Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews
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Book Reviews of Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
Book Review: She Has Confidence...in a Gracious, Generous Memoir of the Years Before Her International Stardom
Summary: 5 Stars
I am convinced that any baby boomer who does not admit to having had a bit of a crush on Julie Andrews is lying. I recall even as a toddler how I begged my parents to let me see Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music multiple times only to enjoy those movies again in sing-along versions forty years later. The crispness of her vocal delivery and the angularity of her wholesome appeal just seemed right before the counter-cultural revolution took over with the escalation of the Vietnam War. However, she does not get to that career pinnacle in her memoir, as her story stops just as she flew to Los Angeles in 1963 to film Mary Poppins. It's a major credit to Andrews that she makes intriguing those early years prior to her international success with such perceptive candor and gentle humor. Perhaps because of her long-standing success as a children's book author, she displays a great deal of dexterity as a writer.
Andrews' childhood memories are full of self-effacing observations about a most unenviable home life. Belying her image of elegant breeding, she was raised in poverty by an alcoholic mother and a lecherous stepfather during the dwindling days of vaudeville in England. Already a part of her parents' music hall act by age nine, Andrews found she had an acrobatic soprano voice that so astounded the press that she performed for the Queen and became a nightly sensation at the London Palladium. She had a range of over four octaves and yet most tellingly labels her voice "freakishly high". Her talent certainly impressed others more than herself as she became the toast of Broadway and London first in Sandy Wilson's The Boy Friend and then legendarily as Eliza Doolittle and Queen Guinevere in Lerner and Lowe's My Fair Lady and Camelot, respectively. Andrews' professional recollections are full of celebrity dish but not obnoxiously so between Rex Harrison's flatulence, Richard Burton's amorous advances, Cecil Beaton's bitchiness about how she wears his clothes, and impressionable backstage visits from the likes of Laurence Olivier and Ingrid Bergman.
However, the book's most resonant passages focus on her conflicted and still painful memories of her rather dysfunctional family - her late mother, a promising classical pianist who let the bottle overcome her; a philandering grandfather whose indiscretions eventually cost the life of her grandmother; and most harrowing is her stepfather whose violent tendencies instilled an unsettling fear in the young Julie. There are some surprising revelations Andrews willingly shares in that recognizably crisp manner, and reflecting the woman herself, there is no doubt of the personal bravery it took for her to share them. With the inclusion of over fifty personal photos, the 339-page autobiography really whets the appetite for the sequel which I am hopeful is in the works since it will cover her impressive big-screen career. In the meantime, this first volume clearly reflects how she evolved into the iconic persona that is her legacy - classy, disciplined, forthcoming, amusing, a bit starchy, and truly one of the great treasures. I think I still have that crush.
Book Review: A Spectacular Glimpse into an Icon
Summary: 5 Stars
Julie Andrews was born in 1935 to vaudeville pianist Barbara Morris and teacher Edward Charles "Ted" Wells. The marriage was brief because Barbara left Julie's father for her vaudeville partner, Canadian tenor Ted Andrews. Julie was raised in a rather haphazard fashion, bounced around to various relatives and friends when Barbara and Ted were on the road performing before she joined them. The Second World War was ravaging London. Rationing, shortages, nightly blackouts, anxiety and fear became a way of life for young Julie, who had vivid memories of the war years.
Ted quickly realized that Julie possessed a strong, clear, lovely soprano voice --- something quite unusual in such a young child --- and he insisted she take singing lessons. Julie also studied dance, which Barbara's sister taught. By age 9 she was on the road, regularly touring with her mother and stepfather --- hardly a normal life for a child. At age 12 she made her professional solo debut in "Starlight Roof" at the London Hippodrome. That performance set her on the road to stardom.
Julie's childhood was anything but secure and serene. Barbara and Ted's messy and protracted divorce caused much stress, and they were hardly model parents. Alcohol played a large part in their lives, and family finances were often shaky. Julie spent some time with her father whenever she could, but show business was the one constant in her life. Offstage the talented child star was awkward, shy and uncertain. She realized at an early age that the income derived from her talents was necessary to help keep the family afloat.
In 1954, at age 18, Julie left her native England to star on Broadway in a new show titled "The Boyfriend." It was an instant success. Due to her reluctance to leave her family and friends in London for such a long period of time, Julie refused to sign the standard two-year contract and instead agreed to only one year. As it turned out, her decision was certainly a good one because when she was offered the role of Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady" (which she played on Broadway for two years and then in London for 16 months), she was free to take advantage of this opportunity.
In 1957 Julie starred in the television musical "Cinderella." Next came her leading role as Queen Guenevere opposite Richard Burton's King Arthur in "Camelot." During one of her performances, Walt Disney, who was in the audience, was so impressed with Julie's talent that he met her backstage and offered her a real plum --- the starring role of the delightful nanny in the film Mary Poppins.
In 1959 Julie married her childhood friend and longtime sweetheart, Tony Walton, a very talented set and costume designer.
As the book closes in 1963, Julie, Tony and their infant daughter Emma move to Hollywood as Julie begins to prepare for her Mary Poppins role.
Julie describes in detail what it was like to work with such show business luminaries as Richard Burton, Moss Hart, Walt Disney, Robert Goulet, Roddy McDowell, Carol Burnett and many others. She explains how demanding rehearsals were and how she continually worked to perfect her craft, to tweak this or that, to try each day to make her performance better than the previous one.
Those fans who have seen Julie Andrews's movies, television shows and live stage performances, and have heard her lovely voice, recognize how truly gifted she is. Reading HOME makes one realize how hard she worked to make her considerable talent seem effortless.
Book Review: A Beautifully Written Memoir
Summary: 5 Stars
Julie Andrews' greatly anticipated book Home : A Memoir Of My Early Life is just as it should be - honest, practical, humourish, and told without a whiff of vengence or spite.
Like so many other child/young adult stars of film, theatre, TV, Julie Andrews was the daughter of a woman with driving ambition to become a star of vaudeville, who even sacrificed her marriage to Julie's school teacher father to achieve it.
Though this must have proved devastating to a young Julia Wells, who adored her gentle father, there is never any sense of acrimony from the author and certainly no sense of self pity.
Julia Wells comes across as an "old head on young shoulders" as she learns to negotiate the minefield of life, maintaing a close relationship with her father and joining her mother and new step-father - Ted Andrews -treading the boards in vaudeville.
Her sense of loyalty and duty to her now alchoholic mother and fractious step father as they struggle to find enough work to keep them in lodgings
is rewarded when Ted discovers his step daughter Julie has a natural singing voice of her own.And this where the singing career of Julie Andrews begins.
Like Petula Clark's early career, radio beckons as do live concerts, and Julie becomes a great favourite with the war time British public who give her standing ovations - not bad for a 12 year old !
But along the way Julie meets and befriends neighbour Tony Walton - who she will later marry - and a fascinating insight into how these incredibly talented kids had their careers mapped out at an early age emerges.
Having read Richard Rogers autobiography, I was familiar with how Miss Andrews goes to try out for a part in the musical Cinderalla, with Richard Rogers. Her recollection is much the sames as his,and again Rogers' kindness to her and generosity of spirit when he advises Julie that although he would be more than happy if she consented to do Cinderalla for him, that if she gets the nod to do the My Fair Lady lead as Eliza Doolittle for which she has also auditioned - then she should take it. And take it she did - with the rest as we say, being history.
The wear and tear on her voice singing as Eliza night after night and month after month finally took its toll - even though she has always taken great care of her voice and its correct usage.
This is a fine book, full of interesting stories about the Wells family and her mothers family that are shared with us warts and all - yet always the love of family and loyalty to that family shows through.
This isn't a rags to riches story based on "luck".
Julie tells it as a life of hard work balanced with schoolwork, performing,and of having to travel long distances on a weekly basis to continue her singing lessons with her much loved teacher
It is this eye for detail and perfection, plus utter professionalism that drives Julie Andrews on to greater heights - the West End and then Broadway beckon, with great success, and a career beyond which will hopefully be covered in her next autobiography - part 2.
Book Review: Home Sweet Home
Summary: 5 Stars
When it was announced that Home, Julie Andrews' much anticipated memoir would only cover until she began Mary Poppins, I was initially disappointed. But as I began delving into Home, I realized the detail she was able to afford her early years by doing so allowed a story to unravel that was absolutely absorbing; something that likely been comprised had Home chronicled her entire illustrious career. I was very ignorant of Julie's early career, thinking it essentially began with My Fair Lady on Broadway. What I didn't know was the dark lonely childhood lived in poverty during the war. Unlike Elizabeth Taylor, Julia (as she was originally named) did not have the luxury of seeking refuge elsewhere, and was forced to remain in a very bleak and dark London; many nights spent huddled in one of the city's Underground stations with her mother and her new stepfather who she despised. Weekends spent with her father in the countryside provided fleeting moments of happiness for the young girl.
As she grew a little older, her stepfather discovered that she had an extremely powerful singing voice, and she was quickly enrolled in lessons. In no time she was shoved onstage to entertain crowds alongside her parents in dusty old music halls across England. Julie, known as the "pigtail prodigy," became the centerpiece of the act, much to the frustration of her jealous stepfather, who was an alcoholic. In Home, Julie intimately remembers her early days spent touring around England during the dying days of vaudeville. As interest in the family act begins to dissipate, Julie appears in Christmas pantomimes and on the radio, and catches the eye of producers who are mounting the Broadway production of The Boy Friend, a recent musical hit there on the West End. By the end of Home, Julie is the toast of Broadway, originating the lead roles in My Fair Lady and Camelot, and is to begin work on the film that made her an icon, Mary Poppins.
In Home, the story of Julie Andrews' early career tumbles out a rapid pace, all the while displaying grace, wit, humour, and surprising honesty. It was quite clear to me just how meticulously researched Home actually was. As this book took ten years to complete, I doubt we'll see another so soon--although I pray I'm wrong. I'd love a follow-up just to know what happened in the lives of Dad, Mum, Pop, Aunt Joan, etc. after the book's completion. The characters are that endearing. Home is one of the greatest memoirs I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It's not hard to know why Julie Andrews and her films have become such an important part of our lives. Bravo, Julie. Bravo.
Book Review: gracious to those who helped
Summary: 5 Stars
Julie Andrews is the beneficiary of exceptional talent, hard work, good luck and the support of others. Many times she graciously calls out people who helped her in time of need, from timely advice to taking a risk, or who simply did something for which she was ever-grateful. That's the sweet and professional Ms. Andrews we all expect, and that part of her memoir was unsurprising, albeit very enlightening.
The surprise for most readers will probably be Julie's youth of humble origins and near poverty in rural England. I knew she was a child prodigy by twelve or so, but always assumed she had been at least middle class to have had that opportunity. Instead her family struggled to get by, compounded by alcohol and family breakup. Similarly, her real early years in the business were focused on the vaudeville circuit with her mother and stepfather, rather than highbrow appearances for the cultured set. The lessons learned were exceptionally valuable to Julie as she hit the big time on stage while still a teenager.
Julie clearly loved her Dad immensely, generous with his loving support throughout, even though absent when Mom split for Ted Andrews. She could easily have fallen off the tracks without Dad and Aunt Joan and some teachers. Her loyalty to Dad when Mom confesses to Julie's true paternal origins was touching.
A book of all sweetness and modest tell-all would be insufficient. The author's tale of the home life is frank, without being mean or vindictive. She understands the struggles of her Mom, who still did a lot for young Julie, and the sad decline. Fortunately, Julie had the gifts and will to survive as a teen and hold the family together enough. The image of sweet and innocent Julie masked a tough girl who got by, even when she didn't really know what was going on or what to do. She is honest about how often she came close to failure, again calling out her good fortune at key moments.
The stories behind "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot" and other productions include enough spice to keep the narrative moving, with insights about Rex Harrison, Richard Burton and so many others.
At the end, when Walt Disney has charmed Julie and Tony into "Mary Poppins", it's amazing that such a good memoir has been written, while the author's two most known achievements have yet to occur.
Some film clips with audio of the young Julie are out there on the Internet, and make a nice companion to the book.
4.5 stars