DAVID TOMLINSON

'David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson' (May 7, 1917 – June 24, 2000) was an English film actor. He is primarily remembered for his role as George Banks in the movie ''Mary Poppins''.

Contents

Early life

Film career

Personal life

Filmography

External links

Early life

Born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England on May 7, 1917, Tomlinson attended the Tonbridge School, but left to join the Grenadier Guards. His introduction to the working world came as a clerk for London's Shell House. His stage career grew from amateur stage productions to his 1940 film debut in ''Quiet Wedding''. His career was interrupted when he entered WWII service as a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF. His flying days continued after the war and he crashed a Tiger Moth plane near his backyard much to the chagrin of his neighbours. His father, a prominent London lawyer, defended him at his subsequent trial (for flying too low).

Film career

As George Banks, head of the Banks family in the 1964 Disney film ''Mary Poppins'', David Tomlinson was known to generations of children for his role in one of the most popular family films of all time. Although Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke's characters are often seen as the breath of fresh air brushing through the Banks' home, Mr. Banks' role, and indeed Tomlinson's performance, is also noteworthy. Mr. Banks is a bank worker who takes his job very seriously and has little time for or patience with his children. Following a riot at the bank precipitated by the actions of his young son his character is forced to relinquish his job in a moving scene in which his bowler hat and umbrella are symbolically destroyed. By the end of the film, however, Mr. Banks has finally been made a bank manager in a touching performance from Tomlinson, and Mary Poppins decides that her services are no longer required as Mr. Banks has learnt to engage with his children on their level.
''Mary Poppins'' brought Tomlinson continued work with Disney, appearing in ''The Love Bug'' (1969) and ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks'' (1971). Throughout the rest of Tomlinson's film career, he never steered far from comedies.
As a testament to Tomlinson's decency and popularity with other entertainers, when Peter Sellers was recuperating in a London hospital following a heart attack he apparently said " I only want to see David. "

Personal life

Tomlinson was married for 47 years to actress Audrey Freeman and the two had four sons, David Jr., William, Henry and James. He died peacefully in his sleep on June 24, 2000 after suffering a series of strokes.

Filmography

Other notable films include:

★ ''The Way to the Stars'' (1945)

★ ''Carry On Admiral (1957) [note: not a Carry On film]

★ ''Tom Jones'' (1963)

★ ''Mary Poppins'' (1964)

★ ''The Love Bug'' (1968)

★ ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks'' (1971)

External links

★

★ Mary Poppins Star Dies - BBC News obituary from 2000