The Sound of Music was released in March 1965 and quickly became a beloved and enduring movie musical. The film, directed by Robert Wise, was based on a hit stage musical from 1959 that was inspired by the real von Trapp Family singers. Set in the lead-up to World War II, the movie follows the von Trapp family as they flee Austria to escape the Nazi war machine. The film was a huge success, making over $280 million at the box office and receiving five Academy Award nominations.
Julie Andrews received high praise for her role as the cheerful governess Maria in The Sound of Music. Already an international star after winning Best Actress for Mary Poppins in 1964, Andrews received another Best Actress nomination for her role in The Sound of Music. However, she faced challenges later in life when she had to undergo surgery on her vocal cords, which resulted in a loss of her four-octave range. Despite this setback, Andrews continued to act in non-musical roles and reunited with the cast of The Sound of Music for an AFI Life Achievement ceremony in 2022.
Christopher Plummer, who played Captain Georg von Trapp, had an extensive career before and after The Sound of Music. Plummer won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2010, making him the only Canadian actor to receive the Triple Crown of Acting. Plummer passed away in February 2021 at the age of 91. He was married three times and had a daughter, actress Amanda Plummer, who followed in his footsteps by winning a Tony Award.
Richard Haydn, who played Max Detweiler, had a long career in Hollywood before his role in The Sound of Music. He voiced the Caterpillar in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland and had roles in TV shows like Bewitched and The Twilight Zone. Haydn passed away from a heart attack in April 1985. Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp, had no previous acting experience before landing the role in The Sound of Music. After the 1960s, Carr moved away from acting and opened her own interior design firm. She passed away in September 2016 from complications related to frontotemporal dementia.
Nicholas Hammond, who played Friedrich von Trapp, continued acting after The Sound of Music with roles in TV shows like The Amazing Spider-Man. Heather Menzies, who played Louisa von Trapp, was a child star in the early 1960s and continued acting until the early 1990s. Menzies passed away in December 2017 from terminal brain cancer. Duane Chase, who played Kurt von Trapp, left acting to work in wildlife and forestry. Angela Cartwright, who played Brigitta von Trapp, continued acting in TV shows like Lost in Space. Debbie Turner, who played Marta von Trapp, worked as a floral designer after acting. Kym Karath, who played Gretl von Trapp, pursued modeling and art history after acting.
