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Tributes pour in as Sound of Music star Charmian Carr dies, aged 73

She sang the memorable 'Sixteen Going On Seventeen'

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One of Hollywood’s finest, who gave one the most memorable performances on the silver screen, has sadly passed away.

The Sound Of Music star Charmian Carr has died at the age of 73.

The actress’s spokesman said she died on Saturday in Los Angeles, of complications from a rare form of dementia.

Charmian was best known for portraying Liesl von Trapp in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1965 film, in which she performed the song Sixteen Going On Seventeen.

Poster

She was a college student when she auditioned for the film, which also starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

Carr later wrote a pair of books about her experiences, Forever Liesl and Letters To Liesl.

The actress went on to star with Anthony Perkins in the Stephen Sondheim television musical Evening Primrose.

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Kym Karath, who played Gretl, the youngest of the von Trapp children, was among those leading the tributes on Twitter.

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Ted Chapin, president of the Rogers & Hammerstein organisation, said in a statement: “It’s always sad when a member of the family passes away and in the case of the ‘family’ of the movie ‘The Sound of Music,’ it’s especially sad when it is the first of the group to go.

“Charmian Carr played the oldest von Trapp child, and in some ways she maintained that role in real life guiding, cheering, supporting and generally being there for the rest of her ‘sisters’ and ‘brothers.'”


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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