Born:

Born as Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1, 1935. Her father; Ted Wells, was a schoolteacher and her mother; Barbara, was a piano teacher. The couple divorced and Barbara got married again, incidentally to another Ted - Ted Andrews, a singer. Barbara and Ted performed together; Julie later joined their act when she was 10 using her stepfather's surname.

Birthplace:

Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (London, England)

Early Years:

Julie received formal voice lessons when she was 8 under the guidance of Lilian Styles-Allen. She had her solo debut at the Stage Door Canteen and at age 12, was cast in the musical Starlight Roof. Her performance on the said musical was well-received and led to an invitation to sing at the London Palladium for King George VI. Her big break came at the age of 18 when she was offered the lead role in the Broadway production of The Boy Friend.

Becoming Famous:

Following the success and her well-received performance in The Boy Friend, Julie was cast as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. The said production opened on Broadway in 1956 and two years later, in London's West End to critical acclaim. Her role in My Fair Lady earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress.

Stage Musicals:

Her other musicals include:

• Camelot - Played the role of Queen Guinevere, nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
• Putting It Together
• Victor/Victoria - Broadway adaptation of the film, won her a Tony Award for Best Actress.

Films:

Her movies include:

• "Mary Poppins" - Based on a children's book, produced by Walt Disney
• "The Americanization of Emily" - Co-starring James Garner
• "The Sound of Music" - Remains one of her greatest works, won an Oscar for Best Picture and received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
• "Hawaii"
• Alfred Hitchcock's "Torn Curtain"
• "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
• "Star!"
• "Darling Lili"
• "The Tamarind Seed"
• "S.O.B."
• "That's Life"
• "The Man Who Loved Women"
• "Victor/Victoria" - A well-received film about gender confusion.
• "The Princess Diaries"
• "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement"
• "Shrek 2 and 3" - As the voice of of Queen Lillian

Achievements/Awards:

• In 1964 she received an Oscar for Best Actress for the movie "Mary Poppins."
• From 1972-73, she hosted her own show on CBS.
• She also wrote a number of children's books, some of them are collaborations with her daughter Emma. Among these books are: "Dragon," "Dumpy and the Firefighters," "The Great American Mousical," "The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles," "Mandy" and "Simeon's Gift."

Other Achievements/Awards:

• In 1989, she received a Tribute award by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
• She is the Goodwill Ambassador for the U.N.'s Developmental Fund for Women since 1992.
• In 2000, she was made a "Dame" by Queen Elizabeth II of England.
• In 2007, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild.
• She has released a book:" Home: A Memoir of My Early Years" in March 2008. Her book was a National Best Books 2008 Awards Winner.

Additional Facts:

In 2008, she received an Annie Glenn Award from the American Speech and Hearing Awards Ceremony and a Lifetime Achievement from the Americans for the Arts' 2008 National Arts Awards.

Julie Andrews married Tony Walton in 1959, they have a daughter named Emma. The two divorced in 1967 but remained friends. In 1969, Julie married director Blake Edwards.

An operation to remove ovules in her vocal chords damaged her larynx prompting her to retire from singing. It was later determined that the surgery was done incorrectly and Julie received a huge settlement because of this.

More Information:

For more of Julie Andrews, visit this Web site. Also, listen to the young Julie singing "Polonaise Mignon" from YouTube.