The Sound of Music Star Reflects on Childhood Stardom 60 Years Later

In September 2025, Nicholas Hammond, now 75 years old, looks back on his experience as a child star in the iconic musical film The Sound of Music. Hammond was just 14 years old when he played the role of Friedrich von Trapp, one of the seven singing siblings, in the 1965 classic.

The sudden fame and attention that came with the film's massive success proved daunting for the young actor. "It was a joyous film to make," Hammond says, "but the fact that you go from just being a kid in the ninth grade to being one of the seven most famous children in the world, that's a big thing to put on a 14-year-old."

Hammond credits his co-stars and his supportive family for helping him navigate the challenges of childhood stardom. "I was lucky in that I had the support of all those people, but also I did keep working -- it's not like that was it," he reveals. In the years following The Sound of Music, Hammond continued to act, landing roles in other popular projects like The Brady Bunch.

Now, six decades after the film's debut, Hammond reflects on his long and vibrant career, grateful for the opportunities he's had. "I don't ever want to do anything in the world except wake up in the morning and know I either have a play to go to that night, a film set to be on or a TV studio to be in," he says. "Those are the only three things I want in life...and that's just never changed."