Sound of Music Cast Then and Now: Who’s Alive 2023

Nearly six decades after its 1965 release, The Sound of Music still appears on family movie nights, school stages, and soundtrack playlists — and many fans wonder about the actors who played the von Trapp family and the real family who inspired the story.

Lead Actress: Julie Andrews as Maria ·
Lead Actor: Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp ·
Baroness: Eleanor Parker ·
Mother Abbess: Peggy Wood ·
Max Detweiler: Richard Haydn

Are any of the casts of The Sound of Music still alive?

Of the adult cast members, Julie Andrews remains the most visible. At 87 as of 2023, she continues to work — lending her voice to franchises like Shrek and Despicable Me — and occasionally makes public appearances at award ceremonies and charity events.

The male lead, Christopher Plummer, passed away on February 5, 2021, at age 91. Plummer had a remarkable late-career resurgence, winning an Oscar for Beginners in 2011 at age 82, becoming the oldest acting Oscar winner in history up to that point.

Main adult cast status

• Julie Andrews — Alive, active in entertainment
• Christopher Plummer — Deceased 2021
• Eleanor Parker (Baroness Elsa Schraeder) — Deceased December 9, 2013
• Peggy Wood (Mother Abbess) — Deceased March 18, 1970
• Richard Haydn (Max Detweiler) — Deceased 1985
• Anna Lee (Frau Schmidt) — Deceased 2004
• Portia Whiteford (Berta) — Deceased 1978

Child actors updates

The seven child actors who portrayed the von Trapp children have largely moved on from acting. Several maintain public profiles, while others have chosen near-total privacy.

• Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) — Age 74, lives in Sydney, Australia since the mid-1980s. Works as an actor, screenwriter, and director. He remained close to Charmian Carr throughout her life.
• Duane Chase (Kurt) — Age 74, lives in Seattle, works as a computer software analyst for oil and mining companies. He briefly fought fires with the forestry service after the film and volunteered for wildfire supply trucks in 2020.
• Angela Cartwright (Brigitta) — Age 72, had subsequent roles in Lost in Space and My Three Sons, and voiced Edna Platt in 2022’s Adventures in Odyssey.
• Kym Karath (Gretl) — Age 66, studied art history in Paris, took a break for family, and considered returning to acting but has not taken on roles since 1981.
• Charmian Carr (Liesl) — Deceased September 17, 2016, at age 73 from complications of frontotemporal dementia. She left show business in 1967, married Jay Brent (divorced 1991), had two children, and became an interior designer.
• Heather McNair (Louisa) — Alive, low public profile
• Daniel Truchat (Marta) — Alive, low public profile

Did Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer get along while making The Sound of Music?

The on-set relationship between Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer was reportedly professional but amicable — a contrast to some Hollywood narratives that prefer friction. Director Robert Wise was known for his methodical approach, and the production schedule in Salzburg was demanding, with long hours filming musical numbers.

On-set relationship

Plummer, already a respected stage actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, reportedly found the musical requirements less natural than Andrews, who had come from Broadway’s My Fair Lady. However, sources from the period describe mutual respect and growing warmth as filming progressed.

Later friendship

The relationship deepened significantly over the decades. The cast reunited in 2005 for a milestone gathering, and Julie Andrews has spoken warmly about Plummer’s late-career achievements. She described their connection as a genuine friendship that lasted until his death.

Are any of the von Trapp family still alive?

The real von Trapp family who inspired the film has seen all original children from the family-passage era pass away. The family’s story, however, continues through the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont, now managed by great-grandchildren.

Real family survivors

According to the National Archives, all original children of Captain Georg and Maria von Trapp are now deceased. The youngest, Werner, died in 2007 in Vermont. The oldest, Rupert — a medical doctor — passed away in Vermont in 1992. Their youngest daughter Martina died in childbirth, a fact not depicted in the film.

• Rupert von Trapp — Died 1992 in Vermont (medical doctor)
• Agathe von Trapp — Died 2010 in Maryland (kindergarten teacher)
• Maria von Trapp (daughter) — Died 2014 in Vermont (missionary)
• Werner von Trapp — Died 2007 in Vermont (farmer)
• Hedwig von Trapp — Died 1972 in Zell am See, Austria (music teacher)
• Johanna von Trapp — Died 1994 in Vienna, Austria
• Rosmarie von Trapp — Settled in Vermont
• Eleonore von Trapp — Settled in Vermont
• Johannes von Trapp — Managed Trapp Family Lodge
• Martina von Trapp — Died in childbirth

Movie vs. reality

Perhaps the most dramatic difference between film and reality involves the family’s escape from Austria. The 1965 movie shows the von Trapps climbing over the Alps under moonlight — one of cinema’s most iconic sequences. The real family, as daughter Maria confirmed in 2003, fled by train after the 1938 Anschluss annexation.

“We did tell people that we were going to America to sing. And we did not climb over mountains with all our heavy suitcases and instruments. We left by train, pretending nothing.” — Maria von Trapp (daughter), National Archives

The family purchased their Vermont farm in 1941, founding what would become Trapp Family Lodge — a working farm and resort run by the family to this day. The lodge now operates under the management of great-grandchildren of the original Captain and Maria.

Did Christopher Plummer fall in love with Julie Andrews?

Rumors of romantic tension between Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews circulated for years, fueled partly by their undeniable chemistry on screen. However, both actors consistently denied any romantic involvement during filming or afterward.

Romance speculation

The speculation likely stems from the authentic warmth the two projected as Maria and Captain von Trapp. Their on-screen dynamic — moving from tension to mutual respect to love — convinced audiences that magic was happening behind the scenes too.

Julie Andrews response

Julie Andrews has addressed the rumors directly in interviews, characterizing their relationship as deeply collegial and later genuinely affectionate — but never romantic. Plummer, known for his wit and honesty, also dismissed the speculation, noting that their friendship was real without being romantic. For a fascinating look at another actor’s significant physical changes for a role, check out this article about Dwayne Johnson’s movie transformation Dwayne Johnson weight loss movie transformation.

What did Julie Andrews say when Christopher Plummer died?

When Christopher Plummer died on February 5, 2021, at age 91, Julie Andrews publicly reflected on their decades-long friendship. Her comments highlighted the genuine connection that had developed since their Salzburg filming sessions in 1964–1965.

Tribute quotes

Andrews described their relationship in simple, warm terms. She noted that they had become close friends over the years and that their connection had remained strong until his passing. The tribute was notable for its lack of Hollywood polish — straightforward, genuine grief from one veteran actor for another.

Friendship reflection

Beyond the immediate tribute, Andrews has spoken about the experience of watching Plummer’s career evolve through the decades. She admired his late-career resurgence, particularly his Oscar-winning performance in Beginners. Their mutual professional respect had apparently deepened into personal affection over time.

“We did tell people that we were going to America to sing. And we did not climb over mountains with all our heavy suitcases and instruments. We left by train, pretending nothing.” — Maria von Trapp (daughter), National Archives

For fans who grew up with The Sound of Music, the cast’s journeys offer a bittersweet reminder that beloved stories often outlast the people who tell them. The real von Trapp family’s escape was quieter, braver, and stranger than the film version — and it continues today through their Vermont lodge, run by great-grandchildren who never knew the original siblings. Meanwhile, the surviving film actors have scattered across continents and careers, connected more by the film’s legacy than by Hollywood. Julie Andrews remains the living bridge between these two stories — the actress who portrayed Maria and the friend who mourned Christopher Plummer. For anyone still humming “Edelweiss” after the credits roll, that gap between movie magic and real life is exactly where the interest lies.

Related reading: Trolls World Tour Cast – Full Voice Actors and Characters · Cast of The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants – Voice Actors

While tracking who’s alive today, the Dutch cast overview dives into the timeless performers who defined the von Trapp family saga.

Frequently asked questions