“She was Brigitta von Trapp at 12, Penny Robinson in Lost in Space at 13—and at 73, she's still creating art, just on different stages than the ones that made her famous." A 12-year-old girl with knowing eyes and perfect comic timing once stood on a Hollywood soundstage pretending to be the Austrian Alps, becoming a permanent part of cinema history. Angela Cartwright played Brigitta von Trapp, the clever and observant daughter in The Sound of Music. She was the one who could deliver a line like, "I'm Brigitta... and I think your dress is the ugliest one I ever saw," with such perfect timing that audiences laughed while instantly falling in love with her.
What most people didn't know was that by the time Angela stepped onto that set, she was already a seven-year veteran of Hollywood. Starting at age five, she played Linda Williams on The Danny Thomas Show from 1957 to 1964—a run that made her a familiar face in American living rooms long before she ever sang "Do-Re-Mi." When director Robert Wise was casting the film, he wasn't looking for amateurs; he wanted professionals who could hit their marks and deliver performances that would hold up for decades. Angela was exactly what he needed. On set, the seven children became a real family. Julie Andrews treated them with genuine warmth, and the chemistry seen on screen was no act. Even the famous rowboat scene, where the children tumble into the cold water, captured genuine surprise and delight.
When the movie premiered in 1965, it became one of the most successful films ever made. Angela could have ridden that fame for life, but instead, she immediately rocketed into space. That same year, Lost in Space debuted, and Angela became Penny Robinson. For three seasons, she navigated cosmic dangers and befriended robots, cementing her place in pop culture for a second time before she was even 16 years old. And then, she chose a different path. Angela stepped away from acting in the early 1970s while she was still a major star. She married her high school sweetheart, Steve Gullion, and discovered a new passion behind the camera: photography.
As a professional photographer and mixed-media artist, Angela found a different kind of creativity that required no scripts or directors. She held exhibitions and built a second career entirely separate from her childhood fame. She also became a writer, co-authoring Styling the Stars and other books that explored Hollywood history and the creative process with fresh eyes. Her story is a rare one in Hollywood; she achieved enormous success twice and walked away on her own terms without the bitterness or tragedy that often follows child stars. Now 73 years old, Angela is still creating and living in the present. While she still embraces her past at reunions and conventions, her life is defined by her own art. She proved that you don't have to chase the spotlight forever to find a happy ending.
On the tribulations of an expatriate in Europe
Monday, February 16, 2026
From the Alps to the Stars: A Legacy of Creativity Beyond the Spotlight
Posted by 5h
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