PBS Sound of Music Cast Overview
The PBS broadcast of The Sound of Music features the 1965 film starring Julie Andrews as Maria and Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp, with supporting roles by Peggy Wood as the Mother Abbess and Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp. The production is distributed by PBS through its Great Performances series, which also streams the broadcast on PBS.org and the PBS app. The film is based on the Broadway musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The original Broadway cast included Mary Martin as Maria and Theodore Bikel as Captain von Trapp, as noted on the Rodgers & Hammerstein official site Rodgers & Hammerstein.
The PBS version is sourced from the 20th Century Fox film, which was produced by Robert Wise and distributed by 20th Century Studios, now part of the Walt Disney Studios library. The film was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2001 for its cultural significance. PBS schedules the broadcast periodically, and the exact cast credits remain tied to the 1965 film performances. Streaming availability is managed through PBS platforms and licensed partners such as Netflix, where the film appears in certain regions Netflix.
Main Cast and Character Roles
Lead Performers
Julie Andrews originated the role of Maria on screen, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance. Christopher Plummer played Captain Georg von Trapp, a widowed Austrian naval officer who hires Maria as governess to his seven children. The children in the film are played by Charmian Carr as Liesl, Heather Menzies as Louisa, Duane Chase as Kurt, Kim Darby as Marta, and others, with the full ensemble credited in the film's opening sequence.
Supporting Cast
Peggy Wood portrayed the Mother Abbess, guiding Maria's transition from novice to governess. The cast includes Bill Sheldon as Rolfe, a young telegram delivery boy, and Daniel Truhitte as Rolfe in later stage productions. The Broadway cast of the original 1959 production featured Patricia Neway as the Mother Abbess and Lauri Peters as Liesl, with the musical winning five Tony Awards Tony Awards.
Broadway and Film Legacy
Original Broadway Production
The Sound of Music premiered on Broadway in 1959 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. The production ran for 1,443 performances and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The original cast recording was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA.
Film Adaptation and Awards
The 1965 film adaptation won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise. The film grossed over $286 million worldwide at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing films of its era. The soundtrack topped the Billboard charts for weeks and remains one of the best-selling albums in history Billboard.