She was just 13 years old when she appeared as one of the seven von Trapp children in the beloved musical, which starred Julie Andrews as Maria, the governess who cares for the family in 1930s Austria. The Oscar-winning classic remains her most famous role, though she also built a résumé that included appearances in Lost in Space, The Love Boat, Adam-12, and Beyond the Poseidon Adventure.
Now 73, the actress has largely stepped away from acting and focused on creative work behind the camera, including photography, as well as clothing and jewelry design. She was recently seen taking a break from her artistic pursuits while cleaning her car windshield during an outing in Los Angeles, dressed casually in a flowing dress and trainers.
The mystery star was revealed to be Angela Cartwright, who played Brigitta von Trapp. Born in England, Cartwright already had an established career before the film, appearing at age three as Paul Newman’s daughter in Somebody Up There Likes Me and starring in the long-running TV series Make Room for Daddy.
After The Sound of Music, she continued acting in series such as Lost in Space and Make Room for Granddaddy, but later shifted her focus after welcoming her two children. Cartwright has spent more than three decades working as a photographer and has authored several books on photography techniques. She also made a cameo in the 2018 reboot of Lost in Space, appearing as Dr. Smith’s mother. Acting clearly runs in the family — her sister is Veronica Cartwright, known for her work in The X-Files.
Despite stepping back from the spotlight, Cartwright continues to reunite with her former castmates. Last summer, she met with fellow von Trapp children actors in Florence, Italy, and she also joined them in 2022 to celebrate Julie Andrews receiving a lifetime honor. With a new project titled Ralph’s Perfekt Christmas on the horizon, the former child star appears ready to make another return — decades after helping create one of cinema’s most enduring classics.
