Charmian Carr, Who Won Hearts As Liesl In 'The Sound Of Music,' Dies

Actress Charmian Carr, who captivated audiences with her portrayal of Liesl Von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” film, has died of complications from a rare form of dementia, according to her website. She was 73.

Carr, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, was best known for her role as the eldest Von Trapp child in the Academy Award-winning musical film, in which she sang a coming-of-age duet, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” with her onscreen boyfriend.

“Carr was best known for acting, but much of her life revolved around her family and her interior design business,” read a note on Carr’s website.

“After acting in the Sound of Music, she married and then decided to leave the movie business and raise her two children, Jennifer & Emily. It was a decision she never regretted,” the message read.

Carr went on to author two books, Forever Liesl and Letters To Liesl, in the late 1990s, in which she recalled her time working on the film as well as her time spent with the real Von Trapp children.

The 1965 film was adapted from a Broadway musical written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Ted Chapin, the president and director of Rodgers & Hammerstein, issued a statement on behalf of the organization comparing her loss to that of a family member.

“Charmian Carr played the oldest Von Trapp child, and in some ways she maintained that role in real life - guiding, cheering, supporting and generally being there for the rest of her ‘sisters’ and ‘brothers,’” he said. “I will miss her, well, charm and her spirit. We all send condolences to her family.”

20th Century Fox, which produced and distributed the film, shared condolences on Twitter on Sunday, as did actors and fans.