LOS ANGELES, Dec 26: Actor Heather Menzies-Urich, best known for her role of Louisa von Trapp in the 1965 Oscar-winning film “The Sound of Music” has passed away. She was 68.
Urich was recently diagnosed with brain cancer and died surrounded by her family, her son Ryan Urich told Variety.
The Rodgers and Hammerstein estate, representing “The Sound of Music” musical creators Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, condoled Urich’s death and said “Heather was part of ‘the family'”.
“There is really no other way to describe the members of the cast of the movie of ‘The Sound of Music’. And of ‘the kids,’ Heather was a cheerful and positive member of the group, always hoping for the next gathering.
“We are all lucky to have known her, and she will happily live on in that beautiful movie. We will miss her,” according to a statement by Ted Chapin, president of the Rodgers and Hammerstein estate.
Urich was born in 1949 in Toronto. Her first acting credit was on the TV series “My Three Sons” at the age of 13.
She then auditioned and got the part of Louisa — the third-oldest von Trapp sibling — in ‘The Sound of Music’, which also starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.
The film went on to become a beloved classic and won five Oscars, including best picture.
Her other acting credits included “Hawaii”, “Dragnet 1967”, “The Bob Newhart Show”, and “Logan’s Run”.
Urich was married to film producer Robert Urich until his death in 2002. (PTI)