David Tomlinson

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David Tomlinson

Tomlinson as he appeared in Mary Poppins, 1964
Born David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson
(1917-05-07)7 May 1917
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Died 24 June 2000(2000-06-24) (aged 83)
Westminster, London, England, UK
Cause of death
 Stroke
Occupation Actor
Years active 1940–1980
Spouse(s) Mary Lindsay Hiddingh
(m. September 1943 – 2 December 1943; her death)
Audrey Freeman
(m. 17 May 1953 – 24 June 2000; his death)
Children David Tomlinson Jr
William Tomlinson
Henry Tomlinson
James Tomlinson

David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English film actor and comedian. He is primarily remembered for his roles as authority figure George Banks in Mary Poppins, fraudulent magician Professor Emelius Browne in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and as hapless antagonist Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug.

Early life

Born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire on 7 May 1917,[1] Tomlinson attended Tonbridge School, but left to join the Grenadier Guards. His introduction to the working world was as a clerk for London's Shell Mex House. His stage career grew from amateur stage productions to his 1940 film debut in Quiet Wedding. His career was interrupted when he entered World War II service as a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF. His flying days continued after the war and he crashed a Tiger Moth plane near his back garden much to the chagrin of his neighbours. His father Clarence, a prominent London lawyer, defended him at his subsequent trial (for flying too low).

Film career

David Tomlinson was known to generations of children for his role as George Banks, head of the Banks family, in the 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins.

Mary Poppins brought Tomlinson continued work with Disney, asking him to appear in The Love Bug (1969) and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). Throughout the rest of Tomlinson's film career, he never steered far from comedies. He retired from acting in 1979 to spend more time with his family; however, the enduring popularity of Mary Poppins ensured that he remained well-known.

Personal life and death

Tomlinson's second wife was actress Audrey Freeman, whom he married on 17 May 1953 and the couple remained together for 47 years until his death. They had four sons: David Jr., William, Henry and James.[2]

Tomlinson died peacefully in his sleep at King Edward VII Hospital, Westminster at 4 a.m. on 24 June 2000, after suffering from a sudden stroke.[3][4] He was 83 years old. He was interred at his estate grounds in Mursley, Buckinghamshire.

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ General Register Office of England and Wales – Birth Register for June Quarter of 1917, Henley Registration District, reference 3a 1531, listed as David C.M. Tomlinson, mother's maiden name as Sinclair-Thomson
  2. ↑ "Mary Poppins star dies", BBC News (online), accessed 27 October 2013
  3. ↑ General Register Office of England and Wales – Death Register for June 2000, Westminster Registration District, reference C49C 281, listed as David Cecil Tomlinson with a date of birth of 7 May 1917
  4. ↑ "Mary Poppins Star Dies". BBC News (BBC). 24 June 2000. 

Further reading

  • Luckier Than Most, Tomlinson's autobiography, published in 1990.

External links

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