Christopher Plummer, the Canadian actor who starred as Captain George Von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1965) and won an Oscar for his performance in Beginners (2010), died at the age of 91 at his home in Connecticut. According to a report in The New York Times, Plummer’s wife Elaine Taylor said the cause was a blow to the head as a result of a ‘fall’ at home.
According to a Deadline report, Plummer died peacefully and “his wife and true best friend for 53 years, was by his side”.
Lou Pitt, his longtime friend, and manager of 46 years told Deadline, “Chris was an extraordinary man who deeply loved and respected his profession with great old fashion manners, self-deprecating humor and the music of words. He was a national treasure who deeply relished his Canadian roots. Through his art and humanity, he touched all of our hearts and his legendary life will endure for all generations to come. He will forever be with us.”
Plummer’s most famous role was as Captain George Von Trapp opposite Julie Andrews’ Maria in Robert Wise’s 1965 classic The Sound of Music. He has acted in more than 200 films and TV shows in his career spanning over six decades. At 82, Plummer won an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Beginners, becoming the oldest Oscar winner. Plummer was also nominated for the Academy Awards for All the Money in the World (2017) and The Last Station (2009).
Born on December 13, 1929, in Toronto and raised in Montreal, Plummer began his career in the radio and on stage. He made his big-screen debut with Stage Struck in 1958, and has since, appeared in several famous films such as The Man Who Would Be King (1975), Battle of Britain (1969), Fall of The Roman Empire (1964), Star Trek VI (1991), A Beautiful Mind (2001), The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) and more.
According to a report in Deadline, Plummer’s The Sound of Music costar Julie Andrews paid tribute to the late legend and said in a statement, “The world has lost a consummate actor today and I have lost a cherished friend. I treasure the memories of our work together and all the humor and fun we shared through the years. My heart and condolences go out to his lovely wife Elaine, and his daughter Amanda.”
Daniel Craig, who worked with Plummer on one of his final films, Knives Out, said in a statement, “I’m deeply saddened by this news. Christopher Plummer was a lovely, charming man. I was humbled and incredibly fortunate to get the chance to work with him. He was a joy to be around. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.”
A report in the Associated Press quoted Helen Mirren, who co-starred alongside Plummer in The Last Station, saying in a statement, “He was a mighty force both as Man and Actor. He was an actor in the 19th century meaning of the word—his commitment to his profession. His art was total, theater being a constant and the most important part of the totality of his drive to engage with storytelling. He was fearless, energetic, courageous, knowledgeable, professional and a monument to what an actor can be. A Great Actor in the truest sense.”
Other members of the industry who paid tributes to the legendary actor include John Cusack, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis and Chris Evans.
Oh man – RIP Christopher Plummer – one of the all time greats. Was lucky enough to work with him – and all I could think about was I can’t believe I’m working with Christopher Plummer – hilarious gentleman -witty , generous wildly talented .
— John Cusack (@johncusack) February 5, 2021
“Thank you always for your laughter, your warmth, your talent, your stories about Marilyn, the vitamins when I got sick, your patience, your partnership and your company. I will always think of you with love and admiration,” Ana de Armas wrote in an Instagram post.
View this post on Instagram
This is truly heartbreaking. What an unbelievable loss. Few careers have such longevity and impact. One of my favorite memories from Knives Out was playing piano together in the Thrombey house between set ups. He was a lovely man and a legendary talent. 💙💙💙 https://t.co/eFwNVe762w
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) February 5, 2021
Plummer is survived by his wife and a daughter from his first marriage.
