In the early 1960s, Walt Disney worked with the Sherman brothers, Bob and Dick, to develop the Mary Poppins stories into material for the screen. As Disney and the brothers, along with story artist Don DaGradi, settled on plot material, their attention turned to a possible cast.
At one point, Disney had considered Bette Davis for the lead role. He had also considered the Broadway actress Mary Martin, known for her stage roles in South Pacific, The Sound of Music, and Peter Pan, but she turned him down. Disney and the Shermans understood that the selection of the right actress was crucial, as that would determine, to some extent, how songs and dialogue would be phrased and presented. The search remained wide open, with the team looking for exactly the right actress to play the quirky English nanny.
