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Christopher Plummer’s Early Years
Plummer came to New York City at 1949 at the age of 19, and made his Broadway debut five years later inThe Starcross Story.
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Christopher Plummer’s Marriages
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In 1955, while starring inThe Dark Is Light Enough,he met actress Tammy Grimes when she came backstage to congratulate him on his performance. “He was so magnetic onstage,” she recalled to PEOPLE. “He was like a knife blade catching the sun.” They married the following year, and in 1957, welcomed daughter Amanda, now an actress. In 1960, however, they split. “We were both too young and interested in our separate careers,” he told PEOPLE.
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04of 11Christopher Plummer in FilmMondadori via GettyPlummer’s 1958 film debut came in the Sidney Lumet pieceStage Struckalongside Susan Strasberg. It opened the doors to countless other films, likeThe Man Who Would Be King, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Malcolm Xand even the animated classicAn American Tail.
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Christopher Plummer in Film
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Plummer’s 1958 film debut came in the Sidney Lumet pieceStage Struckalongside Susan Strasberg. It opened the doors to countless other films, likeThe Man Who Would Be King, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Malcolm Xand even the animated classicAn American Tail.
05of 11Christopher Plummer and Elaine TaylorCharles Sykes/Invision/AP/ShutterstockIn the late 1960s, Plummer began work onLock Up Your Daughters. In the cast was Elaine Taylor, a 25-year-old actress who caught his eye. Recalled Elaine of their early courtship: “I thought he was extremely selfish and conceited, but he made me laugh. And he did get the best tables at restaurants.” They wed in 1970.
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Christopher Plummer and Elaine Taylor
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In the late 1960s, Plummer began work onLock Up Your Daughters. In the cast was Elaine Taylor, a 25-year-old actress who caught his eye. Recalled Elaine of their early courtship: “I thought he was extremely selfish and conceited, but he made me laugh. And he did get the best tables at restaurants.” They wed in 1970.
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Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music
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Of all his movie roles, none brought him more fame than that of Baron von Trapp in 1965’sThe Sound of Music, alongside Julie Andrews. In his 1982 interview with PEOPLE, he called the movie “The Sound of Mucus” and said his role was “lousy,” though added he was grateful for the recognition it gave him. He walked back his words in his 2008 memoir,In Spite of Myself, saying he enjoyed the movie when watching it at a children’s party.
Reflecting on the film’s 50th anniversary in a 2015 chat with PEOPLE, Plummer joked that his favorite parts of filming were “getting to know Austria and getting to know some Austrian girls — they’re very beautiful!”
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Christopher Plummer on Stage
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08of 11Christopher Plummer’s DaughterLUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via GettyOf his daughter, Plummer told PEOPLE in 1982, “Mandy is a much more emotional actor than me or Tammy. She is her own master. My feelings toward her are those of great pride.“Yet Plummer lived abroad much of the time Amanda was growing up in Manhattan. “I was a distant, very bad father,” he reflected. “[Ex Tammy Grimes] would call and remind me about bills I had to pay and inform me where Mandy was in school.““Christopher wasn’t a conventional father,” Grimes told PEOPLE. “But Amanda has got it figured out now.”
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Christopher Plummer’s Daughter
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Of his daughter, Plummer told PEOPLE in 1982, “Mandy is a much more emotional actor than me or Tammy. She is her own master. My feelings toward her are those of great pride.”
Yet Plummer lived abroad much of the time Amanda was growing up in Manhattan. “I was a distant, very bad father,” he reflected. “[Ex Tammy Grimes] would call and remind me about bills I had to pay and inform me where Mandy was in school.”
“Christopher wasn’t a conventional father,” Grimes told PEOPLE. “But Amanda has got it figured out now.”
09of 11Christopher Plummer’s AwardsRichard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via GettyBetween 1959 and 2007, Plummer received seven Tony Award nominations, winning for 1974’sJ.B.and 1997’sBarrymore. Though not an EGOT, he is one of few actors to have attained the Triple Crown of Acting, winning an Academy Award, Emmy Award and Tony Award.
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Christopher Plummer’s Awards
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Between 1959 and 2007, Plummer received seven Tony Award nominations, winning for 1974’sJ.B.and 1997’sBarrymore. Though not an EGOT, he is one of few actors to have attained the Triple Crown of Acting, winning an Academy Award, Emmy Award and Tony Award.
10of 11Christopher Plummer’s Oscar WinChristopher Plummer.Frank Trapper/Corbis via GettyIn 2009, Plummer finally received an Oscar nomination forThe Last Station, and hetook home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actorin 2012 for his role inBeginners, in which he played an ailing elderly man who reveals that he’s gay to his son. “You’re only two years older than me darling,” he jokingly said to his statuette upon accepting the Academy Award at the time. “Where have you been all my life?“He was later nominated again for Best Supporting Actor at the 2018 Oscars for his performance in Ridley Scott’sAll the Money in the World.
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Christopher Plummer’s Oscar Win
Christopher Plummer.Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty
In 2009, Plummer finally received an Oscar nomination forThe Last Station, and hetook home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actorin 2012 for his role inBeginners, in which he played an ailing elderly man who reveals that he’s gay to his son. “You’re only two years older than me darling,” he jokingly said to his statuette upon accepting the Academy Award at the time. “Where have you been all my life?”
He was later nominated again for Best Supporting Actor at the 2018 Oscars for his performance in Ridley Scott’sAll the Money in the World.
11of 11Christopher Plummer’s Final RolesClaire Folger/Lionsgate/EverettOne of the actor’s final roles was in the acclaimed ensemble pieceKnives Outin 2019. Two years later, on Feb. 5, 2021,he died at the age of 91. “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,” Lou Pitt, his longtime friend and manager of 46 years said in a statement toVariety. “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.”
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Christopher Plummer’s Final Roles
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One of the actor’s final roles was in the acclaimed ensemble pieceKnives Outin 2019. Two years later, on Feb. 5, 2021,he died at the age of 91. “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,” Lou Pitt, his longtime friend and manager of 46 years said in a statement toVariety. “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.”
source: people.com
