Actors who played Von Trapp’s children in The Sound of Music revealed what it was like to film with the late Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews.
Debbie Turner, 64, who was seven when she played Marta in the film, Angela Cartwright, 68, who played Brigitta at 13, and Nicholas Hammond, 70, who was 14 when she portrayed Friedrich appeared on This Morning today.
They paid tribute to Christopher, who died at age 91 on Friday and was best known for his role as Captain Von Trapp in the 1965 musical film, praising the star’s ‘concentration and commitment’ on set.
Nicholas, from New South Wales, revealed how the star intentionally distanced himself from the kids on the set, so they would instantly gravitate to the screen around “fun and cheerful” Andrews, who played Maria Von Trapp in the film.
Actors who played Von Trapp’s children in The Sound of Music revealed what it was like to film with the late Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews. In the photo, Christopher and Julie as Captain Von Trapp and Maria in the 1965 film
In the photo, (LR) Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner, Kym Karath, Christopher Plummer as the Von Trapp family in the film
“He showed me what it’s like to be an actor, with his concentration and commitment,” he said. ‘It is true that he was more serious on the set, certainly than Julie who was charming and fun, full of light and joy for all of us.
“But Christopher came to do a job and he knew that, as children, we shouldn’t be as comfortable with him as our father, than Maria. So it was really a very calculated move.
‘She was extremely friendly and warm and taught us jokes and songs and Christopher kept his distance from us and I think it was absolutely the right choice and I had a great admiration for him.’
But Christopher had a softer side, with Debbie from Minnesota, recalling a famous scene in the film in which he secretly made faces to make her laugh.
Debbie Turner, 64, who was seven when she played Marta in the film, Angela Cartwright, 68, who played Brigitta at 13, and Nicholas Hammond, 70, who was 14 when she played Friedrich appeared on This Morning today
Nicholas revealed how the star intentionally distanced himself from the children on the set, so that they would instantly gravitate towards ‘fun and happy’ Andrews on the screen. In the photo, the Von Trapp family in The Sound of Music
She said, ‘We were doing the scene after we got back from picking berries and he was looking at me and saying’ Marta, where were you really? ‘
‘The camera was on his back and I just remember him making faces at me, making me laugh … It was kind of fun to remember that he had a soft side to him.’
Julie, now 85, was 27 while the film was being shot, before the 1964 film Mary Poppins was released in the United States, and Angela recalled how the star taught young actors the lyrics to the iconic musical on the set.
‘Mary Poppins had not yet left, so no one in America knew who she was,’ said Nicolas. “Most people in LA didn’t know who she was.
Julie, now 85, was 27 while The Sound of music was being filmed, Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins in 1964
‘She was 27 and the studio was on the verge of bankruptcy and all that on the back of a 27-year-old girl and if you think about what she did in that movie, it’s an amazing achievement.’
Angela added: ‘Oh, she taught us Mary Poppins’ songs, for sure! I can still say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to the contrary. She was adorable and a great energy and we had a lot of fun in the movie. ‘
Christopher was famously quoted as saying that he regretted his choice to star in the film, but Angela says that her view of the film ‘changed’ as he aged, and that his serious attitude brought a ‘limit’ to the role.
“I think it changed as he got older and he realized how it made his career progress, much faster than it should,” she said.
“I think he kind of regretted saying that, but I think he brought a real advantage to the part that didn’t make him so sickly sweet and I loved working with Chris, a very talented guy and very sad to lose him.”
Christopher, portrayed with Julie in 2015, was an accomplished Shakespearean actor, honored for his work in theater, television and film in a career that spanned more than six decades
Christopher was an accomplished Shakespearean actor, honored for his varied work on stage, television and film in a career that spanned more than six decades.
The artist became the oldest actor to win an Oscar at the age of 82, for his supporting role in ‘Beginners’ as an elderly man who comes out of the closet as gay after the death of his wife.
He was best known for his role in ‘The Sound Of Music’, which at the time eclipsed ‘And the Wind Gone’ (1939) as the most successful film of all time and won the Oscar for best film in 1965.