On the set, Plummer referred to the film as The Sound of Mucus. And while many of the kids remember him as aloof, the children were intimidated by him which made their performance better, according to Charmian Carr who played his eldest daughter Liesl.Co-star Julie Andrews told Salt Lake City's Deseret New that Christopher's approach tempered the film's "potential sugary sentiment"

But time has softened his views on The Sound of Music. On the CBS's The Early Show last year he said, "I know I was particularly irreverent about the piece, but underneath it all, I am grateful for it."

Now 72, the actor, who last appeared as Russell Crowe's psychiatrist in A Beautiful Mind, lives in Connecticut with his wife of 31 years, actress Elaine Taylor, 58

Unlike her irascible leading man, Andrews was "...a dream lady to work with." says director Robert Wise. "Between scenes, she was teaching us songs and had us in fits of giggles." says Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich). "

Of her 55-year career, Andrews told Larry King last year, "Imagine being asked to do Mary Poppins, and then somebody comes along and says, 'Would you like to do The Sound f Music?' My God, how lucky I got!"

Now 66, Julie continues to act and write children's books in East Hampton, New Yrok and Manhattan, where she lives with her second husband of 32 years, director Blake Edwards , 79, with whom she raised five children.

Charmian was 21 years old when she played Liesl, 16. But that wasn't the only subterfuge going on. After spraining her ankle in an earlier take of Sixteen Going on Seventeen, she has to wear a camouflaged bandage. "You can see it if you know to look." says the actress

Carr gave up acting for interior design because, she says "I wanted children and a career I could control." With husband Jay Brent (they divorced in 1991), she had daughters Jennifer, 32, and Emily, 28, and worked as Michael Jackson's interior designer through the '80s.

Now 59, Carr lives in Encino, California and dating a forest ranger named Gary Oldham, 59.

According to Hammond, he and his movie siblings, whom he still counts among his closest friends, have turned out so well. "None of us are on drugs, none of us are in jail. We are all in relationships, we all have normal working lives."

Playing Peter Parker in the '70s TV series The Amazing Spiderman and guest-starring on some 100 other shows, Sound of Music remains an unsurpassable touchstone for the actor. "My mum still has the telegram saying 'Nicky got the job.' It was a total thrill."

Now 51, Hammond lives in Sydney with girlfriend Robyn Nevin, 49, artistic director of the Sydney Theatre Company

Sound Of Music - "Some movie being filmed in Australia starring Julie Harris." what? *giggles* That's how 13 year-old Heather described her SOM audition to a friend. But after six months of tryouts, she says, "I wanted it more than anyhting."

Starred in the TV series Logan's Run, the Heather posed for the Playboy magazine, "I thought, 'Ooh, let's see what it's like to be sexy.'" says the actress.

Now 52, Heather lives in Los Angeles with her husband, actor Robert Urich, 55, whom she met while filming a commercial for Libby's Corned Beef Hash. They have three children - Ryan, 23, Emily, 21, and Allison, 4.

After seven years on TV's The Danny Thomas Show, the British-born actress was a professional on the Sound of Music set. When she wasn't debating the cutest Beatle with Heather (Louisa), she was learning to say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" backwards from Mary Poppins herself. "I still can." Angela says proudly.

Life came full circle as she watched her daughter Rebecca, now 20 (she also have a son Jesse, 16) play Maria in a summer theater production of SOM eight years ago. "When she came out singing 'The hills are alive...,' Cartwright remembers, "...tears streamed down my face."

Now 49, Cartwright, together with her husband of 26 years Steve Gullion, 53, have a gift boutique (now online) in Toluca Lake, California where she sells her own hand-tinted black and white photos.

Turner impressed director Robert Wise with her audition - but distressed him during filming. "He has a screen to soften the background," she says, "I fell through it and put a body-sized hole in it. I don't think he ever forgave me."

The actress is now freelancing as a floral designer and marketing homemade collectible Santas online. Turner, who e-mails the other 'kids' regularly, says that the film's message of love and honor explains its enduring popularity. "It's a very heartfelt story, You walk out of the movie singing."

Now 45, Turner lives in Chanhassen, Minnesota with husband Richard Larson, 44,an aircraft mechanic, where they raised four daughters, ages 9 to 19.

This was the plan for the rowboat scene: When the boat tipped, Julie was to catch the 5 year-old Karath in her arms as they fell into the lake. Instead, on the second take, Andrews and Karath landed in the water in opposite sides of the boat. "That was a little traumatic - someone had to save me!" says Karath.

Now 43, Karath, who shuttles between homes in Los Angeles and Connecticut, is married to a banker named Philippe L'Equilbec and have a 10 year-old son, Eric.