| David Tomlinson | |
|---|---|
 Tomlinson as he appeared in Mary Poppins. |
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| Born | David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson 7 May 1917 Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England |
| Died | 24 June 2000 (aged 83) Westminster, London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1940–1980 |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Lindsay Hiddingh (September 1943–2 December 1943) Audrey Freeman (17 May 1953–24 June 2000) (four sons David Jr, William, Henry, James) |
David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English film actor. He is primarily remembered for his roles as authority figure George Banks in Mary Poppins, fraudulent magician Professor Emelius Brown in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and as hapless antagonist Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug.
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Born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England on 7 May 1917,[1] Tomlinson attended the Tonbridge School, but left to join the Grenadier Guards. His introduction to the working world was 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 Clarence, a prominent London lawyer, defended him at his subsequent trial (for flying too low).
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.
Mary Poppins brought Tomlinson continued work with Disney, appearing in The Love Bug (1969) and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). In these films, he frequently says the word "ridiculous". 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.
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."
Tomlinson was married for 47 years to actress Audrey Freeman and they had four sons, David Jr., William, Henry and James. He died peacefully in his sleep at King Edward VII Hospital, Westminster at 4:00am on 24 June 2000[2][3] after suffering a series of strokes. He was 83 years old.
He was interred at his Estate Ground in Mursley.
   | Mary Poppins Star Dies - BBC News | UK | Mary Poppins star dies |
| | IMDb filmography - David Tomlinson (I) |
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