Glynis Johns

Speaker 20:00

Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Disc's Archive. For rights' reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen seventy six, and the presenter was Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:31

This week, our castaway is the actress Glynis Johns.

Presenter0:35

Dennis, how well could you endure loneliness on this island?

Glynis Johns0:38

I think very well. Of course, until one actually is in that position, one wouldn't really know.

Presenter0:46

Can you think of anything you'd be particularly happy to have got away from?

Glynis Johns0:50

Yes, cities.

Presenter0:53

Is music important in your life?

Glynis Johns0:55

It's I would say essential for my health and happiness.

Presenter0:59

Do you play an instrument?

Glynis Johns1:01

My mother was a a very fine pianist and played other instruments, and her family were all musicians.

Glynis Johns1:08

They were determined that I would

Glynis Johns1:11

not have such a lonely

Glynis Johns1:13

existence because in playing an instrument as well as they played

Glynis Johns1:18

They were alone practising for hours on end, and they wanted me to be with other.

Glynis Johns1:25

people, but still amongst music, and so I was a dancer. I was a ballet dancer, so they thought that combined the music.

Glynis Johns1:33

with my um being with other

Glynis Johns1:37

children and and older people as I grew older.

Presenter1:41

Did you have any plan in choosing this meagre allowance of aid record?

Glynis Johns1:45

I think that if I was alone, and I know that when I am alone, relatively speaking, here, I will choose something that will get me out of a mood I don't want to be in, or into a mood that I want to get into.

Presenter2:01

What's the first record you have there?

Glynis Johns2:04

Miriam McCaba.

Glynis Johns2:06

She is African, where I was born, and she's singing about the land that I love, which is Africa, and animals and and the earth.

Speaker 42:15

When the white men first came here from over the sea.

Speaker 42:21

He looked and he said, This is God's own country.

Speaker 42:26

He was mighty well pleased with this land that he found.

Speaker 42:32

And he said I will make him my own piece of brown

Speaker 42:39

How many's the battle he still had to?

Presenter2:42

Miriam McCabe singing

Presenter2:44

A piece of ground.

Presenter2:46

Let's go straight into your next record. What's that?

Glynis Johns2:49

The Creed

Glynis Johns2:50

I had this record many uh years ago, and it disappeared because I traveled so much, but it's never gone out of my mind.

Glynis Johns2:59

It is sung by the Russian Metropolitan Church Choir.

Glynis Johns3:04

I think it's it's very powerful for me because I think it does remind one of

Glynis Johns3:11

The Almighty Power.

Glynis Johns3:13

And as I can't understand Russian, I can still get the feeling of what is being sung. But it has a marvellous, marvellous quality.

Speaker 43:56

I'm not sure if I can do it.

Presenter4:22

The Gretchaninov setting of the Creed

Presenter4:25

Sung by the Russian Metropolitan Church Choir in Paris.

Presenter4:29

Now, Guinness, I believe you made your first appearance on the stage when you were only a few days old.

Glynis Johns4:34

Oh, I I was three weeks old.

Presenter4:36

As old as they

Glynis Johns4:37

Yes, and I was carried on by my grandmother.

Glynis Johns4:42

She had a company that she'd inherited from her father, and everybody was a musician.

Presenter4:48

You said you were born in Africa.

Glynis Johns4:49

Yes, I was born in Africa because they were touring in Africa of the all the musicians, they were very famous there.

Presenter4:56

Were you educated in Africa?

Glynis Johns4:57

No, I was educated in England, at Bristol, and in London.

Presenter5:02

Did you take it for granted that you were going into the theatre? I mean, apart from the fact that you were taught dancing?

Glynis Johns5:08

I I was mainly concentrating on the dancing, that was my be all and end all, that combined with music. I didn't think really of being an actress.

Presenter5:19

But the reference books say you were only twelve when you appeared at the Elvic.

Glynis Johns5:23

Yes, I I got to the old Vic through being principal ballerina at the Garrick Theatre.

Glynis Johns5:30

during the Christmas holidays.

Speaker 45:31

Mm-hmm.

Glynis Johns5:32

They needed

Glynis Johns5:33

A child to play Napoleon's daughter, and I did that for fun. It was just a wonderful experience.

Presenter5:39

That was the play Saint Helena by Jeanne de Caswis from R. C. Sherry.

Glynis Johns5:42

That's right.

Presenter5:45

And in that same year you were in a play that was banned a play about a girls' school.

Glynis Johns5:50

Oh yes, the children's hour. I remember my mother, who was a very strong member of the church, um

Glynis Johns5:58

one of the other members ringing her up and saying, How can you allow your child to be in this play? And I heard mother saying, Oh, she doesn't understand what it's about.

Glynis Johns6:09

And I remember calling out, Oh, yes, I do and of course I didn't. I thought it was about ordinary romance between a man and a woman. I didn't realise what it was.

Presenter6:19

Yes. It was played at the Gate Theatre, one of the small clubs.

Glynis Johns6:22

That is right, yes.

Presenter6:24

What happened next? You became an adult actress?

Presenter6:27

You played in Judgment Day. That was one of your early says.

Glynis Johns6:30

When I was about fourteen, yes, and that of course was very dramatic, the Reichstag trial, and then I did it again when a war broke out.

Glynis Johns6:41

I did it again uh during the the the Blitz at the Phoenix Theatre, where I am now.

Presenter6:46

And you were in a very long running comedy, Quiet Wedding.

Glynis Johns6:50

I was in Quiet Willing, and then I was in the sequel Quiet Week End, which ran even longer, a playing the same character.

Glynis Johns6:57

I

Glynis Johns6:58

played at her when she was

Glynis Johns7:00

Fourteen, and then I played her when she was seventeen.

Presenter7:04

You stayed with that character a long time.

Glynis Johns7:06

Yes.

Presenter7:07

And you played Peter Pan, of course.

Glynis Johns7:09

Oh yes, I played Peter when I was nineteen.

Presenter7:12

And that was during the war.

Glynis Johns7:14

Yes. We did our matinees in the morning and our evening performances in the afternoon because of the blackout.

Presenter7:21

Must have been a little disconcerting being flown around and strapped up in that harness, with the possibility of blitzes and one thing and another.

Glynis Johns7:29

I was very deep into Christian science and and I had got rid of my fear of death uh and um

Glynis Johns7:39

pain and things like that temporally anyway.

Presenter7:43

And then you were in another light company, Fools Rush Inn. That was a long run, too.

Glynis Johns7:47

I had a limited contract. By then I was I was under contract to Corder, um, Sir Alexander Corder from the age of twelve.

Glynis Johns7:55

And uh so many of the plays that I did, I had um get out clauses. I only played for so many months.

Presenter8:01

IS

Presenter8:03

Let's have your third record. What's that to be?

Glynis Johns8:06

This is a boutique fantasque, which reminds me of my dancing days.

Presenter9:09

An excerpt from La Boutique Fontasque.

Presenter9:13

Ernest Anseme conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.

Presenter9:17

We started talking about your your film career. You were under contract as Alexander Corder from the age of about twelve.

Presenter9:23

And I have a note that in nineteen fifty two the British Film Exhibitors declared you the top box office British actress, which was very nice indeed. Now what was that first film you made for Corner when you were twelve?

Glynis Johns9:36

South Riding

Presenter9:37

Oh yes.

Glynis Johns9:38

And Ralph Richardson played my father.

Glynis Johns9:41

Edna Best it was one of her last films.

Glynis Johns9:44

And Ann Todd played my mother in flashback because she always swears she's going to knife me if I say she played my my mother and don't explain that it was done in flashback.

Speaker 49:53

Bye.

Presenter9:53

I mother and derndy

Presenter9:57

We were in very distinguished company.

Presenter10:01

Which other of your early films do you remember with affection?

Glynis Johns10:04

Well, I think that j my mermaid

Glynis Johns10:07

Um two mermaid pictures.

Presenter10:09

Yes, Miranda.

Glynis Johns10:10

Miranda. Miranda. You see, Miranda has been a wonderful name for me because my character in a quiet wedding and in a quiet weekend.

Glynis Johns10:19

I played Miranda.

Presenter10:21

Was it sheer coincidence that the mermaid was called Miranda, or was it your idea?

Glynis Johns10:25

No, it was sheer coincidence.

Presenter10:27

Must have been very uncomfortable in that tale, for hours on end.

Glynis Johns10:31

Uh yes, I had various tails uh uh shaped

Glynis Johns10:36

One that I had a special one for swimming in.

Glynis Johns10:39

which had um foam rubber inside.

Glynis Johns10:44

And um

Glynis Johns10:46

When I first had to uh swim under water w with it, they hadn't realized it was rubber.

Glynis Johns10:53

and I uh couldn't surface because the fin went along the uh top of the surface of the water like a submarine.

Glynis Johns11:02

and I couldn't um bring it down. I I I couldn't get to the top, so I nearly uh drowned.

Presenter11:08

You couldn't get your head up.

Glynis Johns11:09

No.

Glynis Johns11:10

so that they had to send the two lifeguards in and get me up. From then on, whenever I swam in the tail.

Glynis Johns11:17

I got to do it rather well. I swam rather better in the tail than I did without the

Presenter11:21

Tale in the end. Were all the swimming sequences done in a studio tank or were you out in the sea?

Glynis Johns11:25

I did some of them uh off Polpero in Cornwall.

Presenter11:30

Mm-hmm.

Presenter11:32

What was your first Hollywood picture?

Glynis Johns11:34

They're the court jester.

Presenter11:36

Danny can

Glynis Johns11:36

Danny Kaye.

Presenter11:41

For real?

Glynis Johns11:42

Yes, I did my own stunts.

Presenter11:45

And of course you were in that great American successor, Mary Poppins.

Glynis Johns11:48

Yes, I'd loved Mary Poppins all the books since I was quite young.

Glynis Johns11:54

and when they asked me to play misses Banks in it,

Glynis Johns11:57

We were having lunch with the um composers.

Glynis Johns12:02

I said I would if they would write me uh my own um number in it, because I didn't want everybody else to have uh uh a number and a musical number. And by th the time I drove home uh back to my hotel in Hollywood,

Glynis Johns12:18

They rang me and I walked through the door and they'd written the suffragette number which I sang in the show.

Presenter12:24

Mm-hmm. Well, that was service with a smile, wasn't it? Yes. Let's have record number four. What's that?

Glynis Johns12:26

Yeah.

Glynis Johns12:30

The Mikado, Gilbert and Sullivan. I love Gilbert and Sullivan. And The Sun Whose Rays.

Glynis Johns12:37

I think it's one of the most beautiful things he

Glynis Johns12:39

They wrote

Speaker 412:47

The sun whose rays are all the place with ever giving glory. Does not deny His Majesty He scorns to tell a story.

Speaker 413:01

We don't explain high flush machines for kindly dodgers.

Glynis Johns13:01

We don't sleep, I must wash it.

Speaker 413:09

But pierced it burdened by the earthly glories all their face I feel to rule them

Speaker 413:24

As we the sky breath in the world. Listen more.

Speaker 413:36

We made a tornado

Presenter13:41

Gene Hindmarsh's Yum Yum in The Mikado.

Presenter13:45

Glynneth, you had a very, very useful American television series that went on for a long time, Situation Comedies.

Glynis Johns13:52

Situation

Glynis Johns13:53

Yes, it didn't go on a a a a very long time. It was it was played twice. That's why you think it went on for longer than it did. It it, um people liked it.

Glynis Johns14:04

And um

Glynis Johns14:05

we stop bec because of party politics, you know, that happens everywhere. And the the gentleman who was the head of CBS over there at that time

Glynis Johns14:16

Just after he pulled us off.

Glynis Johns14:18

Uh he was given the sack, so it was it was one of those unlucky things. But I I thoroughly enjoyed uh doing a television series.

Presenter14:30

It was called Glynis.

Glynis Johns14:31

Yes.

Presenter14:32

Now, did you Americanize yourself, or did you play with that lovely molasses and honey English voice which you naturally have?

Glynis Johns14:39

I don't think I have a typically English voice.

Glynis Johns14:43

I've played quite a few American

Glynis Johns14:47

Roles

Glynis Johns14:48

In America

Glynis Johns14:50

and j just softened the A's a little bit and I get away with it. And I f I find it very easy to um to s to do slight American.

Glynis Johns15:02

Accents,'cause you must remember.

Glynis Johns15:04

My father is Welsh.

Presenter15:06

Yes. We haven't mentioned that your father is that very well-loved character actor, Mervyn Johns. That's right.

Presenter15:13

You were here in England in in London in nineteen sixty six in a play as Anne of Cleves in in The King's Mare.

Glynis Johns15:20

Yes, indeed I was. And I had um the reason I uh

Glynis Johns15:25

played that role was it because I was so frightened.

Glynis Johns15:28

of a speech. It was such a challenge I don't believe in being frightened.

Glynis Johns15:32

And so any time I get a fear

Glynis Johns15:35

I have to do something about it.

Glynis Johns15:38

and there was a speech on heraldry which lasted for twenty minutes.

Glynis Johns15:43

And um I turned the play down twice because of the speech on Heraldry, because I was scared of it.

Glynis Johns15:50

And then I decided that I would do it.

Glynis Johns15:54

Because I was scared of it. And funnily enough, it was the only section of the play that I didn't have stage fright.

Presenter16:01

But the big theatre break for you came, of course, in New York just three years ago in a musical. A little night music. A little night music.

Glynis Johns16:11

It doesn't even seem three years ago. Act was of course I played it for nearly two years.

Presenter16:17

Now you were going to star in it in London.

Glynis Johns16:20

Yes, that was all very sad. I came crashing over here quickly to begin it, and and it was during an election and people took their money away and uh we couldn't start. And so then I went back to California.

Glynis Johns16:34

and got involved in another play.

Glynis Johns16:37

And um

Glynis Johns16:39

didn't do it in the end.

Presenter16:40

Yeah.

Presenter16:41

And you're here in London at the moment in an adaptation of a a phaedo, a French pharase, 13 words la mour.

Glynis Johns16:48

Yes, with Louis Jordan.

Presenter16:50

You enjoying this?

Glynis Johns16:51

Very, very much. It's the first time I've played Fado.

Presenter16:54

Another record, please.

Glynis Johns16:56

Pois Cloche with Edith Piave.

Glynis Johns17:00

who I adored.

Glynis Johns17:03

And still do?

Presenter17:05

Edit Pieff and the compagnon de la chancellor.

Speaker 417:09

Ultra song as long.

Speaker 417:13

Yeah.

Speaker 417:14

Er son de d'orabo

Speaker 417:19

But they don't say no no no no no

Presenter17:37

And it piazza les trois cloches.

Presenter17:40

Let's go straight into record number six.

Glynis Johns17:43

Ah well, that's um Dusty Springfield, which is quite a different kettle of fish. I chose um this record because I think it's got a most marvellous beat.

Glynis Johns17:55

And I think I'd feel like doing my exercises and my modern dance all by myself there, and I think this would be a good one to do it too. I I think it might lift up the

Glynis Johns18:06

Heart if one was feeling a bit depressed.

Speaker 418:09

Billy Red was the breacher's son, And when his daddy would visit, he'd come along.

Speaker 418:14

When they gathered round and started talking, Cousin Billy would take me walking. Out through the backyard we go walking. Then he looked into my eyes. Lord knows the magic. The only one who could ever reach me was the son of a preacher man.

Glynis Johns18:30

What's the son of a b

Speaker 418:32

The only boy who could ever teach me was the son of a preacher meant to see what

Glynis Johns18:32

We know.

Presenter18:40

Dusty Springfield singing Son of a Preacher Man.

Presenter18:43

Glynners, are you a domesticated lady?

Presenter18:46

How would you be at Desert Island Cookery?

Glynis Johns18:49

I used to love cooking. I haven't done very much recently. But it was a a very big hobby of mine. I found it therapeutic.

Glynis Johns18:57

and I used to read cookery books, um like novels.

Presenter19:03

Could you build some kind of a shelter? Are you handy?

Glynis Johns19:06

Well, I I think I never have had to build a a a shelter. I suppose if I if I had to I would.

Presenter19:14

Would you try to escape?

Glynis Johns19:17

If it's an island

Glynis Johns19:19

The only thing I could do would be to wade into the sea

Glynis Johns19:23

You mean would I try to commit suicide?

Presenter19:25

No, would you try to construct a raft?

Glynis Johns19:28

Oh, I see what you mean.

Glynis Johns19:31

No.

Presenter19:33

Right, let's have record number seven.

Glynis Johns19:35

I don't think I could go there without taking um my song Send in the Clowns.

Presenter19:41

From a little night.

Glynis Johns19:42

From a little night music, it was written for me.

Glynis Johns19:46

And you love a farce?

Glynis Johns19:51

My fault, I fear.

Speaker 219:51

My f

Glynis Johns19:55

I thought that you'd want what I want. Sorry, my dear.

Glynis Johns20:03

But where are the clouds? Quick send in the clouds.

Glynis Johns20:11

Don't bother.

Presenter20:18

Send in the clowns

Presenter20:19

And what's your last record?

Glynis Johns20:21

This is where they come to rescue me, you see, and you can hear everything blasting out, and it's just one of my most favorite records in the world, Finlandia.

Presenter20:32

Rescue by the Finnish name.

Glynis Johns20:33

Absolutely.

Presenter21:36

The closing passage of Finlandia, the Halley Orchestra conducted by Sir John Barbie Rowley.

Presenter21:42

Glennis, if you could take just one disc out of the eight, which would it be?

Glynis Johns21:46

Well, I think Finlandia. Right.

Presenter21:48

Uh

Presenter21:49

And one luxury to take with you.

Glynis Johns21:51

You uh told me this included R.

Presenter21:54

I'd

Glynis Johns21:55

I I don't think art is a luxury, you see. I think art is a necessity.

Glynis Johns21:59

But all right. Michelangelo's David.

Presenter22:02

And one book apart from the Bible and Shakespeare and big encyclopedias.

Glynis Johns22:07

Yes, well

Glynis Johns22:08

It's a tie, really.

Glynis Johns22:10

Between Science and Health by Betty Bakerty

Glynis Johns22:13

But as you have the Bible there,

Glynis Johns22:16

I

Glynis Johns22:18

feel that um I would take the I Ching.

Presenter22:21

The Ai Ching

Glynis Johns22:22

Right.

Presenter22:23

And thank you, Glynnis Johns, for letting us hear your Desert Island Discs.

Glynis Johns22:27

Thank you, Rod. Byebye.

Presenter22:29

Goodbye everyone.

Speaker 222:37

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk/slash radio four.