They starred in an iconic movie that made over $100 million at the box office as well as spawning some of the most beloved musical tunes of all time.
And this week the child stars of The Sound Of Music proved their friendship is still strong sixty years after they met on set.
Five of the seven actors who played Governess Maria’s (played by Julie Andrews) charges have swapped Salzburg for Florence, reuniting for a holiday together.
Kym Karath, 66, who played youngest von Trapp sibling Gretl, shared a group shot of the fivesome as they shared bottles of wine and a catchup in the Italian countryside.
‘The Sound of Music in Florence – the five of us! #thesoundofmusicinflorence,’ Kym captioned the photo.
Kym posed alongside Nicholas Hammond, 75, who played the eldest von Trapp son Friedrich, Duane Chase, 74, who took on the role Kurt, Angela Cartwright, 72, who was Brigitta, and Debbie Turner, 68, who played her sister Marta.
They starred in an iconic movie that made over $100 million at the box office and this week the child stars of The Sound Of Music proved their friendship is still strong sixty years on as they reunited (pictured L-R: Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, Kym Karath and Nicholas Hammond)
The Sound Of Music cast pictured L-R: Debbie Turner, Angela Cartwright, Duane Chase, Kym Karath, Heather Menzies, Julie Andrews, Nicholas Hammond, Charmian Carr
Sadly Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa, died in 2017 at the age of 68 and Charmian Carr, who was the eldest sibling Liesl, died in 2016 aged 73.
Christopher Pummer, who starred as the children’s father, retired naval officer Captain von Trapp, also died – in 2021 at the age of 91.
Kym gushed about the surviving group’s enduring friendship in 2022, declaring: ‘We’re beyond friends. We’re second family. As adults, we were deeply bonded, so our lives have really interwoven with each other.’
The Sound Of Music went on to become a bonafide hit, earning the distinction of being the first film to gross over $100 million. Adjusted for inflation, The Sound Of Music earned about $2.366 billion at today’s prices—placing it among the top ten highest-grossing films of all time.
Kym, Nicholas, Duane, Angela and Debbie previously reunited in 2022 to support their on-screen governess-turned stepmother Julie Andrews, who received the American Film Institute’s highest honour for a career in film at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Andrews was cast as Maria after Sound Of Music’s director Robert Wise watched footage of the young actress in Mary Poppins, which hadn’t yet been released.
At the time the now-celebrated actress was unknown to audiences, having only acted in the unreleased Mary Poppins and another unscreened project. After watching just a few minutes of footage of Andrews, Wise told his screenwriter Ernest Lehman ‘Let’s go sign this girl before somebody else sees this film and grabs her!’
Plummer meanwhile was a trickier casting, turning down the role multiple times before accepting on the assurance that he could work with Lehman to change certain character traits of the Captain which were part of the original 1959 stage musical.
The cast are pictured while filming in Austria in 1965. Kym gushed about the surviving groups enduring friendship in 2022, declaring: ‘We’re beyond friends. We’re second family’
Christopher Pummer starred as the children’s father, retired naval officer Captain von Trapp alongside Julie Andrews as Governess Maria
The casting of the child actors took place later in 1963 with over two hundred auditions across the US and England. The likes of Mia Farrow, Kurt Russell and The Osmonds all screen tested for the roles but were unsuccessful.
Filming began at 20th Century-Fox studios in Los Angeles in Spring 1964 before production moved to Salzburg for the movie’s iconic exterior scenes.
Julie Andrews, who up to then was known as a Broadway actress, saw her fame soar after the release of Mary Poppins in December 1964 and The Sound Of Music just three months later.
The film’s child stars though had varying fortunes after the success of the movie.
Liesl, played by Charmian Carr
Charmian Carr played Liesl, the eldest of the von Trapp children (pictured left in the film) . She died from complications related to dementia in September 2016, aged 73 (right in 2012)
Charmian Carr played Liesl, the eldest of the von Trapp children, who famously sung ’16 going on 17′ and had a romance with Rolf Gruber, who eventually joins the Nazi party and betrayed the von Trapps.
Charmian was studying speech therapy and philosophy at college when her mother arranged for her to audition for the Sound of Music.
Afterwards she worked with Van Johnson on a pilot of a TV show, Take Her, She’s Mine and went on to appear in Evening Primrose, a Stephen Sondheim musical.
She quit Hollywood after marrying a dentist, Jay Brent (whom she divorced in 1991), to focus on raising her two daughters Jennifer and Emily, before becoming a successful interior designer. Later she became the grandmother of Emma and Derek.
She died from complications related to dementia in September 2016, aged 73.
Brigitta, played by Angela Cartwright
British-born Angela was 13 when she played the role of 10-year-old Brigitta, but she already had a solid career as a child actress behind her. Left in the film, right last night
British-born Angela was 13 when she played the role of 10-year-old Brigitta, but she already had a solid career as a child actress behind her.
Aged three she appeared as Paul Newman’s daughter in the film Somebody Up There Likes Me, and starred in seven seasons of the US TV series Make Room for Daddy.
After The Sound of Music, she continued her acting career and starred in the TV series Lost in Space and Make Room for Granddaddy.
But after having her two children – Jesse and Rebecca Gullion – she swapped acting for other artistic pursuits. She has been a photographer for more than 30 years and her work is displayed at her studio in Studio City, Los Angeles.
In 2019 she made a cameo appearance as Dr. Smith’s mother, Sheila Harris, in the third episode of the second season of the 2018 Netflix re-imagined Lost In Space series. Clearly acting talent runs in the family, her sister is X-files star Veronica Cartwright.
Kurt, played by Duane Chase
Duane was 15 years old when he took on the role of Kurt von Trapp. He continued acting until his later teen years. Left in the film, right last night
Duane Chase (pictured with co-star Heather Menzies in 2005) now lives in Washington and is returning to wildlife and forestry work
Duane was 15 years old when he took on the role of 11-year-old Kurt von Trapp. He continued acting until his teens, including an appearance in the 1966 Kurt Russell film, Follow Me, Boys! as well as acting in Western TV series The Big Valley.
Chase switched gears in college, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in geology and working as a software engineer.
He lives in Washington and is returning to wildlife and forestry work. He is married to Petra Maria, who was born in Hamburg, Germany and is a registered nurse.
Friedrich, played by Nicholas Hammond: Actor and television writer
The Sound Of Music was just the beginning of a flourishing career in entertainment for Nicholas Hammond. Left in the film, right last night
Hammond, now 72, lives in Australia with his partner, actress Robyn Nevin, and is a writer for Australian television. Pictured with Charmian Carr in 2005
In 2019 Hammond portrayed director Sam Wanamaker in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
The Sound Of Music was just the beginning of a flourishing career in entertainment for Nicholas Hammond.
His best known role is probably his performance as Peter Parker in the television series The Amazing Spider-Man but movie buffs will always remember him as 14-year-old Friedrich describes himself as ‘impossible’ on introduction to Maria.
After playing the eldest von Trapp son, he went on to play guest roles in popular shows such as The Love Boat, Magnum, P.I. and Murder, She Wrote as well as a recurring part in Dallas.
In 2009, he made his directing debut with Lying Cheating Bastard, a play he co-wrote with magician James Galea.
Hammond lives in Australia with his partner, actress Robyn Nevin, and is a writer for Australian television.
He also has an English degree from Princeton to his name.
In 2019 he portrayed director Sam Wanamaker in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Gretl, played by Kym Karath
Five-year-old Karath stole hearts when she played the youngest von Trapp child Gretl. Roles in Lost In Space and The Brady Bunch followed, but after going to college at USC, she focused on parenting rather than performing when her son Eric was born with disabilities. Left in the film, right last night
Five-year-old Karath stole hearts when she played the youngest von Trapp child Gretl.
Roles in Lost In Space and The Brady Bunch followed, but after going to college at USC, she focused on parenting rather than performing when her son Eric was born with disabilities.
Along with other parents, Karath helped establish the Aurelia Foundation, which provides services for special-needs individuals once they finish high school.
She resumed her entertainment career as an actress and writer in 2005. Karath has said she still is not fond of water after nearly drowning in the boat scene in Sound of Music, because she couldn’t swim.
Louisa, played by Heather Menzies-Urich
The Sound Of Music was Heather Menzies-Urich’s first movie, and she continued to enjoy a successful acting career. Right: Heather Menzies-Urich (pictured in March 2015) was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in November 2017 and died on December 24, 2017 – 21 days after her 68th birthday
The Sound Of Music was Heather Menzies-Urich’s first movie, and she continued to enjoy a successful acting career, appearing in films and TV shows such as Logan’s Run, S.W.A.T and The Love Boat.
She married John Cluett in 1969, but they divorced in 1973. She wed her second husband, actor Robert Urich, in 1975, and the couple adopted three children.
Menzie-Urich stepped away from the limelight after Robert’s death from a rare form of cancer in 2002.
She set up the non-profit organisation The Robert Urich Foundation, which provides funding for cancer research and to help families relocate for specialised treatment, and dedicated her later years to the project.
Menzies-Urich was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in November 2017 and died on December 24, 2017 – 21 days after her 68th birthday.
Marta, played by Debbie Turner
Debbie was as much an athlete as an actress as a child, and she opted for sports after playing Marta von Trapp
Debbie was as much an athlete as an actress as a child, and she opted for sports after playing Marta von Trapp.
Before being cast as the cheeky six (almost seven!) year-old, she was already a seasoned commercial actress starring in ads promoting dolls, toys, cars, and food.
But she stopped acting and the keen skier and mother-of-four began a new career as an interior designer and now owns a floral-design business in Minnesota.
She was called on to provide flowers for a wedding in Salzburg, Austria, at a palace that inspired the sets of The Sound Of Music.