The Only Actors Still Alive From The Cast Of The Sound Of Music
There might not be a more beloved musical to ever hit the big screen than "The Sound of Music." Full of picturesque landscapes, talented cast members, and powerful musical numbers, there's nothing quite like this based-on-a-true-story. The film would not only go on to surpass "Gone with the Wind" as the highest-grossing film of all time (though "Gone with the Wind" regained its crown five years later), but would also receive five Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Best Director), two Golden Globes, and awards from the Director's Guild and the Writers Guild of America. But accolades aside, whether you love every song or are just pulled by Julie Andrews' magnetic smile, "The Sound of Music" is a triumph in filmmaking to this day.
There's no question that the film has left a powerful mark on Hollywood since it's release in 1965, and it's clear that the von Trapp family will forever be household names. But what about the cast who played these iconic characters? What are they doing now? With so many of that cast now gone, it's important to acknowledge those who are still with us, going strong each and every day.
Julie Andrews
The most iconic actress from "The Sound of Music," and the most beloved, Dame Julie Andrews is still out there making movies. Although her role as the singing nun-turned-nanny-turned-mother Maria and her role as "Mary Poppins" are her most famous, Andrews would go on to star in films directed by accomplished filmmakers, including Alfred Hitchcock, Garry Marshall, and Blake Edwards, who she would be married to for just over 40 years until his death. At the turn of the century, Andrews would breathe new life into her career, with starring roles in the "Eloise" made-for-TV films (which earned her an Emmy nomination), "The Princess Diaries" series, and a live television performance of "On Golden Pond," where she starred opposite Christopher Plummer once more.
Later, Andrews lent her talents to voice work, appearing as Queen Lillian in the "Shrek" films, landing a small role in "Aquaman," and narrating various other productions including "Enchanted," "Great Performances," "The King's Daughter," and Netflix's "Bridgerton" as Lady Whistledown. Besides her television and stage work, Andrews developed her own educational pre-school series for Netflix called "Julie's Greenroom," where she stars as the titular Miss Julie. The show features various guests, including Idina Menzel of "Wicked" fame, Alec Baldwin, Josh Groban, and members of Cirque du Soleil. Although Andrews cameoed in "Saving Mr. Banks," she declined for "Mary Poppins Returns," wanting it to be Emily Blunt's show. A queen as always!
Nicholas Hammond
Before playing the eldest von Trapp brother, Friedrich, in "The Sound of Music," Nicholas Hammond's only other feature film credit was 1963's "Lord of the Flies." Afterward, he would make more of a mark on the film and television industries. Hammond might be best known for playing Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, in CBS' short-lived "The Amazing Spider-Man" television series, which spawned three made-for-TV "Spider-Man" films post-series. He would go on to star in various other television productions, including "The Martian Chronicles," and would guest-star on popular shows like "The Brady Bunch," "Magnum P.I.," "Dallas," "General Hospital," and "Mission: Impossible."
As far as his feature filmography goes, Hammond has always had more luck with Australian productions than American ones, with roles in the action-comedy "Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles," the Hugo Weaving thriller-comedy "Frauds," the war film "Paradise Road," the dystopian sci-fi "Turkey Shoot," and the 2018 comedy drama "Ladies in Black." That's not to say that Hammond wouldn't find work in American cinemas, though, as he did have roles in the Disney comedy "Superdad" and the 2005 action film "Stealth." Most recently, he played American actor and director Sam Wanamaker in Quentin Tarantino's 2018 hit "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." With no signs of slowing down, Hammond has kept chugging along in both film and television.
Duane Chase
Outside of "The Sound of Music," in which he played Kurt, the youngest of the von Trapp boys, Duane Chase only appeared in two other productions as an actor before quitting the game entirely. The first was a Walt Disney family film called "Follow Me, Boys!," where he appeared in a very small, uncredited role; the second was on an episode of the Wild West series "The Big Valley" entitled "The Man from Nowhere," where he played a young Danny Matthews. Deciding the child actor life was not for him, Chase dropped acting entirely and focused his adult life on different goals and dreams.
What dreams, you ask? According to Parade, Chase spent some time as a firefighter after high school before heading to the University of California, Santa Barbara to study geology in college. Eventually, Chase earned his master's degree in geology from the University of Alabama, and he's worked in the field ever since. Most recently, Chase has found work as a software analyst and designer for a geological company in Washington.
Angela Cartwright
Angela Cartwright may have played the young Brigitta von Trapp in the original "Sound of Music" feature, but that's not the role she's most famous for. For the next three years, Cartwright would star as Penny Robinson in the original science fiction classic "Lost in Space." Her performance on the iconic series would find her more television work in "Make Room for Granddaddy" as a series regular, as well as various guest-starring roles on shows like "Logan's Run," "Adam-12," "Room 222," and "The Love Boat." She would also star in the movie "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" before making her way to the TV films "Scout's Honor" and "High School U.S.A."
Ultimately, her "Lost in Space" role would garner the most love and attraction, and Cartwright would cameo as a reporter in the 1998 film adaptation of the series, which starred William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, Gary Oldman, and Heather Graham. She would return again to the franchise in 2019 for the Netflix adaptation, appearing in the episode "Echoes" — her last acting role to date. Cartwright has also written various books, including books about her time on "Lost in Space."
Debbie Turner
Debbie Turner played the second-youngest von Trapp child, Marta, in "The Sound of Music," but didn't really do much else after working with Julie Andrews. Aside from a small role in the 1979 film "North Dallas Forty," Turner left the film industry completely. That doesn't mean she left "The Sound of Music" behind, though, as she appeared in various reunion specials (including one on "The Oprah Winfrey Show") and even has a webpage devoted entirely to her time on the film.
After exiting cinema stage right, Turner moved on and founded Debbie Turner Originals, a wedding flowers and event design company that she has poured her heart and soul into for the past 30 years. She also makes scarves based on the iconic "Sound of Music" design that Maria had made for Marta and the rest of the von Trapp children, which are still available as of this writing.
Kym Karath
The youngest and cutest of the von Trapp children is doubtless Kym Karath's Gretl, who steals the show, and our hearts, throughout "The Sound of Music." Interestingly enough, "The Sound of Music" was the final film that Karath starred in after a short feature filmography of four movies total. She would, however, find more work on television, where she guest-starred on shows like "Lassie," "Family Affair," "The Brady Bunch," and "Lost in Space" — opposite her former on-screen sister, Angela Cartwright.
But in 1991, like many of her von Trapp siblings, Karath left acting behind. She would eventually move to Connecticut, not far from where her former co-star Christopher Plummer resided before his death, and wouldn't return to acting for over three decades. Though she hasn't been in any major productions since her return to Hollywood, she has made appearances on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and "The J Report," and was even a guest judge on the hit-series "Cake Wars." She is also a co-founder of the Aurelia Foundation, which seeks to help "adults with diverse abilities integrate into the community."
Daniel Truhitte
The musical's very own heartthrob, Daniel Truhitte, played the young-lover-turned-Nazi-soldier Rolfe in the 1965 film, but he's never quite left "The Sound of Music" behind. After the film, Truhitte joined the U.S. Marine Corps for a time before going on to perform vocally, even alongside the likes of Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and the Rat Pack. Eventually, he would move to Concord, North Carolina, where he would teach voice lessons by "word-of-mouth." Yet after all this time, "The Sound of Music" still held a firm place in his heart. As recently as 2013, Truhitte played the role of Captain von Trapp in a number of stage productions of the timeless classic, which is certainly a step up from his role in the film. Meanwhile, one of his sons, Thomas Rolf Truhitte, was not only named after the "Sound of Music" character but followed in his father's footsteps as a performer — only Thomas sings opera.
In 2017, Truhitte appeared in a short film "That Ol' Econoline" as Grandfather, followed by a video short benefitting Kym Karath's Aurelia Foundation. According to IMDb, he is set to appear in a 2022 production entitled "Stand in the Gap."