Happy 90th Birthday, Christopher Plummer! Look back at his best photos through the years

December 13, 2019 - 09:01 GMT hellomagazine.com

1/28

Happy 90th Birthday to Christopher Plummer! The Canadian living legend has had an incredible career that has spanned nearly seven decades across stage, movies and television. He’s been the recipient of nearly every award there is to win, with an Academy Award, a Genie Award, two Emmys, two Tonys, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA.

Most of us know him from his beloved role in The Sound of Music, but his career didn’t begin there! He started on stage, making his Broadway debut in 1953 in The Starcross Story, then found theatre success in Stratford in 1956, when he starred in the title role in Henry V. He returned to Stratford to stage Shakespeare’s works several more times throughout that decade and the 1960s, along with the ‘00s and 2010 and 2012. He also found much success on stage across the pond in London.

His film career began in 1958, when he was cast in Starstruck, and has continued ever since.

Scroll through the gallery (or click through if you’re on desktop) to see the best photos of Christopher through the years!

Photos: © Getty Images

2/28

In 1958, Christopher starred with Burl Ives in Wind Across the Everglades. It was one of his first acting roles. He played a game warden trying to enforce conservation laws who comes up against fierce opposition from a local poacher (Burl).

Photo: © Warner Brothers/Getty Images

3/28

Christopher, who was married for the first time to Tammy Grimes from 1956-1960, found love again with journalist Patricia Lewis in 1961. The two married a year later, but unfortunately divorced in 1967.

Photo: © George Stroud/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

4/28

He portrayed Roman Emperor Commodus in The Fall of the Roman Empire in 1964.

Photo: © Getty Images

5/28

A year later, Christopher landed the role that would make his entire career when he starred in The Sound of Music playing Captain Von Trapp alongside the incredible Julie Andrews.

Photo: © Donaldson Collection/Getty Images

6/28

The film landed both him and Julie rave reviews for their performances as the austere Austrian army captain who learns to live a little when he falls in love with Maria (Julie) a rambunctious nun, who arrives at his family home to be governess to his nine (!) children. Eleanor Parker (left) also drew strong reviews for her portrayal of the Baroness, whose love for Captain Von Trapp is unfortunately unrequited.

Photo: © Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

7/28

The film, directed by Robert Wise, went on to become the top-grossing film of all time, outselling Gone with the Wind at the box office.

Photo: © Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

8/28

The film is still beloved by movie fans today, thanks to its music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

One of the most memorable scenes features the ensemble cast of Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), Kym Karath (Gretl), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Julie, Christopher, Charmian Carr (Liesl), Heather Menzies (Louisa), Debbie Turner (Marta) and Duane Chase (Kurt) singing "Edelweiss" on stage.

Photo: © Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

9/28

The following year, Christopher starred in Triple Cross, in which he plays Eddie Chapman, a man who the Nazis thought was their top spy in the UK, but who was really an MI5 double agent known as "Zigzag."

Photo: © Warner Brothers/Getty Images

10/28

His success in war films continued in 1969, when he starred in Battle of Britain.

Photo: © Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

11/28

In 1970, Christopher married English actress Elaine Taylor, and the two remain together to this day.

Photo: © Dove/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

12/28

Christopher grew out some impressive sideburns to star as an officer in Conduct Unbecoming alongside Susannah York in 1975.

Photo: © Allied Artists/Getty Images

13/28

The same year, he starred with Peter Sellers and Catherine Schnell in The Return of the Pink Panther, playing Sir Charles Litton, aka the Phantom, in a role he took over from David Niven.

Photo: © Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

14/28

He took on another mystery film in 1979, playing Sherlock Holmes to James Mason's Watson in Murder by Decree.

Photo: © Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

15/28

After roles in the '80s including stints in Somewhere in Time and even a venture into Star Trek with an appearance in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 1991, Christopher starred in an adaptation of Stephen King's Dolores Claiborne in 1995. The psychological thriller saw him in the role of Detective John Mackey alongside Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh (pictured).

Photo: © Castle Rock/Getty Images

16/28

A particularly sweet moment saw Christopher win his second Tony Award in 1997. Susan Sarandon presented him with the trophy for his role in Barrymore.

Photo: © Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

17/28

In 1999, Christopher (pictured right) starred alongside Al Pacino and Russell Crowe in The Insider, a fictionalized account of a 60 Minutes story about Jeffrey Wigand (Russell), who was a whistleblower in the tobacco industry in the late '80s and early '90s.

Photo: © Touchstone Pictures

18/28

In 2001, 72-year-old Christopher and 66-year-old Julie had one of their many reunions when she was presented with an Ella Award by the Society of Singers to recognize her career contribution to music and social causes.

Photo: © M. Caulfield/WireImage

19/28

Welsh singer Charlotte Church joined the two a year later for the Royal Christmas Show, where they belted out Sound of Music hits.

Photo: © Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic

20/28

Christopher, who began his career in theatre on Broadway in 1953 and later also had extensive stints with the Stratford Festival from 1956 to 1967, returned to staging Shakespeare in the early '00s, starring in King Lear with Zoe Caldwell in New York in 2004.

21/28

Christopher was nominated for a Tony Award in 2007 for playing Henry Drummond in the revival of Inherit the Wind.

22/28

In 2009, Christopher's autobiography, In Spite of Myself, was published.

23/28

In 2010, Christopher received his first ever (!) Academy Award nomination for playing the writer Leo Tolstoy in 2009's The Last Station alongside Helen Mirren.