THEN AND NOW: The cast of the original 'Mary Poppins'

• The Disney classic "Mary Poppins" is 54 years old.
• "Mary Poppins Returns" premieres this holiday season and is a continuation of the Mary Poppins universe.
• INSIDER looked back at the original film and cast to find out what they were up to before the movie was released.

The Disney classic "Mary Poppins" may be 54 years old, but its influence has withstood the test of time, so much so that Disney chose to carry on the magic by creating "Mary Poppins Returns." The film is a continuation of the Mary Poppins universe starring Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

INSIDER took a trip down memory lane to remember the cast of the original version, what they were doing before the film was released, and what they are up to now.

Julie Andrews became a household name in her first box office role.

While many may know her from "The Sound of Music" or "The Princess Diaries,""Mary Poppins" was actually the role that skyrocketed Julie Andrews' fame. Before she took it on at 29 years old, Andrews only had a few television movie credits to her name. "Mary Poppins" was her first hit, and the next year she went on to star in "The Sound of Music" as Maria.

She recently returned to acting after a seven-year hiatus.

Andrews continued to perform consistently throughout the years until 2010, earning herself an Oscar for "Mary Poppins" and several Academy Awards, Golden Globe, Emmy, and BAFTAawards.

Following the death of her husband at the end of 2010, Andrews significantly decreased her acting work, only making sporadic guest appearances until she re-entered the Hollywood scene in 2017. Most recently, she lent her voice to 2018s "Aquaman" and 2017s "Despicable Me 3."

Dick Van Dyke was in the midst of his titular sitcom "The Dick Van Dyke Show" before being cast as "Bert" in the movie.

Dick Van Dyke was arguably the most famous cast member when he took on the roles of Bert and Mr. Dawes Sr. He was the star of his own sitcom, "The Dick Van Dyke Show," at just 36 years old and was nominated for his first Primetime Emmy the year before for his contribution to the series.

His role in "Mary Poppins" would also bring him a slew of other accolades, including a Grammy and a Golden Globe nomination.