The Costume Design of 'Mary Poppins' with Tony Walton - Recap!

Throughout the month of March, The Walt Disney Family Museum is showing Walt Disney's classic film Mary Poppins. In celebration of this beloved movie, the Museum hosted an extraordinary afternoon with the film's costume and design consultant, Tony Walton. Brad Rosenstein, curator of the San Francisco Museum of Performance and Design, moderated the discussion on Tony's life and work. The conversation focused on Tony's designs for Mary Poppins, his firsthand experiences working with Walt, and a few behind-the-scenes secrets of the film.

As I sat in the audience before the program began, I could feel the excitement and eagerness of the other audience members around me. This was the designer of Bert's tangerine, cherry, and raspberry-striped “Jolly Holiday” jacket, as well as Mary's iconic black hat with the daisies and cherries. The designs in Mary Poppins are filled with magic and charm—and we couldn't wait to hear Tony's experiences!

Tony's involvement with the film began in the early 1960s while he was designing costumes and sets for numerous theater productions in New York and London. At that time, he was married to his childhood sweetheart, the actress and singer Julie Andrews. While visiting New York, Walt attended one of Julie's performances of Camelot, and decided he had found the actress to play Mary Poppins. He enthusiastically described the new film he was working on to Tony and Julie, and invited them out to California to see the storyboards for themselves.

Walt wanted an English designer on the staff for Mary Poppins, and offered Tony the job when he realized that he was an accomplished costume and set designer. Tony and Julie were expecting their first child, and according to Tony, Walt kept pointing out if he worked on the film he would be close to his newborn baby.

Tony explained to us that Walt owned the rights to P.L. Travers's book Mary Poppins—but not the rights to the illustrations. As a result, Tony was not allowed to use any details from the original 1934 book's contemporary illustrations in his designs. At the suggestion of the Sherman Brothers, the time of the story was changed from the 1930s to 1910, since the filmmakers saw more rich visual and musical opportunities there. Now Walt's team could use the styles of late Edwardian 1910 England—and Tony would avoid any accusations of copying the original illustrations from the book.

Walt allowed Tony to keep all of his original sketches and illustrations from the movie, and so Tony was able to bring numerous slides of his original work to the event. We watched the character sketches evolve while he described his designs. Tony wanted Bert's “jack of all trades” costume to look “worn to the bone.” He chose heavy fabrics and added leather patches over the elbows of the jacket to achieve this feeling. Tony also described Mary's nanny costume as “a mix of somber seriousness and playfulness.” He added her bright bow tie, and colored linings of her costume as a way to hint at her secret magical life.

The design of Cherry Tree Lane was another contribution by Tony. As a young boy, he had seen the film An American in Paris, and the film's perfect flat cobblestone streets aggravated him. Remembering this, Tony insisted to Walt that Cherry Tree Lane be more realistic. He designed a curved street that went slightly uphill. Not only did this make the street more realistic, but it added to the character and visual interest of Cherry Tree Lane.

One of the fun secrets that Tony revealed about the film was that most of the nannies being blown away in the beginning of the movie weren't women, but stunt men dressed as old English nannies. He also shared that Bert's “Jolly Holiday” jacket was created by sewing different widths of ribbon onto a white jacket. And that Tony's own daughter Bridget and son-in-law were married wearing Bert's and Mary's “Jolly Holiday” costumes!

Mary Poppins began Tony's film career, and earned him an Academy Award® nomination for his costume designs in 1964. Since then he has won an Oscar®, as well as multiple Tonys® and Emmys® for his design work. Tony is still designing costumes and sets today. Hiring Tony was just another example of Walt Disney's famed ability to recognize talent, and assemble the right team to create something remarkable. Whether you're revisiting the film or watching it for the first time, viewing Mary Poppins and Tony Walton's designs on the big screen of The Walt Disney Family Museum's Theater is an experience that shouldn't be missed.

 

Julie Stewart

Volunteer at The Walt Disney Family Museum

All photos courtesy The Walt Disney Family Museum.

Look Closer: Lilly's Oscar Bracelet Recap!

As visitors to the Museum make their way through the second floor galleries, they occasionally overlook the displays in 7b, intent on taking in the breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge that awaits them just beyond. But when that occurs, these guests miss the opportunity to see the special treasures arrayed in the cases in this gallery. Several of these personal items, donated by the Disney family, provide a glimpse of the depth of affection that Walt had for his wife, Lillian, his daughters, Diane and Sharon, and of his love of gift-giving.

One of the most prized artifacts on display, and the focus of our Look Closer presentation for February, is the Oscar® charm bracelet that Walt had made for Lilly in the early 1960s. Made of 18K gold, the bracelet is fashioned with 20 miniature statuettes, each of which is engraved with the name of the work for which it was awarded. Originally, Walt envisioned having a necklace made with these charms given to him by the Academy; but when Lilly said she’d prefer a bracelet, the tiny statuettes were put into a different design.  After the bracelet was constructed, Lilly wore it often and with great pride. 

In her later years, Lilly gave the bracelet to one of her granddaughters, who also treasured the stunning piece.  Unfortunately, the bracelet was found missing after a time, apparently stolen by someone who had access to the family home.  It wasn’t until a number of years later that the bracelet resurfaced, in the Los Angeles area.  

As the Oscar bracelet shows, Walt was fond of giving the three special women in his life unique pieces of antique jewelry which tended to be unusual yet elegant. One year, he took Diane and Sharon with him to help choose an item for their mother. This is the necklace in the case in Gallery 7b, that features an antique watch fob with flowers made in three kinds of gold. On the same shelf as the necklace are three antique bracelets, gifts to Diane and Sharon, along with several distinctive perfume bottles, all gifts from Walt.  Lillian loved fine perfume, and as a result, it became a popular gift from Walt to both his wife and daughters at Christmas. The bottles were often beautifully wrapped by Eunice, one of Walt’s three secretaries.

Together with his wife, Walt shared a fondness for the Victorian period, and he indulged this fondness—as well as a love of miniatures—when shopping for family gifts. For her fourteenth birthday, Diane received first editions of Charles Dickens’ Christmas stories, and later, Walt presented her with a miniature set of the complete works of Shakespeare, also displayed in Gallery 7b.  Over time, when Walt became too busy to shop for his daughters, he gave them birthday cards containing promises for something special to follow.

Two more examples of Walt’s tendency to give his family unique presents for special occasions are the times he surprised Lilly with a puppy in a hatbox for their first Christmas, and the gift of the bronzed hat for her birthday in 1941. That hat, with the crown formed into the shape of a heart to signify Walt’s love for his wife, and the story behind this memorable present, can be found in the Museum towards the end of Gallery 9.



 

Mary Beth Culler

Museum Interpreter at The Walt Disney Family Museum

Celebrate the OSCARS® with Reel Glamorous!

We’re rolling out the red carpet with KCBS AM/FM and KRON TV’s Jan Wahl as we celebrate Walt Disney’s Academy Award^® winning and nominated films! Watch clips from Flowers and Trees to Mary Poppins and learn about the Walt’s 26 Academy Awards—the most any individual has ever won in the history of the Oscars^®!

During the REEL GLAMOROUS event, you will learn more about the history of the Academy Awards while chatting with Wahl about 2011’s Oscar contenders. Our creative team is pairing the film clips with Silverado Vineyards wine and small plates from Wolfgang Puck Catering.

• We’re transforming the Three Little Pigs from the big screen into pork sliders and slaw
• Clown around with elephant ear palmiers and peanut brittle, while watching Dumbo
• Enjoy tea time, featuring a trio of finger sandwiches, with Mary Poppins
• Dive into shrimp cocktails for 20,000 League Under the Sea
• What better food to serve with Snow White, than a delectable apple salad? We promise it’s not poisonous!

Not just known for her many hats, entertainment reporter Jan Wahl critiques movies, conducts celebrity interviews, and knows her way around the history of show business. When she’s not on TV or the radio, Wahl teaches, lectures, emcees and talks at community colleges, international cruises, and schools.

While you’re here, stop by our Lobby beforehand and check out the unique special award for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, presented to Walt by the young and adorable Shirley Temple.

What:  REEL GLAMOROUS with KCBS AM/FM and KRON TV’s Jan Wahl

When: February 20, starting at 3PM

Where: Special Exhibition Hall at The Walt Disney Family Museum

Admissions: Adult Member $55 // Adult Non Member $60 // Child Member $35 // Child Non Member $40

Tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org.