Julie Andrews shares ‘near death’ experience

How can you not love Julie Andrews?  Over the years she has provided so much entertainment and joy.  From her roles in Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and 10 to her multiple appearances on stage and the small screen.

It was her appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that has many people talking as she revealed that she almost died while playing Mary Poppins.

While talking about Mary Poppins, Stephen brought up that Julie did her own stunts in the film.  When he asked her “What stunts were there to do?” Julie scoffed “Are you kidding?” As there was a lot of intense dancing, wirework, and balancing that needed to be done to make the film.

On one day of filming, while she was hanging from an “excruciatingly painful harness” to do one of the flying scenes she felt the wire sag.  Not feeling comfortable she tried to get the attention of the crew.  She said, “So, I called down, and I said, ‘excuse me, when you do let me down, could you let me down really gently because I felt myself slip and I just don’t feel too safe up here.’”

The order was made for her to be lowered gently just as she “plummeted to the stage.”  After the impact, Julie said, “there was an awful silence for a minute, and I did let fly with a few Anglo-Saxon four-letter words, I have to admit.”

Who wouldn’t let fly with a few surly words after that fall?  What are your favourite Julie Andrews roles?