMiranda Trewella Ralph Thomas Donald Sinden Group Film Productions 1955 Josephine and Men Josephine Luton Roy Boulting Jack Buchanan Charter Film Productions The Court Jester Maid Jean Melvin FrankNorman Panama Danny Kaye Dena Enterprises 1956 Loser Takes All Cary Ken Annakin Rossano Brazzi Independent Film ProducersJohn Stafford Productions Around the World in 80 Days Sporting lady's companion Michael Anderson Cantinflas Michael Todd Company 1957 All Mine to Give Jo Eunson Allen Reisner Cameron Mitchell RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Another Time, Another Place Kay Trevor Lewis Allen Barry Sullivan Lanturn ProductionsKaydor Productions Ltd. 1959 Shake Hands with the Devil Kitty Brady Michael Anderson James Cagney Pennebaker Productions 1960 Last of the Few Narrator David Millin Leon Gluckman Davold Enterprises The Spider's Web Clarissa Hailsham-Brown Godfrey Grayson John Justin Danziger Productions The Sundowners Mrs. Firth Fred Zinnemann Robert Mitchum Warner Bros. Nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 1962 The Cabinet of Caligari Jane Lindstrom Roger Kay Dan O'Herlihy Twentieth Century FoxAssociated Producers (API)Robert L. Lippert Productions The Chapman Report Teresa Harnish George Cukor Efrem Zimbalist Jr Darryl F. Zanuck Productions Nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama 1963 Papa's Delicate Condition Amberlyn Griffith George Marshall Jackie Gleason Amro Productions 1964 Mary Poppins Winifred Banks Robert Stevenson Dick Van Dyke Walt Disney Productions 1965 Dear Brigitte Vina Leaf Henry Koster James Stewart A Fred Kohlmar Production20th Century Fox 1968 Don't Just Stand There! Sabine Manning Ron Winston Robert Wagner Universal Pictures 1969 Lock Up Your Daughters! Mrs. Squeezum Peter Coe Christopher Plummer Domino Films 1971 Under Milk Wood Myfanwy Price Andrew Sinclair Richard Burton Timon Films 1973 The Vault of Horror Eleanor Roy Ward Baker Terry-Thomas Amicus ProductionsMetromedia Producers Corporation Segment: The Neat Job 1987 Nukie Sister Anne Sias OdendaalMichael Pakleppa Anthony Morrison Lars International Pictures 1988 Zelly and Me Co-Co Tina Rathborne David Lynch Columbia PicturesCypress Films (II)Mark/Jett Productions 1994 The Ref Rose Ted Demme Denis Leary Touchstone PicturesDon SimpsonJerry Bruckheimer Films 1995 While You Were Sleeping Elsie Jon Turteltaub Bill Pullman Hollywood PicturesCaravan Pictures 1999 Superstar Grandma Bruce McCulloch Will Ferrell SNL Studios Final film role

Short subjects Year Title Role Director Leading man Studio Notes 1974 The Happy Prince Swallow Michael Mills Christopher Plummer Potterton ProductionsReader's Digest Voice 1977 Three Dangerous Ladies Mrs. Amworth Alvin RakoffDon ThompsonRobert Fuest John Phillips Highgate Pictures Segment: Mrs. Amworth 1978 Mrs. Amworth Mrs. Amworth Alvin Rakoff Derek Francis HTV WestHighgate AssociatesOntario Educational Communications Authority (OECA)

Television