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Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills (born 18 April 1946) is an English actress. The daughter of Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell and younger sister of actress Juliet Mills, she began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her performance in the British crime drama film Tiger Bay (1959), the Academy Juvenile Award for Disney’s Pollyanna (1960) and Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress in 1961.
October 2, 2024

Jane Darwell was semi-retired from acting, other than a rare television guest appearance. She had recently moved into the Motion Picture Country Home because of her advanced age and feebleness. When Disney offered her the role of the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins (1964), Darwell declined the role. Walt Disney, still insistent, personally drove to the retirement home to plead with her and she agreed to take the part. It was her last acting role. In this pivotal scene in the movie, the Bird Woman at the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral Square sells bags of bread crumbs to passers-by to feed the pigeons. The “poignant” song “Feed the Birds” was sung by Julie Andrews, as a hymn-like lullaby.
October 5, 2024