Christopher Plummer dies at the age of 91

Late Hollywood legend Christopher Plummer is being remembered as a ‘fine actor’ and a ‘good man’ by former co-star Russell Crowe.

Christopher Plummer, the Canadian-born actor best known for his iconic ole in The Sound of Music, has died at his home in Connecticut. He was 91.

Oscar-winner Plummer had a fall two weeks ago in which he suffered a blow to his head, his wife, Elaine, said. She added that he had died peacefully at home.

The screen legend’s former co-star Russell Crowe led tributes, describing Plummer as an “impressive” actor with “candour” and “wisdom” who was a “good man”.

“I loved working with Chris on The Insider, he was just impressive,” Crowe tweeted.

“It was a travesty that his role didn’t receive an Academy Award nomination because everyone talked about and knew that it was among the handful of truly formidable performances that year.”

I loved working with Chris on The Insider, he was just impressive. It was a travesty that his role didn’t receive an Academy Award nomination because everyone talked about and knew that it was amongst the handful of truly formidable performances that year.

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) February 5, 2021

We worked together again on A Beautiful Mind. Occasionally we would spend time together after work.
He preferred one on one , a good drink, not just any drink.
I appreciated his candour and wisdom.
As Actors do though, in the big circles we swing around, we fell out of touch

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) February 5, 2021

I reached out to him in 2012 after he won the Academy Award to say “ on behalf of Finch and I, welcome to the club”.
He laughed.

Rest In Peace Mr Plummer.
Good man. Fine actor.

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) February 5, 2021

Christopher Plummer pictured at the 85th Annual Academy Awards. He passed away aged 91. Picture: AFP

Lou Pitt, Plummer’s longtime friend and manager of 46 years, said: “Chris was an extraordinary man who deeply loved and respected his profession with great old fashion manners, self deprecating humour and the music of words”.

“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.”

With a Hollywood acting career that spanned seven decades, Plummer’s most-loved role was as the imperious Captain Von Trapp opposite Julie Andrews in 1965’s The Sound of Music.

R.I.P. # Canadian actor Christopher Plummer, he was 91 years old. Loved him as Captain Georg von Trapp in The Sound of Music 1965, with Julie Andrews as Maria Rainer and decades later a fabulous reunion with them. pic.twitter.com/Swe3eJSMoK

— TV and Film Stars (@TVandFilmStars) February 5, 2021

“I’m very fond of Julie,” Plummer had told NPR in a 2009 interview. “That’s the nicest thing that came out of that film for me. We have a true and great friendship. She’s an extraordinary woman, professional. I’m grateful to the film in many ways because it was such a success. It is not my favourite film, of course, because I do think it borders on mawkishness.”

“The Sound of Mucus,” is how Plummer had referred to the film, in reference to its sentimentality.

Plummer’s acting roles were varied – he played a 75-year-old widower who comes out as gay in 2012’s Beginners, a role for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, making him the oldest actor ever to win the Academy Award in the category.

He also ventured into TV and picked up an Emmy nomination for Our Fathers, which probed the Catholic Church’s conspiracy of silence on sexual abuse.

Christopher Plummer in a scene from the movie Knives Out. Picture: Studiocanal

Plummer was distinguished by his rich and theatrical voice, and his versatility. In film he had parts in 12 Monkeys, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and A Beautiful Mind. He also voiced characters in Up and An American Tale.

His career began on the stage in Shakespeare’s Henry V at the Stratford Festival in 1956. He delivered a critically-acclaimed Iago opposite James Earl Jones in Othello on Broadway and held his own in Macbeth opposite Glenda Jackson.

He won his first Tony Award in 1974 for the musical Cyrano and a second in 1996 for solo play Barrymore, based on the life of actor John Barrymore.

Born Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer in Toronto, the actor grew up in Montreal, and started out in the business in Canadian theatre and television.

He moved to New York City in the 1950s and worked in TV until his Broadway debut opposite the legendary Katharine Cornell in 1954.

A young Christopher Plummer posing for a studio portrait in the 1950s.

The following year, he played opposite Australian actor Judith Anderson in a now legendary production of Medea and he went on to play many classic stage roles.

His personal life fared less well and he struggled with drinking and two marriages ended in divorce.

He credits his third wife, former British actor Elaine Taylor, with reviving his career.

In 1973 he conceived and directed an evening of Shakespearean love themes entitled “Lovers and Madmen,” appearing opposite Australian stage actor Zoe Caldwell.

Screen icon Christopher Plummer at the Oscars in 2018. Picture: AFP

Plummer played TV journalist Mike Wallace in The Insider with Russell Crowe in 1999. In 2019, Russell Crowe tweeted that he thought’s Plummer’s performance as Wallace was “brilliant”.

Plummer teamed up with Crowe again in A Beautiful Mind in 2001.

As he got older and entered the new millennium Plummer showed no signs of retiring or slowing down.

He even tried action films, appearing The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

His most recent star turn was in the mystery-comedy Knives Out in 2019.

Plummer is survived by his wife and his daughter, the actor Amanda Plummer, who he had with his second wife Tammy Grimes.