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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 17 OcTOber 2019
AP Exclusive: Julie Andrews

reflects on her Hollywood years

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Every- Hill's adaptation of "Thor- my kids," Andrews told the
one is on their best behav- oughly Modern Millie," An- AP later that day.
ior when Julie Andrews is drews reflected on her Deciding what to leave in
around. friendship with co-star Mary and what to take out, she
It's early June in Los Ange- Tyler Moore. said "was hard and I'm very
les and Andrews is coming "She called me Millie and I nervous about that."
to film segments for a night called her Miss Dorothy for The films and her conversa-
of guest programming the rest of our lives," An- tion with Mankiewicz will air
on Turner Classic Movies drews, who just turned 84 on TCM on Oct. 29 begin-
In this Sept. 29, 2015 file photo, actress Julie Andrews arrives at and speak about her new this month, said. "I miss her ning at 8pm Eastern and
the Los Angeles Philharmonic 2015/2016 season opening gala book, "Home Work: A Mem- so much." serve as a companion to
at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. oir of My Hollywood Years," All of the films are special the memoir, co-written with
Associated Press
which hits shelves Tuesday. to Andrews in some way, her daughter Emma Wal-
The air is thick with antici- but naturally the ones she ton Hamilton, which picks
pation before her arrival. made with Blake Edwards, up where her first memoir
When her car does ap- her husband of 41 years, "Home: A Memoir of My
pear — as prompt as Mary are particularly so. Early Years," left off: Her ar-
Poppins — the crew, the "We made seven pictures rival in Los Angeles to film
producers and even the together," Andrews said. "Mary Poppins," with then-
catering staff all abandon "The first one 'Darling Lili' was husband Tony Walton and
their lunches and stand to such a huge flop it's amaz- baby Emma in tow.
attention. When she steps ing we stayed together for Aided by the diaries she
out, some even start to soft- 41 years!" kept throughout her life,
ly clap, as though she is roy- On "Victor/Victoria," she some excerpts of which are
alty or perhaps even some- said Edwards advised her included in "Home Work,"
thing bigger than that. to watch her old friend Andrews gives a thought-
But Andrews, seemingly James Garner for inspira- ful account of her personal
knowing the effect she has tion, telling her "not only is and professional highs, lows
on people, brings it back he a great actor, but he's a and everything in between.
down to earth. great reactor." She tells amusing anec-
"Hi gang!" she says cheer- "Blake would love to be dotes about Alfred Hitch-
ily, with that voice that for sitting right here," she said cock teaching her about
many is as familiar as their wistfully as Mankiewicz lenses on "Torn Curtain," her
own mother's, putting ev- praised the film. "He prob- fear of driving on freeways
eryone (almost) at ease ably is." during "Mary Poppins" and
as she glides through the The third film they discuss, how Edwards stood up for
room. "That's Life!" may be the her when people at a party
Even TCM host Ben Mankie- least known of the bunch were trying to pressure her
wicz, who is no stranger but is one that is in some into doing drugs.
to speaking to screen leg- ways the most personal. And she does not shy away
ends, is a little awe struck. The dramatic comedy star- from personal stories either:
"God, every time you talk ring Jack Lemmon as man About financial worries, the
I think, 'She sounds just like dreading his impending breakup of her first mar-
Julie Andrews!'" Mankie- 60th birthday party and An- riage, deciding to adopt
wicz says to his guest. drews as his wife was a low- two daughters from an or-
Andrews just laughs. "Shut budget, non-union family phanage in Vietnam and
up, shut up," she says. affair that was filmed in her her complex relationship
For the next few hours, The and Edwards' own home with her parents.
Associated Press got a using all of their friends and The book and the TCM eve-
front-row seat as Andrews nothing but a 13-page out- ning concludes with "That's
and Mankiewicz turned line to guide the process. Life!," although of course
the little soundstage into a "(Blake) wrote his demons her Hollywood years con-
cozy living room for movie in this film," Andrews says. "It tinued after 1986.
lovers as they discussed was really a gift to us all to But, she said, "They only
three films from her career: say 'I'm sorry if I've offend- wanted x number of pages
1967's "Thoroughly Modern ed' ... it's his apology to us and I was cutting like crazy
Millie," 1982's "Victor/Victo- but it's on film." anyway."
ria" and 1986's "That's Life!," In "Home Work," Andrews Still, it leaves open the pos-
all of which she touches on writes frankly about her re- sibility of another install-
in her memoir. lationship with Edwards, a ment.
Although they may not man she remains deeply "There is so much more if I
be as well-known as "Mary and wholly in love with and do write about it, 'Victor/
Poppins" or "The Sound of in reverence of but who Victoria' on Broadway and
Music," each provides a also had his struggles with 'Princess Diaries' and other
revealing glimpse into her prescription drugs. things and getting into the
work at different stages of "I wanted to honor him book writing," Andrews
her career outside of those properly. I wanted it to be said. "There might be (an-
beloved nanny roles. In truthful, but didn't want to other). But not just yet, I only
talking about George Roy hurt anybody, especially finished it 10 days ago!"q