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"Mary  Poppins"
Novels & Movies

'Mary Poppins' original book - big red cover                 synopses & history

the books

movies & TV

the author

stageplays, other media

image gallery

links

                poster for Walt Disney's 'Mary Poppins' 1964 musical feature film


“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and - SNAP - the job's a game.”
— Mary Poppins

“Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious, if you say it loud enough,
you'll always sound precocious! Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”  — song lyric from the 1964 movie

“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, the medicine go down, the medicine go down. Just a spoonful of sugar
helps the medicine go down, in the most delightful way.”  — song lyric from the 1964 movie


Synopses
The setting is #17 Cherry Tree Lane, London, home of the Banks family consisting of Mr. & Mrs. Banks, their children Jane & Michael, and baby twins John & Barbara.

"Mary Poppins" published 1934
           Mary Poppins arrives at the Banks home, complete with her travelling carpet bag, blown in by a very strong East wind; Jane and Michael's adventures include a tea party on a ceiling with Mr. Wigg, a trip around the world with a compass, the purchase of gingerbread stars from the extremely old Mrs. Corry, a meeting with the Bird Woman, a birthday party at the zoo among the animals, and a Christmas shopping trip with a star named Maia; at the end, Mary Poppins opens her umbrella and the West wind carries her away.

"Mary Poppins Comes Back" published 1935
           Flustered Mrs. Banks sends the children out to the park and Michael flies his kite up into the clouds; when Michael reels in his kite, Mary Poppins is at the end of the string; this time, Jane and Michael meet the fearsome Miss Andrew, experience an upside-down tea party, and visit a circus in the sky, and Annabel is born into the Banks family; Mary Poppins leaves at the end via an enchanted merry-go-round.

"Mary Poppins Opens The Door" published 1943
book entry at Wikipedia
           Mary Poppins returns to the park in front of Cherry Tree Lane, falling with Guy Fawkes Day fireworks; the children's magical adventures include visits to her cousin Fred Twigley and to a statue that has come to life, riding on peppermint horses, and a garden party under the sea.

"Mary Poppins In The Park" published 1952
           Six adventures of the Banks children with Mary Poppins, set during the previous two books, including meeting the Goosegirl and the Swineherd, a tea party under the dandelions, a visit to cats on a different planet, and a Hallowe'en dance party with their shadows.

"Mary Poppins From A To Z" published 1962
           Twenty-six vignettes (one for each letter of the alphabet): unexpected tales of Mary Poppins, the Banks children, and other characters, filled with fun and unusual words that start with the featured letter.

"Mary Poppins In The Kitchen" published 1975
           Mary Poppins comes to the rescue when the Banks's family cook goes on an unexpected leave, teaching the young Banks children the basics of cooking in the process; the book includes recipes.

"Mary Poppins In Cherry Tree Lane" published 1982
           Mary Poppins takes the Banks children on yet another memorable adventure, this time on the magical Midsummer's Eve: all kinds of strange things happen, even mythical figures descending from the heavens.

"Mary Poppins and The House Next Door" published 1988
           The empty house next door is suddenly occupied by Mr. Banks' childhood governess, Miss Andrew, otherwise known as 'the Holy Terror'; she arrives with Luti, a boy from the South Seas, her servant and student; hypochondriac Miss Andrew has placed restrictions on Luti, who grows more and more homesick for his family and tropical surroundings; when the call in his heart to return home becomes more than he can bear, it is Mary Poppins who makes the trip possible by means of a visit to the Man in the Moon.

History of The Books
           Days after

History of The Movies
           Days after



The  Books
Mary Poppins (books, 1934-1988) entry at Wikipedia
Mary Poppins (character) entry at Wikipedia
searching on Amazon is quite unwieldy, in this case: search on 'Mary Poppins' returns almost 1,000 titles

Mary Poppins         Mary Poppins Comes Back         Mary Poppins - 2 books in one         Mary Poppins Opens The Door         Mary Poppins In The Park         Mary Poppins From A To Z         Mary Poppins In The Kitchen         Mary Poppins In Cherry Tree Lane         Mary Poppins and The House Next Door

¨            ¨

  "Mary Poppins" published 1934
"Mary Poppins" (Essential Modern Classics) Nov 3, 2008
https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Poppins-Essential-Modern-Classics/dp/0007286414/
"Mary Poppins (Italian Edition)" [2014 ] by Pamela Lyndon Travers , L. Bompiani
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IMYZS6C/

Meri Poppins / Meri Popinz Russian-language books  "Mary Poppins / Meri Poppins / Meri Popinz" Russian-language books
Airis-Press bilingual pb [2013] for $40.94
M. Rosmen hardcover [2015] for $19.99
M. Rosmen hardcover [2016] for $19.99
M. Rosmen hardcover [2017] for $30.44
M. Rosmen hardcover [2018] for $36.19

"Mary Poppins Comes Back" published 1935

"Mary Poppins Opens The Door" published 1943
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Poppins_Opens_the_Door

"Mary Poppins In The Park" published 1952

"Mary Poppins From A To Z" published 1962

"Mary Poppins In The Kitchen" published 1975

"Mary Poppins In Cherry Tree Lane" published 1982

"Mary Poppins and The House Next Door" published 1988

"Gingerbread Shop" [1952] an adapted version of the 'Mrs. Corry chapter from "Mary Poppins"

"Mr. Wigg's Birthday Party" [1952] an adapted version of the 'Laughing Gas' chapter from "Mary Poppins"

"The Magic Compass" [1953] an adapted version of the 'Bad Tuesday' chapter from "Mary Poppins"

Mary Poppins Up, Up, and Away book by Hélène Druvert  "Mary Poppins Up, Up, and Away" [grades K-4; 2017] by Hélène Druvert
A charming storybook with ornate, laser-cut pages and delicate illustrations that pays homage to Mary Poppins' preferred mode of transport
Thames & Hudson 11x8½ hardcover [1/2017] for $16.96
¨            ¨

Mary Poppins six-pack in a single volume  "Mary Poppins Complete Collection" [2010]
by P.L. Travers, Illustrated by Mary Shepard

not really 'complete': includes six of the eight books in a single volume
(omitting "... A to Z" and "... In the Kitchen")

HarperCollins Children's Books 9¼x6 pb [2010] for $25.82
Mary Poppins 80th Anniversary Collection four-pack  "Mary Poppins: 80th Anniversary Collection" [2014]
by P.L. Travers, Illustrated by Mary Shepard, Foreword by Gregory Maguire

includes the first four books in a single volume: "Mary Poppins", "Mary Poppins Comes Back",
"Mary Poppins Opens The Door", and "Mary Poppins In The Park"

Kindle Edition from H.M.H. Books for Young Readers [6/2018] for $6.64
H.M.H. Books for Young Readers 8¼x5½ hardcover [10/2014] for $19.05
Mary Poppins four-pack boxed set  "Mary Poppins Boxed Set" [2015] by P.L. Travers, Illustrated by Mary Shepard
includes the first four books in a slipcover boxed set: "Mary Poppins", "Mary Poppins Comes Back",
"Mary Poppins Opens The Door", and "Mary Poppins In The Park"

H.M.H. Books for Young Readers 8x5¼ pb [10/2015] 4 books for $22.28
Mary Poppins six-pack boxed set   "Mary Poppins Complete Collection" Boxed Set [2016]
by P.L. Travers, Illustrated by Mary Shepard

not really 'complete': includes six of the eight books in five paperback volumes in a slipcover
boxed set (omitting "... A to Z" and "... In the Kitchen")

HarperCollins Children's Books 8½x5¾ pb [2016] for $23.72
HarperCollins Children's Books 7¾x5 pb [2017] for $30.64
¨            ¨

Myth, Symbol, and Meaning In Mary Poppins book by Giorgia Grilli  "Myth, Symbol, and Meaning In Mary Poppins: The Governess As Provocateur" [2006]
by Giorgia Grilli, Foreword by Neil Gaiman

Kindle Edition from Routledge [10/2013] for $44.28 {sic}
Routledge 9x6 pb [11/2014] for $46.61 {sic}
Routledge 9¼x6¼ hardcover [11/2006] for $114.58 {sic}



Movies  &  Television

"Mary Poppins" live broadcast [CBS-TV Dec 1949]
episode of "Studio One In Hollywood" b&w TV series [1948-58]
'Mary Poppins' 1949 episode of CBS-TV's 'Studio One'  A London banker trying to raise two children hires a new nanny . . .
Produced & adapted by Worthington Miner; directed by Paul Nickell; starring Mary Wickes, E.G. Marshall, Valerie Cossart, Iris Mann, Tommy Rettig, David Opatoshu, Dorrit Kelton
VHS/DVD/Blu-ray not available • full credits at IMDb

"Mary Poppins" musical film [Disney Sept 1964] /tt0058331
#25 box office as-of 2011 "Mary Poppins" musical feature [Walt Disney Aug 1964] 78,181,800 tickets

"Mary Poppins: the story of Walt Disney's motion picture, authorized edition" [] by Mary Carey, Bob Totten, et al.
http://www.amazon.com/Poppins-Disneys-motion-picture-authorized/dp/B000PW3CTE/ hardcover = novelization?

"Jackanory" TV series [BBC-TV 1965-1996 & CBBC-TV 2006]
title card for 'Jackanory' B.B.C. TV show  The "Jackanory" half-hour TV show broadcast various narrators reading a book, often a children's classic, with occasional static illustrations; the series produced over 3,500 episodes, of which ten were based on "Mary Poppins" stories by P.L. Travers
IMDb series listingentry at Wikipedia

"Mary Poppins Comes Back, Part 1: The Kite" [1966] read by Hattie Jacques /tt0766960/
"Mary Poppins Comes Back, Part 2: Topsy-Turvy" [1966] /tt0773487/
"Mary Poppins Comes Back, Part 3: The Evening Out" [1966] /tt0773488/
"Mary Poppins Comes Back, Part 4: Balloons and Balloons" [1966] /tt0773489/
"Mary Poppins Comes Back: Part 5: Merry-Go-Round" [1966] /tt0773490/
"Mary Poppins Opens The Door: The Fifth of November" [1967] /tt0774851/
"Mary Poppins Comes Back: Nellie-Rubina" [1967] /tt0774849/
"Mary Poppins Opens The Door: Mr. Twigley's Wishes" [1967] /tt0774850/
"Mary Poppins In The Park: The Children In The Story" [1967] /tt0774853/
"Mary Poppins Opens The Door: The Other Door" [1967] /tt0774852/

"Meri Poppins, Do Svidaniya (Mary Poppins, Goodbye)" two-part TV musical
[Mosfilm Russia Jan 1984]
'Mary Poppins, Do Svidaniya' TV movie  2-part color musical TV movie from Mosfilm in Russia; a London banker trying to raise two children hires a new nanny . . . • Directed by Leonid Kvinikhidze; written by Vladimir Valutskiy, loosely based on 'Mary Poppins' stories by P.L. Travers; starring Natalya Andreychenko, Albert Filozov, Lembit Ulfsak, Oleg Tabakov, Larisa Udovichenko, Filipp Rukavishnikov, Anna Plisetskaya, Irina Skobtseva, Zinoviy Gerdt, Marina Nudga, Gali Abaydulov, Semyon Sokolovsky, Igor Yasulovich, Ilya Rutberg
Russian-language DVD-R with English subtitles [2014] for $11.99
full credits at IMDbmovie entry at Wikipedia

The Real Mary Poppins 2013 TV movie from Australia  "The Real Mary Poppins" TV movie [Australia 2013]
"The story of a complex woman who escaped her upbringing in rural Australia to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, reinventing herself and her past along the way"
Directed by Lisa Matthews; featuring Alice Zahalka & Leeanna Walsman
bare credits at IMDb • Region 1 Blu-ray/DVD not available
Palace Films widescreen color DVD [2013] out of prodn/used  in Australia Region 4 format only
'Secret Life of Mary Poppins' TV special on BBC  "The Secret Life of Mary Poppins: A Culture Show Special" [BBC Scotland Nov 2013]
hour-long TV documentary film in color and b&w • Directed by Andrew Thompson; hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell; readings by Yonnie Fraser; featuring Jenny Koralek, Cameron Mackintosh, film historian Brian Sibley, actress Emma Thompson, and granddaughter Kitty Travers; with archive footage of P.L. Travers, Camillus Travers, Walt Disney, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
VHS/DVD/Blu-ray not available • full credits at IMDb
watch full movie [12/2013 upload; 58:27] online at YouTube

"Mary Poppins Returns" sequel [Walt Disney Studios Dec 2018] /tt5028340/
'Mary Poppins Returns' Gets a Taste of Bond, With Ben Whishaw Casting; already set to star Emily Blunt as Poppins, Lin-Manuel Miranda as a lamplighter
named Jack, and Meryl Streep as Poppins’ cousin Topsy, Whishaw will play the grown-up Michael Banks ann 8/2015
http://movies.disney.com/mary-poppins-returns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Poppins_Returns

"Mary Poppins Returns: Deluxe Novelization" Nov 13, 2018 by Walt Disney Pictures and Kathy McCullough
https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Poppins-Returns-Deluxe-Novelization/dp/1328512746/


The  Author

author P.L. Travers [1899-1996]
Born Helen Lyndon Goff August 9, 1899 in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia; she acted for a while under the name Pamela Travers, then left for England in 1924; she wrote as as P.L. Travers until her success with "Mary Poppins" in 1934 and continued writing stories and articles and stageplays for children & adults; she spent the war years (1939-1945) in the United States, and spent the summer of 1944 living in a boarding house in Window Rock, Arizona on the Navajo reservation.
P.L. Travers was awarded the O.B.E. (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) on the 1977 New Year Honours List; she died on 23 April 1996 in Chelsea, London, England.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0871308/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._L._Travers
browse the P.L. Travers Store {returns 120+ titles} at Amazon
incomplete P.L. Travers credits [since 1949] at Internet Movie Database

Lively Oracle biography by Ellen Dooling Draper & Jenny Koralek  
"A Lively Oracle: A Centennial Celebration of P.L. Travers, Magical Creator of Mary Poppins" [1999] by Ellen Dooling Draper & Jenny Koralek
Larson Publns 8½x5½ pb [11/99] for $15.95
P.L. Travers biography by Valerie Lawson  "Mary Poppins, She Wrote: The Life of P.L. Travers" [1999 & 2005] by Valerie Lawson
Kindle Edition from Simon & Schuster Digital Sales [12/2013] for $11.99
Simon & Schuster movie tie-in 9x6 pb [12/2013] for $16.00
Simon & Schuster 9½x6¼ hardcover [10/2006] out of print/many used
Aurum Press 8½x5½ hardcover [8/2005] out of print/used
"Out of The Sky She Came: The Life of P.L. Travers" [1999] by Valerie Lawson
Belladonna Books 9¼x6 pb [2000] out of print/used
Belladonna Books 9½x6¼ hardcover [1999] out of print/used
'The Shadow of Mary Poppins' Australia TV documentary  
"The Shadow of Mary Poppins" TV documentary [Australia Aug 2002]
55-minute color TV documentary produced by Ian Collie; directed by Lisa Matthews; narrated by Pamela Rabe
bare credits at IMDbofficial movie homepage

Emma Thompson portrayed Mary Poppins creator P.L. Travers in "Saving Mr. Banks" (2013) /tt2140373/
https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Mr-Banks-Emma-Thompson/dp/B00GPWEPZ8/

Other  Works  by  P.L.  Travers

"Moscow Excursion" [Reynal & Hitchcock, 1934]

"I Go By Sea, I Go By Land" [Peter Davies, 1941]

"Aunt Sass: Christmas Stories" [Reynal & Hitchcock, 1941] by P.L. Travers
http://www.amazon.com/Aunt-Sass-Christmas-P-L-Travers/dp/0316386588/ [Oct 20, 2015]

"Ah Wong" [Reynal & Hitchcock, 1943]

"Johnny Delaney" [Reynal & Hitchcock, 1944]

"Stories" [1952]

"The Fox At The Manger" [Collins, 1963]

"In Search of The Hero: The Continuing Relevance of Myth and Fairy Tale" [1970]
from a lecture series she gave at Scripps College in Claremont, California

"Friend Monkey" [Collins, 1972] based on the Indian epic "The Ramayana"

"George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff" [Traditional Studies Press, 1973]

"About The Sleeping Beauty" [Collins, 1975]

"Two Pairs of Shoes" [Viking Press, 1980]

"What The Bee Knows: Reflections On Myth, Symbol, and Story" [Codhill Press, 1989]

"(May 1972) Addison, David Heneker and her musical, "Popkiss", was performed at the Arts Theatre in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England with Daniel Massey, Patricia Hodge, Joan Sanderson, Hazel Hughes, Charles Kay, John Standing, Isla Blair, Bernard Horsfall and Mary Millar in the cast. Richard Cottrell was the director.

"(1976) her play, "Plunder", was performed in a National Theatre production at the Old Vic Theatre in London, England with Frank Finlay, Dinsdale Landen, Diana Quick and Dandy Nichols in the cast. Michael Blakemore was the director.


original illustrator Mary Shepard [1909-2000]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Shepard


Stageplays,  Other  Media

®           ®

the 1934 "Mary Poppins" book was turned into a stage play around 1940

Showbill souvenir for 'Mary Poppins' Broadway musical  "Mary Poppins" Broadway musical [2006]
musical stage production based on the 1964 film and the novels by P.L. Travers; debuted in 2004 in London's West End District; produced by Sir Cameron Mackintosh & Walt Disney Theatrical and directed by Richard Eyre; script by Julian Fellowes; music & lyrics by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman and additional music & lyrics by George Stiles & Anthony Drewe; received nine Olivier nominations (won two); delighted Broadway audiences with more than 2,600 performances; received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical (won one), received six Drama Desk Award nominations, including Best Musical (won two)
Broadway production Nov 2006 to March 2013 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City
touring production March 2009 to June 2013
Broadway musical entry at Wikipedia

Mary Poppins 2005 Original London Cast Recording   "Mary Poppins 2005 Original London Cast Recording" [2005]
First Night audio CD [4/2005] 21 tracks for $17.60
Walt Disney Records audio CD [9/2005] 21 tracks - out of prodn/used
Walt Disney Records audio CD [9/2005] out of prodn/used
Walt Disney Records cast recording MP-3 download [6/2016] 21 tracks - for $10.49
Mary Poppins Anything Can Happen book by Brian Sibley & Michael Lassell  "Mary Poppins: Anything Can Happen If You Let It" [2007]
by Brian Sibley & Michael Lassell

Disney Editions 11½x8½ hardcover [12/2007] for $4.75

"Mary Poppins: From Page To Stage" [Jan 2009]
45-minute documentary film featuring Ashley Brown, Bob Crowley, Anthony Drewe, Gavin Lee, Cameron Mackintosh, Thomas Schumacher,
Richard M. Sherman, George Stiles, with archive footage of P.L. Travers & Walt Disneycredits at IMDb
available on the 45th Anniversary 2009 DVD release of Disney's classic 1964 film "Mary Poppins"

the musical "Disney's Mary Poppins" at the Mercury Theater Chicago in Chicago, Illinois
nominated for a 2017 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award for Midsize Musical Production

±                  ±

Mary Poppins Audio Collection  "The Mary Poppins Audio Collection" [1994]
Fully-dramatized recording featuring Maggie Smith & Robert Stephens; Introduction & Conclusion to "Mary Poppins A To Z" read by P.L. Travers
Caedmon/HarperAudio ABRIDGED audio cassettes [6/94] 3 tapes - out of prodn/SOLD OUT !

BBC Radio's 2010 adaptation of "Mary Poppins" (1981 revised version) starring Juliet Stevenson [broadcast 31 May 2010]
BBC Radio 7 aired a one-hour dramatization combining several of the 'Mary Poppins' adventures into one drama; also rebroadcast several times on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

music line

"10 Songs From Walt Disney's Mary Poppins by Marni Nixon, Bill Lee, et al. on vinyl
http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Walt-Disneys-Mary-Poppins/dp/B000L37BJO/

"Mary Poppins" movie soundtrack, December 1, 1984
http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Poppins-P-L-Travers/dp/0694506753/

"Mary Poppins' Rückkehr" Original Soundtrack Audio CD
http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Poppins-R%C3%BCckkehr-Original-Soundtrack/dp/B07K1L6GND

artist's palette

Mary Poppins Coloring Book by Alexa Ivazewa  "Mary Poppins Coloring Book: Coloring Book For Kids and Adults - Activity Book With Fun, Easy, and Relaxing Coloring Pages" [2018] by Alexa Ivazewa
34-page CreateSpace 11x8½ pb [10/2018] for $5.99
Mary Poppins Returns Coloring Book by Alice Owen  "Mary Poppins Returns Coloring Book" [2018] by Alice Owen
50-page indep 11x8½ pb [12/2018] out of print - SOLD OUT!
Mary Poppins Returns Coloring Book by Mike Miller  "Mary Poppins Returns Coloring Book" [2019] by Mike Miller
46-page indep 11x8½ pb [1/2019] for $5.99


Image  Gallery

fan-made poster for scary "Tim Burton's Mary Poppins", starring Cate Blanchett & Sam Riley         


L i n k s
http://movies.disney.com/mary-poppins
Mary Poppins (books, 1934-1988) entry at Wikipedia
Mary Poppins (character) entry at Wikipedia
searching on Amazon is quite unwieldy, in this case: search on 'Mary Poppins' returns almost 1,000 titles

weeklong Mary Poppins Festival [Jun-July 2019 = #12] at Maryborough, Queensland, Australia


here on the "Mary Poppins" Novels & Movies Page at Spirit of America Bookstore

top of pagesynopses & historythe booksmovies & TVauthor P.L. Traversstageplays, other mediaimage gallerylinks

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"Alice In Wonderland" Books, Stageplays & Movies Page
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Spirit of America Bookstore's "Mary Poppins" Novels & Movies Page   «« you are here
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'The Thin Man' Movies Page at BlackHat Mystery Bookstore
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'Tom Swift' Books Series Page
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