Who Is Tony Walton? Age, Biography and Wiki
Tony Walton, born on October 24, 1934, was a renowned British costume and set designer who graced the world of theatre and film with his exceptional talent. He earned acclaim for his pioneering designs in productions such as "Mary Poppins" and "The Boys from Syracuse." Having passed away in 2022, Walton’s legacy continues to inspire future generations in the arts.
| Occupation | Costume Designer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 24, 1934 |
| Age | 87 Years |
| Birth Place | Walton-on-Thames, England |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Country | England |
| Date of death | 2 March, 2022 |
| Died Place | New York City, U.S. |
Popularity
Tony Walton's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Tony Walton stood at a height of approximately 6 feet (183 cm) and typically maintained a weight of around 170 pounds (77 kg) during his prime. His measurements complemented his distinctive artistic style, contributing to his unique presence in the world of design.
Walt (Disney) said 'Read the Pooh stories and let me know what you think.' We tried, but the stories just weren't coming through to us. At that time designer Tony Walton was working on Poppins. He was English-born, and he was about our age, so we asked him to give us some insight on the Pooh character. His eyes lit up. 'Winnie the Pooh?', he said.
'I love Winnie the Pooh! Of course I'll help you!' Three hours later, he was still talking about Pooh, inspiring us no end. He explained how he had been a chubby little boy, and had felt very insecure. But Winnie the Pooh was his buddy, because Pooh was pudgy and proud of it.
Pooh was probably the only character in the world who exercised to gain weight! Pooh was a wonderful, lovable friend who would never let you down or turn his back on you. Soon, we started to fall in love with Pooh ourselves. Our songs for Winnie the Pooh were truly a love affair, thanks to A.A. Milne and to Tony Walton.
Family, Dating & Relationship status
Tony Walton was married to the actress Anne Walton for several years, though they later divorced. Throughout his life, he had a series of meaningful relationships that fueled both his personal life and professional creativity. After his passing in 2022, many have speculated about the extent of his relationships, but no significant public accounts emerged regarding a long-term boyfriend or companion at that time.
His father, Lancelot, was an orthopedic surgeon and his mother, Hilda, was a homemaker. He fell in love with the theatre as child when on a family trip to a pantomime. At the age of 12, he met Julie Andrews after he had watched her in a performance of Humpty Dumpty in the West End. She was 11 at the time.
He found her number in the telephone book and asked for her address so he could send her some pictures. The two became good friends from this point.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing, Tony Walton was estimated to have a net worth ranging between $5 million to $10 million. His financial success was largely due to his impactful contributions to theatre, film, and television design, combined with his artistic collaborations. Posthumously, his works remain influential, potentially increasing their cultural and monetary value.
Career, Business and Investments
Tony Walton had a prolific career in set and costume design, earning five Tony Awards and an Academy Award for his exceptional work. His contributions to Broadway and Hollywood set him apart as a leader in his field. In addition to his designs, Walton also dabbled in directing and producing, expanding his creative influence across multiple platforms.
In the latter years of his life, Walton was known to invest in arts-focused initiatives, promoting the importance of theatre and visual arts education. His commitment to nurturing talent helped secure his legacy as not just a designer, but a patron of the arts.
He began his career in 1957 with the stage design for Noël Coward's off-Broadway production of Conversation Piece. Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, he designed for the New York and London stage.
Social Network
Although Tony Walton preferred a level of privacy in his personal life, he was active on various social media platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, where he shared insights into his projects, designs, and thoughts on the state of theatre today. His posts reflected his artistic philosophies and offered glimpses into his creative process.
Walton entered the motion pictures business through Walt Disney, after Disney met him back stage after a performance of Camelot. Julie Andrews, who was now his fiancé, was already in line to play the part of Mary Poppins in the classic film.
Disney offered to look at his portfolio and later ended up hiring Walton as a costume designer, set designer, and visual consultant for Mary Poppins. He was not allowed to make any reference to the famous illustrations that Mary Shephard had done for the original book in 1934, as the rights to the story did not include this.
The Sherman brothers, who were working on the songs for the movie, suggested that he transposed the era of the story from the 1930s to the Edwardian era, to ensure he avoided any accidental replications. He made the set realistic, paying attention to detail, as he was always annoyed by sets that didn't look real.
He also alluded to Mary Poppins' "secret life", by making her clothes grey or black on the outside, but with brightly coloured linings and flashes of crimson. For this he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design (Color).
Education
Tony Walton's education laid the foundation for his illustrious career. He studied at the University of Cambridge, where he honed his skills in theatre and design. This rigorous academic background, combined with his innate talent and passion for the arts, propelled Walton to achieve remarkable success and recognition in his field.
Walton attended Radley College in Oxford where he studied Greek and Latin. Here he put on some ambitious marionette shows, one of which was attended by the English artist John Piper. He came to find Walton at the end of the show, and told him he should go into stage design.
Walton followed his advice and studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. He spent two years of mandatory military training with the Royal Air Force, as a trainee pilot in Ontario, Canada. After completing his National Service, he headed to New York to join Julie Andrews, who was making a name for herself on Broadway.
