Christopher Plummer enchanted audiences across the decades
Christopher Plummer, who died Friday at 91, was the聽dashing award-winning actor who played Captain von Trapp in the film 鈥淭he Sound of Music鈥� and at 82 became the oldest Academy Award acting winner in history
Over more than 50 years in the industry, Mr. Plummer enjoyed varied roles ranging from the film 鈥淭he Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,鈥� to the voice of the villain in 2009鈥瞫 鈥淯p鈥� and as a canny lawyer in Broadway鈥檚 鈥淚nherit the Wind.鈥� In 2019 he starred as murdered mystery novelist in Rian Johnson鈥檚 whodunnit 鈥淜nives Out.鈥�
But it was opposite Julie Andrews as Captain von Trapp that made him a star. He played an Austrian captain who must flee the country with his folk-singing family to escape service in the Nazi navy, a role he lamented was 鈥渉umorless and one-dimensional.鈥� Mr. Plummer spent the rest of his life referring to the film as 鈥淭he Sound of Mucus.鈥�
鈥淲e tried so hard to put humor into it,鈥� he told The Associated Press in 2007. 鈥淚t was almost impossible. It was just agony to try to make that guy not a cardboard figure.鈥�
The role catapulted Mr. Plummer to stardom, but he never took to leading men parts, despite his silver hair, good looks, and ever-so-slight English accent. He preferred character parts, considering them more meaty.
Tributes quickly came from Hollywood and Broadway. Joseph Gordon-Levitt called him 鈥渙ne of the greats鈥� and George Takei posted 鈥淩est in eternal music, Captain von Trapp.鈥� Dave Foley, a fellow Canadian, wrote: 鈥淚f I live to be 91 maybe I鈥檒l have time to fully appreciate all the great work of Christopher Plummer.鈥�
Mr. Plummer had a remarkable film renaissance late in life, which began with his acclaimed performance as Mike Wallace in Michael Mann鈥檚 1999 film 鈥淭he Insider,鈥� continued in films such as 2001鈥檚 鈥淎 Beautiful Mind鈥� and 2009鈥瞫 鈥淭he Last Station,鈥� in which he played a deteriorating Tolstoy and was nominated for an Oscar.
In 2012, Mr. Plummer won a supporting actor Oscar for his role in 鈥淏eginners鈥� as Hal Fields, a museum director who becomes openly gay after his wife of 44 years dies. His loving, final relationship becomes an inspiration for his son, who struggles with his father鈥檚 death and how to find intimacy in a new relationship.
鈥淭oo many people in the world are unhappy with their lot. And then they retire and they become vegetables. I think retirement in any profession is death, so I鈥檓 determined to keep crackin鈥�,鈥� he told AP in 2011.
Mr. Plummer in 2017 replaced Kevin Spacey as J. Paul Getty in 鈥淎ll the Money in the World鈥� just six weeks before the film was set to hit theaters. That choice that was officially validated in the best possible way for the film 鈥� a supporting Oscar nomination for Mr. Plummer, his third. In 2019, he starred in the TV suspense drama series 鈥淒eparture.鈥�
There were fallow periods in his career 鈥� a 鈥淧ink Panther鈥� movie here, a 鈥淒racula 2000鈥� there, and even a 鈥淪tar Trek鈥� 鈥撀� as a Klingon, no less. But Mr. Plummer had other reasons than the scripts in mind.
鈥淔or a long time, I accepted parts that took me to attractive places in the world. Rather than shooting in the Bronx, I would rather go to the south of France, crazed creature than I am,鈥� he told AP in 2007. 鈥淎nd so I sacrificed a lot of my career for nicer hotels and more attractive beaches.鈥�
The Canadian-born actor performed most of the major Shakespeare roles, including Hamlet, Cyrano, Iago, Othello, Prospero, Henry V, and a staggering 鈥淜ing Lear鈥� at Lincoln Center in 2004. He was a frequent star at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada.
鈥淚鈥檝e become simpler and simpler with playing Shakespeare,鈥� he said in 2007. 鈥淚鈥檓 not as extravagant as I used to be. I don鈥檛 listen to my voice so much anymore. All the pitfalls of playing the classics 鈥� you can fall in love with yourself.鈥�
He won two Tony Awards. The first was in 1974 for best actor in a musical for playing the title role in 鈥淐yrano鈥� and his second in 1997 for his portrayal of John Barrymore in 鈥淏arrymore.鈥� He also won two Emmys.
Mr. Plummer was born Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer in Toronto. His maternal great-grandfather was former Canadian Prime Minister Sir John Abbott. His parents divorced shortly after his birth and he was raised by his mother and aunts.
Mr. Plummer began his career on stage and in radio in Canada in the 1940s and made his Broadway debut in 1954 in 鈥淭he Starcross Story.鈥� While still a relative unknown, he was cast as Hamlet in a 1963 performance co-starring Robert Shaw and Michael Caine. It was taped by the BBC at Elsinore Castle in Denmark, where the play is set, and released in 1964. It won an Emmy.
Mr. Plummer married Tony-winning actress Tammy Grimes in 1956, and fathered his only child, actress Amanda Plummer, in 1957. Like both her parents, she also won a Tony, in 1982 for 鈥淎gnes of God.鈥� (Ms. Grimes won two Tonys, for 鈥淧rivate Lives鈥� and 鈥淭he Unsinkable Molly Brown.鈥�)
Mr. Plummer and Ms. Grimes divorced in 1960. A five-year marriage to Patricia Lewis ended in 1967. Mr. Plummer married his third wife, dancer Ms. Taylor, in 1970, and credited her with helping him overcome a drinking problem.
He was given Canada鈥檚 highest civilian honor when he was invested as Companion of the Order of Canada by Queen Elizabeth II in 1968, and was inducted into the American Theatre鈥檚 Hall of Fame in 1986.
Mr. Plummer died Friday morning at his home in Connecticut with his wife, Elaine Taylor, by his side, said Lou Pitt, his longtime friend and manager.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr contributed.
