Matthew Garber | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Garber as Michael Banks inMary Poppins (1964) | |
| Born | Matthew Adam Garber (1956-03-25)25 March 1956 Stepney, London, England |
| Died | 13 June 1977(1977-06-13) (aged 21) Hampstead, London, England |
| Resting place | East Finchley Cemetery and Crematorium, London, England |
| Education | St Paul's School, Winchmore Hill |
| Alma mater | Highgate School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1963–1967 |
Matthew Adam Garber (25 March 1956 – 13 June 1977)[1][2] was a British child actor, most notable asMichael Banks in the 1964 filmMary Poppins. His other screen credits includeThe Three Lives of Thomasina (1963) andThe Gnome-Mobile (1967), appearing alongside actressKaren Dotrice in all three films they made forWalt Disney Pictures.
Born on 25 March 1956 inStepney, London, to parents who had both performed on stage, Garber attended St Paul's Primary School inWinchmore Hill andHighgate School inHighgate, North London, from September 1968 until July 1972. He had a younger brother, Fergus Garber, who was born in 1964, the year Matthew played Michael Banks. His father's name was recorded by the school he had attended as Louis Leonard Garber.[3] Matthew was considered a spirited and bright boy in a 1967 Disney press release that noted his enjoyment of pulling practical jokes on his friends, playing sports, and reading adventure,mythology and poetry books.[4]
A friend of the Garber family,Karen Dotrice's father,Shakespearean actorRoy Dotrice, called Garber to the attention of Disney Casting, where his use of "artful dodges, like squinting, screwing up his nose, and brushing his hair back with one hand" led to his screen debut at age seven in Disney'sThe Three Lives of Thomasina (1963).[4]
That same year, both Garber andThomasina co-star Dotrice were hired to play Jane and Michael, the children of Mr. George Banks (David Tomlinson) and Mrs. Winifred Banks (Glynis Johns), who get more than they bargained for when they hire a nanny namedMary Poppins (Julie Andrews). Disney'slive-action animated film adaptation of theMary Poppins book series byP. L. Travers won fiveAcademy Awards and made its stars world-famous.
Garber and Dotrice teamed up one final time in 1967 inThe Gnome-Mobile, as the grandchildren of a rich lumber mogul (Walter Brennan) who stumble across a gnome forest and are asked to help keep the gnomes from dying off.
Dotrice recalled, "He was how he looked—an imp, and I loved being his shadow. I can't imagine making movies would have been half as much fun without him. He loved being naughty, finding and jumping off of small buildings on the back lot. While I was Victorian proper and wouldn't let myself get dirty or muddy, Matthew had a great sense of fun and danger. He was a daredevil and could have been a race car driver. And he did live a full life over his 21 years."[4]
In 1976, Garber contractedhepatitis while in India. By the time his father brought Garber back to London, the disease had spread to hispancreas.[5] Garber died on 13 June 1977 at age 21 in the Royal Free Hospital inHampstead, London, ofhaemorrhagicnecrotisingpancreatitis.[3] His body wascremated at St. Marylebone Crematorium (East Finchley, London) three days later.
Garber wasposthumously named aDisney Legend in 2004, with his brother Fergus accepting the award on his behalf. On theMary Poppins 40th anniversary DVD, Karen Dotrice said she regretted not having kept in touch with Garber before his death.[6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | The Three Lives of Thomasina | Geordie McNab | First film role |
| 1964 | Mary Poppins | Michael Banks | |
| 1967 | The Gnome-Mobile | Rodney Winthrop | Final film role |
I remember his mum, Margo, calling to let us know that Matthew had died. That was so unexpected. ... I wished I had picked up the phone over the years, I wished I had treated him more like a brother, but he's indelibly printed in all of our minds, he's eternal ... an amazing little soul.
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