
Matthew Adam Garber played Michael Banks in the 1964 film Mary Poppins. Garber was a British child actor born in London, England. His role in Mary Poppins was his biggest and most memorable, and he acted alongside Karen Dotrice, who played his sister, Jane Banks. Tragically, Garber died at the young age of 21 in 1977 due to pancreatitis, which he contracted after eating raw meat while in India.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Matthew Adam Garber |
| Birth Date | 25 March 1956 |
| Death Date | 13 June 1977 |
| Age at Death | 21 |
| Cause of Death | Hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis |
| Notable for | Playing Michael Banks in Mary Poppins |
| Other Screen Credits | The Three Lives of Thomasina, The Gnome-Mobile |
| Co-stars | Karen Dotrice, David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Julie Andrews |
| Posthumous Honours | Named a Disney Legend in 2004 |
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What You'll Learn

Matthew Garber's career
Matthew Garber was a British child actor born in Stepney, London, on March 25, 1956. Both his parents were theatrical actors, although neither was particularly famous. In 1963, actor Roy Dotrice, the father of Karen Dotrice, recommended Garber to the casting department of Disney. Garber's "artful dodges", such as "squinting, screwing up his nose, and brushing his hair back with one hand", were thought to make him stand out.
Garber's first role was in the 1963 film "The Three Lives of Thomasina", where he played Geordie McNab, a playmate to the Scottish girl Mary MacDhui (played by Karen Dotrice). His next and most notable role was as Michael Banks in the 1964 film "Mary Poppins", one of the two charges of the protagonist nanny. This film was the greatest hit of his career and is the role for which he is most remembered. In "Mary Poppins", Garber acted alongside Karen Dotrice once more, who played his sister, Jane Banks.
In 1967, Garber had his third and final film role as Rodney Winthrop in "The Gnome-Mobile". In this film, Rodney and his sister Elizabeth Winthrop (played by Karen Dotrice) try to prolong the life of a 943-year-old gnome who has lost the will to survive. After this, Garber returned to school and graduated in 1972.
In 1976, Garber contracted hepatitis while in India. By the time he returned to London in June 1977, the disease had spread to his pancreas, and he died soon after on June 13, 1977, at the age of 21. Garber was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2004, with his brother Fergus accepting the award on his behalf.
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Garber's co-stars
In the 1964 film *Mary Poppins*, the character of Michael Banks was played by Matthew Garber. Garber's co-stars included Karen Dotrice, who played his sister Jane Banks, and David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns, who played his on-screen parents, Mr. George Banks and Mrs. Winifred Banks. In addition, the film also starred Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, and Hermione Baddeley as Ellen, the housekeeper.
Garber and Dotrice also appeared together in two other films: *The Three Lives of Thomasina* (1963) and *The Gnome-Mobile* (1967). In *The Three Lives of Thomasina*, they played the characters Geordie McNab and Mary MacDhui, while in *The Gnome-Mobile*, they played the grandchildren of a rich lumber mogul who tries to save a group of gnomes from dying off.
In the 2018 sequel, *Mary Poppins Returns*, the adult Michael Banks is played by Ben Whishaw. Whishaw's co-stars include Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack, Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks, and Meryl Streep as cousin Topsy. In addition, the film features appearances by Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury, and David Warner.
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Garber's death
Matthew Adam Garber, the British child actor who played Michael Banks in the 1964 film Mary Poppins, died tragically at the young age of 21. Garber was born on March 25, 1956, in Stepney, London, to parents who were both theatrical actors. He attended St Paul's Primary School and Highgate School in North London from 1968 to 1972.
Garber's big break came in 1963 when he was cast in the Disney film "The Three Lives of Thomasina" as the character Geordie McNab, a playmate to the Scottish girl Mary MacDhui, played by Karen Dotrice. Garber's unique mannerisms and personality traits, such as his "artful dodges" and "unusual lack of inhibition," made him an instant favourite with the Disney casting department.
His most notable role came the following year when he played Michael Banks in Mary Poppins, alongside Dotrice once again. The pair played Jane and Michael, the children of Mr. George Banks (David Tomlinson) and Mrs. Winifred Banks (Glynis Johns). The film was a huge success, winning five Academy Awards, and Garber's performance is what he is most remembered for.
Sadly, Garber's life was cut short in 1977. In 1976, he contracted hepatitis while in India, and by the time he returned to London for treatment, the disease had spread to his pancreas. He died on June 13, 1977, at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London, of haemorrhagic necrotising pancreatitis. His death shocked his co-stars, including Dotrice, who expressed regret at not keeping in touch with him. Garber was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2004, with his brother, Fergus, accepting the award on his behalf.
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Garber's other film roles
Matthew Garber, who played Michael Banks in the 1964 film Mary Poppins, had two other film roles. In 1963, he played Geordie McNab in The Three Lives of Thomasina, and in 1967, he played Rodney Winthrop in The Gnome-Mobile. In The Three Lives of Thomasina, Garber's character is a playmate to the Scottish girl Mary MacDhui, played by Karen Dotrice. In The Gnome-Mobile, Garber and Dotrice's characters are the grandchildren of a rich lumber mogul who stumble across a gnome forest and try to help keep the gnomes from dying off.
Garber's career was brief, as he passed away in 1977 at the young age of 21. However, he was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2004, with his brother Fergus accepting the award on his behalf.
Now, here is some information on Ben Whishaw, who played Michael Banks in the 2018 film Mary Poppins Returns:
Ben Whishaw is an acclaimed English actor who has received various accolades, including three British Academy Television Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. He began his career in the early 2000s and has since built an impressive resume in both film and television.
- Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006): Whishaw played Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a perfumer whose craft takes a deadly turn.
- I'm Not There (2007): Whishaw appeared as one of the Bob Dylan reincarnations in this film.
- Brideshead Revisited (2008): Whishaw starred in a new film adaptation of Brideshead Revisited in 2008.
- Bright Star (2009): This film, released in 2009, marked another notable role for Whishaw.
- Skyfall (2012): Whishaw portrayed Q in the 23rd James Bond film, appearing alongside Daniel Craig.
- Cloud Atlas (2012): Whishaw was part of the ensemble cast of this ambitious and complex film.
- The Lobster (2015): This unique film, released in 2015, featured Whishaw in its eclectic cast.
- Suffragette (2015): Whishaw appeared in this historical drama about the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century.
- The Danish Girl (2015): Whishaw's role in this film added to his diverse filmography.
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The plot of Mary Poppins
In the 1964 film adaptation of P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins book series, Matthew Garber plays Michael Banks, one of the two children of Mr. George Banks (David Tomlinson) and Mrs. Winifred Banks (Glynis Johns). The other child is his sister, Jane Banks, played by Karen Dotrice.
The film tells the story of the Banks family, who live in Edwardian London. The parents are not very involved in the lives of their children, Jane and Michael, and it is only when a mysterious woman named Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) arrives that things begin to change. Mary Poppins is a nanny with magical powers who takes the children on a series of adventures with her friend Bert (Dick Van Dyke), a cockney jack-of-all-trades.
The film begins with the Banks children, Jane and Michael, running away, prompting their nanny, Katie Nanna, to quit her job. That night, the children's father, George, returns home from his job at the bank and places an advertisement for a stern, no-nonsense nanny. Jane and Michael write their own advertisement for a kind, sympathetic nanny, but their father tears it up and throws the scraps into the fireplace. However, a strong wind blows the scraps up through the chimney and out into the sky. The next day, several nannies await outside the Banks family's home, but a gust of wind blows them away.
Then, the Banks children witness a young woman floating down from the sky with an open umbrella. The woman, Mary Poppins, introduces herself and presents the children's advertisement, which she has found and put back together. She agrees with the advertisement's requests but promises to be firm when needed. Mary Poppins uses her magic to help the children clean their nursery and takes them on magical adventures, such as stepping into pictures and travelling around the world. She also teaches them new words, such as "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".
Overall, Mary Poppins works wonders on the Banks family, bringing stability and care to the children's lives. The film was a major hit, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Julie Andrews, and becoming a beloved classic that has endured for generations.
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Frequently asked questions
Matthew Garber plays Michael Banks in the 1964 film Mary Poppins.
Mr. George Banks (David Tomlinson) and Mrs. Winifred Banks (Glynis Johns) are Michael Banks' parents.
Karen Dotrice plays Jane Banks, the sister of Michael Banks.
Matthew Garber also starred in The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963) and The Gnome-Mobile 1967.






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