Christopher Plummer

Biography

Christopher Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a highly acclaimed Canadian actor whose illustrious career spanned seven decades across film, stage, and television. He achieved the rare "Triple Crown of Acting," earning an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, making him the only Canadian to do so. His numerous other accolades include a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, along with a Grammy nomination.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Plummer was the only child of John Orme Plummer and Isabella Mary Abbott, whose grandfather was Canadian Prime Minister Sir John Abbott. He was also a second cousin to British actor Nigel Bruce, known for his portrayal of Doctor Watson.

Plummer's Broadway debut was in 1954's The Starcross Story. He garnered two Tony Awards for Best Actor: for his role as Cyrano de Bergerac in Cyrano (1974) and as John Barrymore in Barrymore (1997). He also received Tony nominations for J.B. (1959), Othello (1982), No Man's Land (1994), King Lear (2004), and Inherit the Wind (2007).

Transitioning to film, Plummer's debut was in Stage Struck (1958), quickly followed by his first starring role in Wind Across the Everglades the same year. His breakthrough came as Captain Georg von Trapp in the iconic musical film The Sound of Music (1965), co-starring Julie Andrews. During this period, he also featured in films like The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), Waterloo (1970), and The Man Who Would Be King (1975).

Plummer received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Beginners (2011). He also earned Oscar nominations for The Last Station (2009) and All the Money in the World (2017). His extensive filmography includes other notable works such as Somewhere in Time (1980), Malcolm X (1992), The Insider (1999), A Beautiful Mind (2001), The New World (2005), Syriana (2005), Inside Man (2006), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), and Knives Out (2019).