Christopher Plummer, the Canadian actor, best known for his role as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, has died at the age of 91.
At 82 became the oldest Academy Award acting winner in history. He won the Oscar in 2012 for the film Beginners and was also nominated for The Last Station in 2010 and All the Money in the World in 2018. In the latter film, he replaced Kevin Spacey, whose performance as billionaire J Paul Getty was removed.
According to reports, Plummer died peacefully at his home in Connecticut with his wife Elaine Taylor at his side. Lou Pitt, his long-time friend and manager of 46 years, remembered him as "an extraordinary man who deeply loved and respected his profession," the BBC reported.
It was opposite Julie Andrews as von Trapp in the 1965 film The Sound of Music that made him a star. He played an Austrian captain who must flee the country with his folk-singing family to escape service in the Nazi navy, a role he lamented was "humorless and one-dimensional." Plummer spent the rest of his life referring to the film as The Sound of Mucus or S&M.
"We tried so hard to put humor into it," he told The Associated Press in 2007. "It was almost impossible. It was just agony to try to make that guy not a cardboard figure."
A GIF of the captain ripping a Nazi flag became a popular meme in recent years, and gave Plummer a new does of fame.
"The world has lost a consummate actor today and I have lost a cherished friend. I treasure the memories of our work together and all the humor and fun we shared through the years," Andrews said in a statement.
The role catapulted Plummer to stardom, but he never took to leading men parts, despite his silver hair, good looks and ever-so-slight English accent. He preferred character parts, considering them more meaty. His memoir in 2012 was titled In Spite of Myself.
Plummer's many other films included The Man Who Would Be King and Knives Out.
He is still memorable as the villainous Klingon in the sixth Star Trek film and played TV anchorman Mike Wallace in 1999's The Insider.
He also played Sherlock Holmes in Murder By Decree and appeared with Peter Sellers in The Return of the Pink Panther.
"He was a national treasure who deeply relished his Canadian roots," Pitt said. "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 agency inputs