C20th Julie Andrews - early career

JULIE ANDREWS

a selling exhibition of her stage career

Part 1: The 1940's

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Julie Andrews was born "Julia Wells" on Oct 1st 1935. Her mother, Barbara, met tenor Ted Andrews in 1939, marrying him soon after, and toured the UK playing the piano for him in what would soon become a double act. Ted gave Julia, whose four-octave range was most unusual for a child, her first singing lessons, and inevitably she was incorporated into the act, taking her step-father's surname to avoid confusion. Presumably "Julia" became "Julie" simply because it sounded better with "Andrews" !

Barbara & Ted:

Ted & Barbara Andrews were never great stars, but worked extensively in the UK. Ted was billed as "The Canadian Troubadour" and sang while playing the guitar, accompanied by Barbara at the piano. The two images here are taken from signed postcards of their stage act. Click to view the full pictures.

August 1942:

Although Julie Andrews had made amateur appearances from age two, it is impossible to say when she was first seen on the professional stage, as at that age her name could not appear on programmes. We do know that she toured with her "parents" during the summer holidays, and the revue "Salute To Beauty", which appeared for one week at the Nottingham Empire from 10th August 1942, is typical of the work done by Ted & Barbara at the time. Ted also appeared (accompanied by Barbara at one point) in "Venus Comes to Town", a girlie show at the Whitehall Theatre in London in October 1942. It is unlikely that Julie made a "guest appearance" in this type of show, although it is possible.

	December 1946: Julie's solo stage debut is often quoted to have been at the "Stage Door Canteen" club for servicemen on 5th December 1946, with The Queen and Princess Margaret in attendance. We have never seen a programme for this specific show, indeed, we doubt that they were produced, as the bill was different every night. However, this souvenir brochure was produced in around 1945/6..

June 1947:

The earliest programme we've yet seen with Julie's name inside is this one, from Monday June 2nd 1947, for the Burma Reunion at the Royal Albert Hall in London. First item on the bill was, "Ted and Barbara Andrews with Julie". Many other stars appeared that night, including Noel Coward, Jackie Coogan, Frances Day, Tommy Handley, Michael Howard, Vera Lynn and Jack Warner, all unaware that the little girl that opened the show would one day be a major force in entertainment. The following year Barbara and Ted again opened the show, but without Julie.

	June 1947: "Ted Andrews & Barbara", were sixth on the bill at the Golders Green Hippodrome in North London, with Joe Loss and his Orchestra in the top spot. This "twice nightly" variety show ran for one week from June 16th, and it is quite likely that 11 year old Julie shared the stage in the act.

October 1947:

		Julie Andrews' "official" debut was in the popular revue "Starlight Roof", which opened at the London Hippodrome on October 23rd. She was called to the stage out of the audience and left the same way after singing a superb aria, her performance preserved on a rare 78 rpm recording. She took no curtain call, as being under 15 she was not permitted, by law, to appear on stage after 10pm. The regular programme is known with several slight variations, the original cost being either 3d or 6d. Some have an insert advertising other shows, which may have a date code. Andrews' name does not appear on the centre pages where the running order and cast are given, but as an added extra on the next page, even though she stayed in the show for a full year.

	Many believe that the small programme was the only one made for "Starlight Roof". Certainly at that time the souvenir brochure was a relatively new introduction to London and this must surely be the rarest and most desirable early Julie Andrews programme, as it includes her photograph as well as showing her name in lights.

		"South America, Take it Away !", was not sung by Julie in the show, nor does her name appear on the cover, but we include an example because the sheet music shows a large version of the logo now so associated with her early career.

In January 1948, the UK magazine "Playgoer" carried a seven-page feature on the show, and included Julie among the fourteen cast photographs.

To read some reviews of "Starlight Roof", including rare images of Julie Andrews on stage in the show, click the button on the right:

November 1947:

Just three weeks after Julie's opening in "Starlight Roof" she was already enough of a "name" to be included in the BBC's "Jubilee Variety Gala". This event at His Majesty's Theatre on 16th November 1947 was broadcast to the nation, and may mark Julie Andrews' radio debut. She shared the bill with Vic Oliver of "Starlight Roof" as well as many other stars of the time, including Charlie Chester, Vera Lynn, Tommy Handley, Richard Dimbleby and Elsie & Doris Waters. The programme for the show is very rare, suggesting that tickets may have been given only to invited guests.

October 1948:

On Sunday October 24th, almost exactly a year after the opening night of "Starlight Roof", Julie was a featured performer in the annual "All Star Concert" presented by the London Taxi Driver's Aid Society. The event was held at the London Casino, where Andrews would soon have her pantomime debut, and Julie appeared, possibly for the last time, as an adjuct to Ted and Barbara's act. Her mother and step father were photographed in the programme, along with other artistes including Anne Shelton and Afrique.

November 1948:

Nov 1st 1948. An important date, for Andrews was invited to perform at the annual "Royal Variety Performance" at the London Palladium. Each year the best acts in the country played for the King & Queen and a select audience. For Julie to be invited to appear when still so young was a mark of the reaction to her appearance in Starlight Roof.

Two days after the Royal Variety Show, Julie took a front page advertisement in "Show World" a trade paper, clearly signalling to producers that she was available for work. The ad reads, "To all my friends: Mummy and Daddy join me in a big "Thank You" for your great help and guidance, and especially to dear Madame Stiles-Allen for her patience and loving care during my lessons. Julie Andrews." The ad has her Walton-on-Thames address at the top.

December 1948:

December 3rd 1948 found Julie at The Dome in Brighton, getting second billing as "The Royal Command Performer and the Child Colorature Soprano with the Wonderful Voice". Dancer Persephone topped the bill, which also included baritone Arthur Richards, and piano duettists Reub Silver & Marion Day.

The first of a series of pantomime appearances, Julie Andrews' background in variety and revue would have grounded her in this essentially English style of Christmas entertainment. The "London Casino" was a venue well known for its pantomimes, and traditionally gave a charity preview the night before opening. This rare programme and advance flyer are from Monday 20th December 1948.

	In a very odd bit of casting, Julie played the title role, the egg "Humpty Dumpty", but she was clearly not the star - just look at the relative sizes of the names on the poster on the left ! The show officially opened on 21st December and ran for 119 performances, closing on 5th March 1949.

March 1949:

In early 1949 Julie was clearly still considered enough of a star to get an equal size billing as Laurence Olivier and Paul Robeson on this flyer for a charity dance. Held at the Lyceum Theatre on 30th March, the event was a fundraiser for the theatre school RADA, and featured an "all-star cabaret".

Also on the bill were Isabel Bigley and Nina Tarakanova; Julie was accompanied by Barbara. We've never seen a programme for this event. Do let us know if you own one !

April 1949:

		After the excitement of 1948/9, Julie appears to have rather faded into the background again until 1953. Although working in variety and revue fairly regularly, she did not often play top West End venues. A week on the Variety bill at the Finsbury Park Empire in North London, sharing the spot with Barbara & Ted, and opening on 18th April, was typical of the work of this period. They performed two shows a day, at 6.15pm and 8.30pm, staying in the theatre until 10.30pm for the final curtain call. By now, when she worked with her mother and step-father, her name was above theirs in the programme.

Working in Variety was far from an easy life. The family travelled from London to Birmingham on the Sunday, ready for a week at the Hippodrome, commencing Monday 25th April at 6.15pm. "Julie Andrews, The 13 year old Singing Star with Ted Andrews and Barbara", were sixth on the bill, their act called, as it was in Finsbury Park, "I Bring You a Love Song". Organist Reginald Dixon topped a bill which also marked the UK stage debut of Australian comedienne Joy Nichols.The programme covers are similar because both were theatres on the Moss Empire circuit. Acts would have been under contract to tour this company's venues for a set number of weeks. In fact, Julie was seen at the Sunderland Empire in the week of May 9th and the Hackney Empire from May 16th.

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May 1949:

Ted & Barbara were clearly considered "stars" by some, even as their prodigy grew in fame. On May 29th they appeared at the London Casino in an "All-Star" charity benefit in aid of a North London Jewish school. A small picture appears in the programme along with another future star, Peter Sellers.

Summer 1949:

Sometimes at this point Julie worked alone, travelling with a governess, sometimes with Ted & Barbara. There were times when both acts were appearing in the same town at the same time but in different theatres. This would have been quite possible in Blackpool, the entertainment capital of the North of England, with its many venues hosting variety acts. "Coconut Grove - entertainment in the modern manner" was a show which ran throughout the Summer Season at The Hippodrome in Blackpool. Josef Locke, the Irish tenor, topped the bill, with Jean Carson, Jimmy Jewel and Ben Warriss, and Wally Boag (the balloon-artist from "Starlight Roof") also on the bill. Julie Andrews was billed as "Melody of Youth".

Sept 1951:

On November 28th, 1949, Julie Andrews made her Irish debut when she appeared with Ted and Barbara at the Dublin Olympia.

continue to the 1950's

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