It Almost Went to The Producer’s Wife
Richard Halliday originally perceived the production as completely different. The Broadway producer who worked on the production initially thought the role of Maria would have been perfect for his Richard, Mary Martin.
Just as well it ultimately went to Julie Andrews, because she certainly made the role ever so memorable.
Maria Was Already Married
In reality, Baron von Trapp and Maria did not have the budding romance like they did on screen. Instead, the two of them had already been married for years and even had kids at the time, as well as another bun in the oven.
Of course the actual wedding was not particularly glamorous and was just a simple affair in Saltzburg in the year 1927.
There is a Family Lodge
When the von Trapps made their way to America, they managed to settle in Stowe, Vermont in 1942. After the death of Baron Georg von Trapp in 1947, the family created the Trapp Family Lodge. The lodge, which is also their home, is a 27 room ski lodge. The lodge was destroyed by a fire in December 1890.
In 1983 it reopened as a new Austrian - style lodge with 93 rooms and is actually still running today.
A Final Song
As Hammerstein died just nine months after the release of the film, so the last song he wrote happened to be the ever famous "Edelweiss". This amazing song, which as you now know is actually not actually a traditional Austrian song, will forever be Sound of Music's most iconic song.
The song was supposedly sang by Christopher Plummer, but more on that later.
A Broadway Flop
Before the 1965 film, it was a Broadway play. It opened for the first time at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 16, 1959. The highly anticipated event was met with some serious disappointment, as most major New York critics hated it. According to many, it was far too sentimental and saccharine for their liking.
Unfortunately, the producers had already invested around $2 million in order to advance ticket sales. Looks like the film version had better luck.