Yours chats to Daniel Truhitte
American actor Daniel Truhitte, who played Rolfe in The Sound Of Music, chats about the classic movie, film secrets and what happened next
Daniel Truhitte was just 20 years old when he took the role of Austrian teenager Rolfe in The Sound of Music. But little did he realise that the 1965 film musical would change his life forever.
“It’s been a constant part of my life and an endless blessing. We knew at the time we had something wonderful, but we didn’t know it was going to have longevity,” he says.
Born in Sacramento, Daniel sang and danced from the age of six – talents which won him scholarships and led him to Los Angeles.
“I’d had plenty of stage experience by the time I auditioned for The Sound Of Music. The first time they didn’t even call me back because they wanted a (naturally) blond Rolfe. But then they couldn’t find someone who could sing, dance and play a Nazi believably,” says Rolfe.
Daniel beat the likes of Jon Voight (who’d played Rolfe on Broadway) to the part, and became the final person to be cast.
Rolfe’s two main scenes – singing Sixteen Going On Seventeen as a duet with Liesl (Charmian Carr) and in the abbey crypt – were filmed in the opposite order from how they are shown. Daniel is delighted Rolfe turns traitor in the end. “That scene was a rewrite – it was not part of the original play. Christopher Plummer was so complimentary afterwards, and I replied, ‘Well, it all has to do with the actor you are playing opposite’. I was thrilled to have done the traitor scene with one of the greatest there ever was.
“People always ask about the German Luger gun from that scene, but I don’t have it; I should have just stuck it in my pocket! The only memento I have is my script and a letter from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s production company thanking me for being a part of the movie.”
Sightseeing tours for The Sound Of Music in and near Salzburg include a visit to the gazebo where Rolfe and Liesl’s duet was filmed...
“I usually go along with this, but we never actually filmed in that gazebo,” he confides. “The gazebo we
‘I’m thankful for one of the greatest musicals of all time’
danced in was in Hollywood, along with water sprayers and rain machines. Charmian slipped in the water; if you look closely you can see her bandaged leg.” Although their characters had a romance, it was Charmian’s standin, Gabriele, who became Daniel’s girlfriend. They married in 1966, and had three children.
After the film, Daniel joined the Marine Corps. “I didn’t even go to the premiere. Perhaps it wasn’t the best career move, but I wasn’t trying to be a big star.”
When he quit the Marines, Daniel toured with dance legend Juliet Prowse (bestknown for being engaged to Frank Sinatra), and in 1977 played Gene Kelly in a Las Vegas stage production of Hallelujah Hollywood.
After his divorce, Daniel moved to North Carolina and in 1992 married Tarealia Haney, who has three daughters he considers his own. “I have six kids and nine grandkids,” explains Daniel, who has been teaching ‘voice’ for several decades, and has been part of many Sound Of Musicrelated projects, including a charity performance in 2013 at Carnegie Hall.
He remains in email contact with other cast members: “We’re very thankful we had that magic time working together on one of the greatest musicals of all time.”