How old was Christopher Plummer in the Sound of Music

Christopher Plummer, a patrician Canadian who starred as widower Captain von Trapp opposite Julie Andrews in the blockbuster 1965 musical 'The Sound Of Music', has died at the age of 91.

Plummer died peacefully at his home in Connecticut with his wife Elaine Taylor at his side, US media reports.

Plummer, an accomplished Shakespearean actor honoured for his varied stage, television and film work in a career that spanned more than six decades, was best known for his role in 'The Sound Of Music', which at the time eclipsed 'Gone With the Wind' as the top-earning movie ever.

Plummer flourished in a succession of meaty roles after age 70 - a time in life when most actors merely fade away.

He claimed a long-awaited Oscar at age 82 for his supporting performance in 'Beginners' as an elderly man who comes out of the closet as gay after his wife's death.

Christopher Plummer (right) is seen in a still from ‘The Sound of Music’ Source: AP/ Mary Evans Picture Library

"You're only two years older than me, darling," Plummer, who was born in 1929, purred to his golden statuette - first given for films made in 1927 and 1928 - at the February 2012 Oscars ceremony.

"Where have you been all my life?"

Plummer became the oldest actor to win a competitive Academy Award - supplanting Jessica Tandy and George Burns, who both were 80 when they won theirs.

Plummer appeared in more than 100 films and also was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Russian author Leo Tolstoy in 2009's 'The Last Station'.

He won two Tony Awards for his Broadway work, two Emmy Awards for TV work and performed for some of the world's top theatre companies.

Since its debut in 1965, The Sound of Music has remained one of the most popular and enduring movies of all time. The first movie in Hollywood history to gross more than $100 million, the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical played in theaters for more than year when it debuted. The recipient of five Oscars, this beloved classic about a spirited Austrian nun (Julie Andrews) who joyfully marches to the beat of her own drum remains one of the most successful films ever made.

Who can forget a luminous Andrews twirling on famous hill at the foot of the Alps. And the songs like “Edelweiss,” ”My Favorite Things,” “Climb Every Mountain,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “The Lonely Goatherd” and “The Sound of Music” are timeless treasures.  The movie has endured with its message of hope, finding joy and survival in the midst of very hard times. A message we could all still use in 2020. “It was a beautifully crafted movie...one of the last of the Hollywood movies that was beautifully crafted as well,” said Andrews in an interview with the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. “I feel very blessed by that.”

What is The Sound of Music about?

The Sound of Music centers on Maria, a free-spirited nun who lives in a strict Salzburg convent. Her bliss and inspiration is found hiking in the mountains and experiencing the majestic landscape. Maria is sent to live with the very orderly and disciplined naval officer widow Captain George von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and be the governess to his seven children.

Instead of becoming yet another governess driven away by the unruly kids who long for their mother, Maria brings music and joy into the children’s lives. Captain von Trapp is also transformed. And Maria discovers so much in return. The movie is loosely based on the real-life von Trapp family, who in 1938 had to flee their home in Austria to escape from the Nazis.

Related: Julie Andrews Explains How She Chooses Her Roles

When is The Sound of Music on TV?

The Sound of Music will air on ABC Sunday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. ET.

Who is in The Sound of Music cast?

The Sound of Music stars Julie Andrews as Maria von Trapp, Christopher Plummer as Captain George von Trapp, Eleanor Parker as Baroness Elsa Schraeder, Richard Haydn as Max Detweiler, Charmian Carr as Liesl von Trapp, Nicholas Hammond as Friedrich von Trapp, Heather Menzies as Louisa von Trapp, Duane Chase as Kurt von Trapp, Angela Cartwright as Brigitta von Trapp, Debbie Turner as Marta von Trapp, Kym Karath as Gretl von Trapp, Peggy Wood as Mother Abbess, Anna Lee as Sister Margaretta, Portia Nelson as Sister Berthe, Marni Nixon as Sister Sophia, Daniel Truhitte as Rolfe and Ben Wright as Herr Zeller.

Related: See 25 Photos of Julie Andrews Through the Years

Where was The Sound of Music filmed?

The Sound of Music was filmed in and around Salzburg, Austria and its surrounding regions. Interior scenes were shot in California at 20th Century Fox studios.

How old was Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music?

Julie Andrews was 29 when she filmed The Sound of Music. While she was known on Broadway and on television, she had not been seen in a film before. The producers were seeking a versatile actress who was also a talented singer. Maria in the film was 19 years old.

How old was Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music?

Christopher Plummer was 34 in the film when he played Captain Von Trapp.

How long is The Sound of Music?

The Sound of Music is 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Related: How to Watch The Sound of Music on TV in 2020

When was The Sound of Music made?

The Sound of Music was made in 1964 from March through September.

Is The Sound of Music a true story?

The Sound of Music is based on the real-life Austrian singing family, the von Trapp family and Maria von Trapp's memoir about the family's life. The book The Story of The Trapp Family Singers was published in 1949. However, in real-life Maria and Captain von Trapp were married in 1927, not 1938. Maria was a tutor to one of the children and not governess to all seven. And their escape from Austria was via railroad (versus climbing the Alps.) Maria and Captain von Trapp also had three children together.

Are any of the real von Trapp family still alive?

None of the von Trapp family members who inspired the film are still living. Maria Agatha Franziska Gobertina von Trapp, who was the last survivor of the seven original von Trapp children, died in 2014 when she was 99. She was the second-oldest daughter of Georg von Trapp and his first wife, Agatha Whitehead von Trapp. Maria and Georg von Trapp's three children, Rosmarie von Trapp (93), Eleonore von Trapp (90) and Johannes von Trapp (82), are still alive. However, they are not featured in the film.

Who really sang in The Sound of Music?

Christopher Plummer's singing was over-dubbed by the late Bill Lee. An accomplished singer, Julie Andrews sang her own songs. In a 2012 interview with NPR, Plummer said, “in those days, they were very fussy about matching voices in musicals.” And Andrews was “tone perfect since she was in her cradle, which is an exasperating thing to admit. And it was awfully hard to match her and her sustained, long notes....they did it very well 'cause it sounded very much like me.” An accomplished singer, Lee was the voice of many characters like the dog in Lady and the Tramp, Lt. Cable in South Pacific and even Yogi Bear in Ash Can Parade.

Where does The Sound of Music take place?

The Sound of Music takes place in Salzburg, Austria.

Who wrote The Sound of Music?

The movie The Sound of Music was adapted from the 1959 stage musical with music composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The screenplay was written by Ernest Lehman, who adapted the film from the book that Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse wrote for the stage musical. The story is based on Maria von Trapp's 1949 memoir, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.

Is The Sound of Music on TV?

Yes! Rodgers & Hammerstein’s cinematic treasure airs Sunday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.

Next, the 20 best quotes from The Sound of Music.

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