Christopher Plummer as Captain Georg von Trapp

Christopher Plummer (Captain von Trapp)

The Sound Of Music marked a dramatic change of pace for noted stage actor Christopher Plummer, who was chosen by producer/director Wise for the extra dimension and interesting edge he could bring to the film. Prior to The Sound Of Music, Plummer had made only one major film, The Fall of the Roman Empire. Regarded as one of the foremost Shakespearean actors of the day, he was valued not only for his acting technique but also for his air of elegance, which suited perfectly the role of the dashing widower Captain von Trapp. Intimately involved with how his character would be portrayed, Plummer once spent four days in Lehman's office insisting that his part be rewritten to render the Captain stronger and more believable. A Canadian by birth, Plummer was one of the stalwarts of the famed Shakespearean repertory company at Stratford Company. He won international acclaim for his portrayal of Hamlet, which was specially taped by BBC-TV at Elsinore Castle in Denmark and subsequently broadcast throughout Europe and the United States. Plummer has appeared in numerous movies over the years, and works continually in film, on television and on stage all over the world.