Charmian Carr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charmian Carr
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Carr with Anthony Perkins in Evening Primrose (1966)
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| Born |
Charmian Anne Farnon
December 27, 1942 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | September 17, 2016 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1964–1967 |
| Known for | Liesl von Trapp in The Sound of Music |
| Spouse(s) |
Jay Brent
(m. 1967; div. 1991) |
| Children | 2 |
Charmian Carr (born Charmian Anne Farnon; December 27, 1942 – September 17, 2016) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing Liesl von Trapp in the famous 1965 movie The Sound of Music. Liesl was the oldest of the seven von Trapp children in the film.
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Her Early Life
Charmian Anne Farnon was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother, Rita Oehmen, was a vaudeville actress, and her father, Brian Farnon, was a musician. Charmian was the second of their children. She had two sisters, Shannon Farnon and Darleen Carr, who also became actresses.
When Charmian was 10 years old, her family moved to Los Angeles. She attended San Fernando High School. While there, she was a cheerleader and enjoyed playing basketball and volleyball. Before she got her big role in The Sound of Music, she had never taken singing lessons or tried acting.
Becoming Liesl in The Sound of Music
Before becoming an actress, Charmian Carr was studying at San Fernando Valley State College. She was studying speech therapy and philosophy. She also worked for a doctor to earn some money.
Her mother, Rita Farnon, secretly arranged an audition for Charmian for a role in The Sound of Music. Charmian didn't even know about it at first! She later shared how surprised she was to get the call for the tryout.
The director of the movie, Robert Wise, felt that "Farnon" was too long a last name for Charmian. He gave her a list of shorter names, and she chose "Carr." She won the part of Liesl over many other young actresses.
Filming The Sound of Music was mostly a very happy time for her. However, during the famous dance scene with Rolf in the gazebo, she had a small accident. The people in charge of costumes forgot to put non-slip pads on her shoes. She slid and went through a window of the gazebo! She had to finish the scene even though she was in pain.
Life After the Movie
After The Sound of Music, Charmian Carr appeared in a TV musical called Evening Primrose in 1966. This musical was written by the famous composer Stephen Sondheim.
The next year, in 1967, she married a dentist named Jay Brent. After getting married, she decided to leave acting. Charmian and Jay had two daughters, Jennifer and Emily. They later divorced in 1991. Charmian also became a grandmother to Emma and Derek.
Later in her life, Charmian Carr started her own interior design company called Charmian Carr Designs. It was located in Encino, California. She also wrote two books about her experiences: Forever Liesl and Letters to Liesl.
In 2010, she reunited with many of her co-stars from The Sound of Music on The Oprah Winfrey Show. This was to celebrate the movie's 45th anniversary. In 2014, she recorded the song "Edelweiss" with the great-grandchildren of the real von Trapp family. This song was on an album called Dream a Little Dream.
Her Legacy
Charmian Carr passed away in Los Angeles on September 17, 2016, at the age of 73. She died from complications related to an illness. She will always be remembered for her role as Liesl, which brought joy to millions of people around the world.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | The Sound of Music | Liesl von Trapp |
See also
In Spanish: Charmian Carr para niños
