According to the Los Angeles Times, the seven actors who played the Von Trapp children in Robert Wise's The Sound of Music are as close today as they were while they were in production in 1964 in Salzburg.

Although they live all over the world, they've always been there for one another.  A decade ago they rushed to be at the side of Heather Menzies (Louisa) when her husband, actor Robert Urich, died of cancer.  And Menzies is the godmother to Kym Karath's (Gretl) special needs 20-year-old son, Eric.

The seven have a new coffee table book out that they wrote with Fred Bronson, entitled The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook.  The book is full of behind-the-scenes stories and photos of the film.  On Saturday, all seven will be autographing the book at the Hollywood Show at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, and on Sunday four of the actors will be in conversation with LA Times writer Rebecca Keegan at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC.

Earlier this week, the seven gathered to reminisce.  Only Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), 61, who has been in Australia for the last 22 years, is still working in the business.  Charmian Carr (Liesl), 69, lives in Encino, where she is a successful interior designer.  Duane Chase (Kurt), 61, lives in Seattle.  He holds degrees in geology and is in the software industry.

Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), 59, lives in Studio City.  She had a boutique for more than 20 years, and is reportedly an accomplished photographer, painter and art book author.  Menzies, 62, retired from show business to raised her three children.  She now lives in Utah and raises money for the Robert Urich Foundation for Cancer Research.

Debbie Turner (Marta), 55, lives in Minnesota, where she is a florist and doll designer.  Karath, 53, lives in Malibu and has spent the last two decades raising Eric.  She also is the founder of the Aurelia Foundation for special needs individuals as they transition to adulthood.

Interesting, huh?  The only one of those kids who rang a bell with me at the time was Angela Cartwright, who was a regular on one of the old Danny Thomas TV shows.