Clik here to view.
The list of young actors who auditioned to play one of the Von Trapp children included Kurt Russel, Richard Dreyfuss, Liza Minnelli, Patty Duke, Sharon Tate, the four eldest Osmonds, and Mia Farrow, according to IMDb.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music turns 50 in 2015. The film, about a woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become governess to a widower’s brood, stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer and became an instant classic. The movie also made a lasting impact on Reminisce readers.
Father/Daughter Time
I grew up a daddy’s girl. My father was playful and had a great sense of humor, but he also had conservative taste in movies.
We were regular visitors to the Children’s Theatre in Chennai, India, where they typically screened Laurel and Hardy–type movies. One year, they brought The Sound of Music. We got to the theater, made sure we had an adequate supply of popcorn, and settled into our seats. The minute the film began, we felt enraptured. I fell instantly in love with Christopher Plummer and would dream about his thin lips and mischievous expressions for some time to come. I had never seen such a handsome figure in any movies produced in India. When it was over, I asked my father if he had liked the movie. “Most of it,” he said. “I just wish they hadn’t shown Liesl and Rolfe kissing on the mouth.”
The movie brings a smile to my face every time I think about it and remember how innocent I was. In a very strange way, the memory also reassures me that my father is still watching over me.
–Radha Jagannathan, Belle Mead, NJ
Clik here to view.
A scene from the movie where Maria, played by Julie Andrews, and Mr. Von Trapp, played by Christopher Plummer, embrace.
Our Great Date Movie
The Sound of Music had just opened when my boyfriend and I, both from a small town in southeast Oregon, took a trip to the big city, Portland.
The film was playing at one of those fancy theaters. My boyfriend was a real cowboy, making him a bit of a standout, apparently, because an usher whispered in his ear, “I’m from Baker, Oregon, and I am so happy to see a cowboy again.” Aww, and he was my cowboy!
We held hands as we watched the movie. The film was like our love story, although with a much different setting. I was the rancher’s daughter, and he was the hired hand. Nobody saw our romance coming. It softly happened, just as it did for the captain and Maria.
That was 50 years ago, and our love remains strong.
–Dotha Raburn Patterson, Madras, OR
I Wanted to be Liesl
In 1965, my ninth-grade class put on a production of The Sound of Music. I auditioned for the part of Liesl. Because I looked and sounded younger than I was, my music teacher, Mr. Stenger, tried to help make my voice sound more mature. I didn’t get the part, but I did land the role of Louisa. It was such a fun time! I’ve since been to the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont, several times. A dream come true.
–Marilyn Foster, Montoursville, PA
