Someone from my beloved “Celebrity Birthday Cake” has passed. Actor Christopher Plummer, aged 91, passed away this past Friday, February 5th, in Weston, Connecticut – not too far from my own humble Connecticut abode. In the great Hollywood pantheon, he was long-admired for being an “actor’s actor.” Christopher Plummer did everything from live classical theater, to blockbuster Hollywood musicals, to smaller Hollywood thrillers. He was a man who by all accounts loved his craft, studied it, and even once said in a 2011 or 2012 interview – “What the hell is retirement?” Ah. How can you not love that? He was already in his 80s.
Christopher Plummer embodied “fiery charisma.” He approached his career and roles with verve and swagger. In fact, in 2012, at age 82, he was, and still is, the oldest recipient of the “highest acting prize” Academy Award, which he won for his supporting role in the film “Beginners” (2010).
Whether he was playing stern, though good-guy widower Captain von Trapp in the legendary “The Sound of Music” back in 1965, or playing evil movie exec Raymond Swan who torments poor Natalie Wood’s character in “Inside Daisy Clover” that same year, Christopher Plummer always created multi-layered characters. His characters always, always, had “more than meets the eye.” Ah. How mysterious!
And that’s not even counting the characters he played much later in his career. He had such an impressive “late in life” cinematic heyday – in roles like “Dolores Claiborne” (1995) and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011). In fact, Christopher Plummer’s final film was just two years ago – “Knives Out” (2019).
You could never pin him down. He always kept us guessing with bated breath throughout his “sixty plus” years on-screen. What movie would he do next? What enigmatic character would he brilliantly embody now? That shape-shifting mastery is about as high a compliment as any viewer can give an actor, right? So, bravo, Chris. You enthralled me! And word off-screen was you were a charming, fun-loving, and amiable guy. How cool.
Now as for “The Sound of Music” (1965) which introduced me to you years ago? I was just a high school young’un, and I remember putting your VHS tape in every day I worked that one summer at Blockbuster video store. Yes, I just said VHS and video store! I’m sure I drove my co-workers nuts – but I really did love this movie. I wanted to share it with all those customers walking through the door. There were about five or six TVs dotting the store, and there you were with Julie Andrews all smooching it up under that moonlit gazebo. How sweet. And I thought you were beyond gorgeous with your dark locks and piercing blue eyes! Now I know it wasn’t one of your favorite films, and I thoroughly respect that – but I can’t pay tribute to you without mentioning it. You brightened my high school days immensely. Thank you.
So, rest in peace, dear Christopher Plummer. May that fiery glowing spirit be lighting the sky somewhere. And may you always know that your career left a positive footprint behind. You loved your job, and we loved you.
For movie lovers who want to discover Christopher Plummer’s “movie portfolio,” here’s a helpful link: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001626/. And for my blog readers who want to see Christopher Plummer and all the others who made my coveted “Celebrity Birthday Cake” list, here’s another link” https://www.colormeculture.com/hola. Enjoy!