'The Sound of Music' child star shares the secret to cast's 60-year friendship

Fox News

6 days ago

The hills are alive – with the sound of a reunion.
The former child stars of "The Sound of Music," who have remained friends for 60 years, recently reunited in Florence, Italy. Kym Karath, who played the youngest von Trapp sibling, Gretl, shared photos of the group catching up and enjoying bottles of wine on her Instagram.
"The Sound of Music in Florence – the five of us!" the 66-year-old captioned a group photo.
In the snap, Karath appeared alongside Nicholas Hammond, 75, who played the eldest von Trapp son, Friedrich; Duane Chase, 74, who played Kurt; Angela Cartwright, 72, who played Brigitta; and Debbie Turner, 68, who played Marta.
It was a bittersweet reunion for the pals. Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa, died in 2017 at the age of 68. Charmian Carr, who was the eldest sibling Liesl, passed away in 2016 at age 73.
Christopher Plummer, who played the family patriarch Captain von Trapp, died in 2021 at the age of 91.
"Celebrating together in Florence with all my film siblings was a complete delight," Karath told Fox News Digital.
"Being together, the five of us, in one of the most beautiful cities, Florence, and appearing in the breathtaking historic theater Teatro Niccolini, built in 1648, was absolutely magical," she gushed. "The press was wonderful, and the fans were overwhelmingly warm and enthusiastic."
Karath said it's a no-brainer that the castmates have remained close over the years.
"I think the secret behind our friendship is the secret of all enduring friendships, although ours started at a film studio; staying close, loyal, and being there for one another," the actress explained.
"As for the film's enduring appeal, beyond the soaring melodies and beautiful locations, it is the story of a real family who loved one another and were truly courageous."
"The Sound of Music" premiered on March 2, 1965. The Oscar-winning film was inspired by the real-life von Trapp family that fled Austria to escape the Nazi regime. It tells the tale of a 1930s governess who watches over the large family and their widowed father, with the help of music.
Descendants of the von Trapp family now run the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort in Vermont.
"Here is a little-known fact - the film family is friends with the real family," said Karath. "I just had a wonderful conversation with Elizabeth von Trapp, Werner's daughter. Werner was portrayed by Duane Chase… and they became friends. When Werner passed away, he left Duane his beautiful Austrian jacket."
There's also one good reason why the cast enjoyed an Italian getaway.
"We are currently working on a documentary and filmed [it] while we were in Florence together!" she teased.
The actress was just three years old when she was scouted while having a cheeseburger at her father's restaurant in California. However, Karath's claim to fame was the film adaptation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical "The Sound of Music."
Karath previously told Fox News Digital that being on the set in Salzburg was "spellbinding."
"One of the best things about that movie for me was becoming a family," Karath explained. "And we did become one in real life. And being in Salzburg, Austria, I think, started my profound love of Europe and history. [But] it was not a fun thing missing my father and brother. But my sister and mother were with me. And our group really became a family, which was wonderful."
The film's leading lady, Julie Andrews, quickly developed a close-knit bond with the child actors. The star, now 86, went on to win a Golden Globe and received an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Maria. Karath described the actress as "a gift."
WATCH: 'THE SOUND OF MUSIC' ACTRESS KYM KARATH RECALLS CLOSE BOND WITH JULIE ANDREWS, WHY SHE 'FLED' HOLLYWOOD
"I loved her from the minute I met her," she gushed. "There is never a bad moment with Julie Andrews – never. She's just the sweetest, most unbelievable, talented, brilliant human… I think we all have the same favorite memory to some extent. That was when she took out her guitar and she just sang to us. And she would have us sing with her in between the scenes to amuse us, to entertain us, to make the time pass. She was a pure delight."
Plummer did not offer the same warm and fuzzy feeling, she said.
"At the time, he was kind of standoffish," Karath admitted. "Very handsome, but I really wasn't noticing men being handsome at [age] five – actually let me correct myself. I noticed that George Chakiris was handsome when he was in 'West Side Story.'"
But that all changed decades later.
"There was an event for 9/11 at the Westport Country Playhouse… I went backstage to see him, and he was waiting for me. Paul Newman was the master of ceremonies. He and [his wife] Joanne Woodward grabbed me backstage and said, 'Your father's been pacing the floor, he's dying to see you!'… Such a lovely man. So courtly, charming and funny. Truly delightful."