Christopher Plummer
A Shakespearean titan of the stage who brought patrician authority and a wicked twinkle to a vast array of roles, most famously as Captain Von Trapp.
1929–2021 (age 92)·Canadian actor·Birthday: December 13·The Silent Generation
Biography
Christopher Plummer carried himself with the bearing of a man born to command a stage, which, in a way, he was. The Montreal-born actor cut his teeth in classical theatre, becoming a formidable presence at the Stratford Festival and on Broadway, where his Henry V and Cyrano de Bergerac were hailed. For many, he was forever the stern, singing Captain Von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music,' a role he later playfully dismissed as 'so awful and sentimental.' That film fame, however, unlocked a long and rich screen career where he specialized in intelligent villains and charming rogues, from 'The Insider' to 'Beginners.' In his latter years, he delivered a string of potent performances, finally winning an Oscar at 82 for 'Beginners,' and stepping in at the last minute to rescue a film by replacing a disgraced Kevin Spacey. His voice, a rich instrument of precision and wit, remained one of his greatest assets until the end.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Christopher was born in 1929, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christopher Was Born
The biggest hits of 1929
#1 Movie
The Broadway Melody
Best Picture
The Broadway Melody
Christopher's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1929Born
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1934Started school
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1942Became a teenager
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Could drive
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1947Could vote
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Turned 21
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1959Turned 30
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 40
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 50
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 60
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 70
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 80
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2021Died at 92
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at age 82 for his role in 'Beginners,' becoming the oldest actor to win an Oscar.
- Achieved the 'Triple Crown of Acting,' winning competitive Emmy, Tony, and Academy Awards.
- Delivered a landmark performance as John Barrymore in the one-man show 'Barrymore,' winning a Tony Award.
- Received widespread acclaim for his last-minute role as J. Paul Getty in 'All the Money in the World,' for which he earned an Oscar nomination.
- Was a principal actor at the Stratford Festival in Canada, performing in many of Shakespeare's major plays.
Did You Know?
He was a descendant of John Abbott, the third Prime Minister of Canada.
He recorded the voice of the villain Charles F. Muntz in Pixar's 'Up' but was replaced by Christopher Plummer due to creative differences; the role ultimately went to Christopher Plummer (a different one).
He was an accomplished pianist and initially considered a career in music before turning to acting.
He published a memoir in 2008 titled 'In Spite of Myself.'
“The stage is my wife, and the movies are my mistress.”
