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Popular English actress Julie Andrews receives the American Film Institute’s highest award for her film career.
The 48th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute was celebrated by Julie Andrews on Thursday, June 9th at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
As part of the celebration, the actors who played the von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music (1965) reunited to pay homage to Andrews, who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her role as Maria von Trapp in the classic musical Theater was nominated.
Reunited: Five of the seven actors who played the von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music attended the 48th Annual AFI Life Achievement Awards honoring Julie Andrews including Duane Chase, Kym Karath, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Nicholas Hammond
Honored: English actress Julie Andrews, 86, received the American Film Institute (AFI) Life Achievement Award during a gala at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on Thursday.
In the film, the mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) sends Maria (Julie Andrews) to the mansion of retired naval officer Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) as a governess for his seven children – Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta and Gretl .
Some 57 years after its release, five of those seven child actors were able to attend the ceremony honoring Andrews.
Before the ceremony, these five actors took to the red carpet to take a series of photos together.
What’s more, they all matched their black and white fashion choices to the festive occasion.
The von Trapp Children: The seven von Trapp children played a central role in The Sound Of Music; Leading actress Julie Andrews is pictured with co-stars (left to right) 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), have passed away in recent years
Duane Chase, now 71, played the role of Kurt von Trapp in the film and looked handsome in a black suit and bow tie with a white shirt.
Kym Karath, 63, showed off her fashion sense in a gorgeous black dress that hugged the curves. She played Gretl, the youngest of the Von Trapp children.
Angela Cartwright, 69, took center stage during the red carpet shoot in a beautiful black sheer dress. She portrayed Brigitta in the iconic musical, which ended up garnering 10 Oscar nominations.
Debbie Turner, 65, who had the honor of playing Marta, opted for a black and silver dress.
And the man who played Frederick, Nicholas Hammond, also wore a classic black suit and bow tie combo. The 72-year-old actor would also add a white shirt to the ensemble.
The Sound Of Music received 10 Oscar nominations and won five, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise; Actors Kym Karath, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Nicholas Hammond strike a different pose
Child Star: Aside from The Sound Of Music, Angela Cartwright is also known for her roles as Linda Williams, the stepdaughter of Danny Williams on the 1950s series The Danny Thomas Show and Penny Robinson on the 1960s series Lost In Space
Unfortunately, the remaining two child actors who were set to play the von Trapp children have passed away.
Charmian Carr, who played Liesl, died in September 2016 at the age of 73. And the actress who played Louisa Heather Menzies died in December 2017 at the age of 68.
The AFI event for Andrews was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Julie Andrews has raised spirits for generations,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “This new date for her AFI Tribute enriches our anticipation of celebrating her in a dignified manner at a time the world needs most.”
Andrews, 86, is a three-time Oscar nominee, including best actress for The Sound Of Music; won once for her role in Mary Poppins (1964).
Hailing from Surrey, England, her performance in The Sound Of Music earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Comedy or Musical.
Iconic films: Cartwright made her film debut at the age of three as Paul Newman’s daughter in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)
Legendary: Andrews has received three Oscar nominations over the course of her career, including for The Sound Of Music; her only win was for Mary Poppins (1964)
The Sound Of Music, an adaptation of the 1959 play of the same name, was released on March 2, 1965.
In addition to the Andrews and child stars, the film 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 became a real hit and deserved the distinction of being one First film to gross over $100 million. Over the years, the film eventually earned more than $286 million at the box office.
Adjusted for inflation, The Sound Of Music earned approximately $2.366 billion at 2014 prices, placing it in the top ten highest-grossing films of all time.
Bonafide hit: The Sound Of Music became the first film to gross over $100 million at the box office; Pictured are the stars Charmian Carr, Kym Karath, Nicholas Hammond, Julie Andrews, Debbie Turner, Angela Cartwright and Duane Chase
