Heartwarming moment Julie Andrews is serenaded with ‘Do-Re-Mi’ by Von Trapp child actors

10 June 2022, 22:36 | Updated: 20 June 2022, 11:22

Von Trapp child actors serenade Dame Julie Andrews with ‘Do-Re-Mi’
Von Trapp child actors serenade Dame Julie Andrews with ‘Do-Re-Mi’. Picture: Getty

By Maddy Shaw Roberts

The ‘Sound of Music’ child actors reunited to sing one more time with legendary soprano, Julie Andrews.

In a heartwarming moment of music, Dame Julie Andrews was serenaded by five of the original cast members who played the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music, which was released 57 years ago.

The beloved film, whose music was composed by the legendary duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, saw Andrews play a governess who helps the Von Trapp family household rediscover the joy of music, and music-making.

On Thursday 9 June, Andrews was being honoured at the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala with the institute’s highest honour for a career in film.

Nicholas Hammond, who played Friedrich Von Trapp, begins the presentation with the opening lyric of the song ‘Do-Re-Mi’, one of the most famous numbers from the musical film (watch below).

“Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start,” Hammond says, as Andrews can be seen smiling at the five actors standing on stage, and nodding in approval.

Read more: Real-life Von Trapp great grandchildren sing an impromptu ‘Edelweiss’

The song begins to play over the speakers, and Andrews is poised to join in, leading the audience in a mass singalong at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.

After a few moments, the five actors begin to sing along with their original parts, while walking over to their on-screen governess.

Read more: The time real-life Maria Von Trapp taught Sound of Music’s Julie Andrews how to yodel

Julie Andrew arrives for AFI Life Achievement Award Gala

Andrews, 86, beams as Nicholas Hammond, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath, who played Von Trapp children Friedrich, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta and Gretl respectively, gather around her in the surprise tribute performance.

The actors who played Liesl and Louisa Von Trapp, Charmian Carr and Heather Menzies, have both passed away – the former in 2016, the latter in 2017.

As Andrews was introduced, she received a standing ovation from the room.