Mr. Dawes Sr.



Mr. Dawes Sr. is the director of London's main financial center, George Banks's former greedy and serious boss, and the main antagonist in Mary Poppins despite his small role.

Role
Mr. Dawes appears as George is taking Jane and Michael on a tour of his bank. He quietly explains to them about Mr. Dawes, and his prestigious reputation. Mr. Dawes, after hearing from George that his children wish to open an account with their tuppence, he appears delighted, as he started around the same age. Michael rejects this idea, saying that he simply wanted to feed the birds. Mr. Dawes scoffs at the notion and begins trying to convince the children of the wonders of finance. Michael starts to consider the offer, but when he starts to open his hand, Mr. Dawes takes the tuppence without asking. Enraged, Michael attempts to retrieve it, unintentionally causing a run on the bank. Finally, he snatches it from Mr. Dawes and runs off with Jane.

Later that night, Mr. Dawes summons George back to the bank. With Mr. Dawes instructing his son on what to say, Mr. Dawes Jr. fires George, for indirectly causing the bank run by failing to control Michael's behavior. Mr. Dawes then asks if George has anything to say, but is frightened when he suddenly begins laughing. George, in a sudden good mood, says "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", then tells Mr. Dawes a joke, one which Michael had told him earlier. He then leaves, singing "A Spoonful of Sugar". While Mr. Dawes Jr., comments that George must have gone mad, Mr. Dawes ponders the joke. He suddenly gets it and begins laughing. Much to the surprise of the other bank officers, he floats up into the air.

The next morning, George takes his family kite flying as part of his new resolution to be a better family man. There, he meets Mr. Dawes Jr., who is flying kites with the other bank officers. He compliments George on his joke, stating that Mr. Dawes had literally died laughing. George expresses his condolences, but Mr. Dawes Jr. responds that there is nothing to be sorry about. He continues, saying that his father had never been happier in his life, and offers George a partnership in the bank, which has been left open by Mr. Dawes' death.

Trivia
Mr. Dawes Sr. is played by Dick Van Dyke, who played Bert in the same film and would later play D.A. Fletcher in Dick Tracy and Cecil Fredericks in Night at the Museum. He had reprised his role as Mr. Dawes Sr. in a stage version of Mary Poppins.

In the closing credits, Dick Van Dyke was credited as Navckid Keyd, an anagram of his name, for Mr. Dawes Sr.