Friday 10 June 2022 10:19 AM The Sound Of Music child actors who played von Trapp kids reunite for AFI's ... trends now
Beloved English actress Julie Andrews is receiving the American Film Institute's highest honor for a career in film.
The 48th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute celebrated Julie Andrews on Thursday, June 9, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
As part of the celebration, the actors who played the von Trapp kids in The Sound Of Music (1965) reunited to pay homage to Andrews, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Maria von Trapp in the classic musical drama.
Reunited: Five of the seven actors who played the von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music attended the 48th Annual AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Julie Andrews, including Duane Chase, Kym Karath, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, and Nicholas Hammond
Honoree: English actress Julie Andrews, 86, received the American Film Institute's (AFI) Life Achievement Award during a gala at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday
In the film, the Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) sends Maria (Julie Andrews) to the villa of retired naval officer Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) to be governess to his seven children—Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl.
Some 57 years after its release, five of the those seven child actors were able to attend the ceremony in honor of Andrews.
Ahead of the ceremony, those five actors hit the red carpet for a series of photographs together.
And what's more: they all color-coordinated their fashion choices in black and white for the festive event.
The von Trapp kids: The seven von Trap children played a pivotal role in The Sound Of Music; leading Lady Julie Andrews is pictured with co-stars (l to r) Debbie Turner, Angela Cartwright, Duane Chase, Kym Karath, Heather Menzies, Nicholas Hammond and Charmian Carr
Reunited: The five actors who played the von Trapp kids color-coordinated in black and white; pictured are Duane Chase, 71, Kym Karath, 63, Angela Cartwright, 69, Debbie Turner, 65, and Nicholas Hammond, 72; sadly the two remaining child actors Charmian Carr (Liesl) and Heather Menzies (Louisa) both passed away in recent years
Playing the role of Kurt von Trapp in the film, Duane Chase, now 71, looked handsome in black suit and bow tie with a white dress shirt.
Kym Karath, 63, showed off her fashion sense in a gorgeous black gown that hugged curves. She played Gretl, the youngest of the Von Trapp children.
Angela Cartwright, 69, stood in the middle during the red carpet shoot in a lovely black sheer dress. She portrayed Brigitta in the iconic musical, which ended up receiving 10 Academy Award nominations.
Debbie Turner, 65, who had the honor of playing Marta, opted to go with a black and silver gown.
And the man who played Friedrich, Nicholas Hammond, also went with a classic black suit and black bowtie combination. The 72-year-old actor would also add in a white dress shirt to the ensemble.
The Sound Of Music earned 10 Academy Award nominations, wining five, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise; actors Kym Karath, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Nicholas Hammond are seen striking another pose
Child star: Along with The Sound Of Music, Angela Cartwright is also known for her role of Linda Williams, the stepdaughter of Danny Williams in the 1950s series The Danny Thomas Show and Penny Robinson in the 1960s series Lost In Space
Sadly the remaining two child actors to play the von Trapp children passed away.
Charmian Carr, who had the role of Liesl, died in September 2016 at the age of 73. And the actress who played Louisa, Heather Menzies, was 68 when she passed away in December 2017.
The AFI event for Andrews was originally scheduled for 2020 but it was postponed due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
'Julie Andrews has sent spirits soaring across generations,' said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. 'This new date for her AFI Tribute enriches our anticipation to celebrate her in a manner worthy at a time the world needs it most.'
Andrews, 86, is a three-time Academy Award nominee, which included Best Actress for The Sound Of Music; winning once for her role in Mary Poppins (1964).
The Surrey, England native's performance in The Sound Of Music did earn her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy Or Musical.
Iconic films: Cartwright made her r first film appearance at the age of three years as Paul Newman's daughter in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)
Legendary: Andrews earned three Oscar nominations during her career, including for The Sound Of Music; her only win was for Mary Poppins (1964)
Bonafide hit: The Sound Of Music became the first film to ver top $100 million at the box office; pictured are stars Charmian Carr, Kym Karath, Nicholas Hammond, Julie Andrews, Debbie Turner, Angela Cartwright and Duane Chase
The Sound Of Music, which was an adaption of the 1959 play of the same name, was released on March 2, 1965.
Along with the Andrews and the child stars, the movie also starred Christopher Plummer, Richard Haydn, Peggy Wood, Eleanor Parker, Anna Lee, Portia Nelson, Ben Wright, Daniel Truhitte, Norma Varden, Gil Stuar, Marni Nixon, Evadne Baker and Doris Lloyd.
It went on to become a bonafide hit, earning the distinction of being the first film to gross over $100 million. Over the years the movie would eventually go on to earn more than $286 million at the box office.
Adjusted for inflation, The Sound Of Music earned about $2.366 billion at 2014 prices—placing it among the top ten highest-grossing films of all time.
Where are the Sound of Music cast now? As von Trapp children reunite to suppport Julie Andrews, Femail reveals the varied fortunes of the actors who played the kid - including one who became a florist and another who starred in a Quentin Tarantino film
The von Trapp children
The von Trapp children formed their own little family over the months of making the musical and became known as The SoM 7.
Their parents befriended one another as the young performers travelled to Austria for filming, and the actors themselves have remained close for decades.
'We're beyond friends. We're second family,' said Kym Karath, who played the youngest von Trapp, Gretl. 'As adults, we were deeply bonded, so our lives have really interwoven with each other.'
