'Sound of Music' Actress Heather Menzies-Urich Dead at 68

Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, most famous for her role in The Sound of Music, has died of brain cancer. She was 68.

She was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme — an aggressive brain tumor — about a month ago, and her health declined rapidly, her son Ryan Urich told CNN.  She reportedly passed away on Christmas Eve in Canada.

"The most important thing was my mom was an actress, talented dancer [and] really avid in arts and theater," Urich told the station. "She had this unbelievable network of friends."

Menzies-Urich was 16 when she landed the role of one of the Von Trapp children, Louisa, in the 1965 film alongside Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

In 2013, she said the friendships she made on set were the most impactful part about being in the movie.

Later in her life, Menzies-Urich took on numerous TV roles in shows like Logan's Run, Vega$ and Spenser: For Hire

She married actor Robert Urich in 1975 and started a foundation in his honor, the Robert Urich Foundation, after his death in 2002. The organization raises money for cancer research.

Menzies-Urich is survived by three children and eight grandchildren.

RELATED STORIES