There are few film characters more beloved than Liesl Von Trapp, the headstrong oldest daughter in "The Sound of Music." Actress Charmian Carr played the iconic role and in most people's hearts and minds, she will forever be "Sixteen Going on 17."
Carr passed away in September at age 73, due to complications of a rare form of dementia. Now the Encino, CA, home where she raised her two daughters has been listed for $1,695,000.
After filming "The Sound of Music," the actress starred in a musical with Anthony Perkins called "Evening Primrose," then married and left the entertainment industry altogether. Once she left showbiz, Carr dedicated herself to her family and her interior design business, Charmian Carr Designs.
The home was built in 1957 in the Mellenthin style, epitomized by wood siding plus birdhouse and dovecote motifs, which was all the rage in the San Fernando Valley at the time. Seamless additions were built, bringing the square footage up to 4,244 square feet, with seven bedrooms and five baths. Carr's family purchased it in 1969.
The interior is a reflection of Carr's attention to detail and craftsmanship when her interior design business was at its peak in the 1980s and '90s. Michael Jackson, a big fan of the classic movie, was among her more prominent clients.
In her own home, she made generous use of herringbone wood floors, custom cabinets, and French doors. Buyers may find a few updates are necessary, but we hope the next owner will have an appreciation for the home's heritage.
We'd hate to see someone destroy the home's vaguely Alpine feel and gracious aura, with wood paneling, used brick, and exposed wood beams.
Listing agent Allison Dubois of Berkshire Hathaway has great affection for the home. She was friends with Carr's daughters and spent her youth "practically growing up there." Dubois says, "It's a magical place. She was an avid gardener as well as an interior designer, and the grounds are beautiful."
Dubois adds that it has rare features for a home built in the 1950s -- an open floor plan, tons of storage space, including walk-in closets, and a large garage that can accommodate four cars. "She loved to entertain," says Dubois. "Hers was the home where everyone wanted to be."
Once her daughters were grown and on their own, Carr returned to showbiz. In 2000 she began co-hosting "Sound of Music" sing-alongs, attending the first gala performance at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City, and participating in almost all the shows held at L.A.'s famous Hollywood Bowl, until 2012.
Now the home, strategically priced so that it will be attractive to families but not so much to developers who would tear it down, sits waiting for the new owners, who will hopefully look at it and vow, "I'll take care of you."