Christopher Plummer was born on December 13 1929 and raised in Montreal. Having joined the Canadian Repertory Theatre, he went on to perform on Broadway and was cast as Captain von Trapp in the 1965 movie The Sound of Music. During a film, stage and television career spanning five decades, Plummer has received many honours, including two Tony and two Emmy awards. His recent films include, UP, 9 and The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus. Plummer was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as Tolstoy in The Last Station, which is released on 19 February.
Christopher Plummer won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in 'Beginners."
1. When were you happiest?
When I was skipping school.
When I was skipping school.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Loss of memory.
Loss of memory.
3. What is your earliest memory?
My dog, Bing – I was three.
My dog, Bing – I was three.
4. Which living person do you most admire and why?
My wife of forty years, because she’s beautiful, as wise as Solomon and a Cordon Bleu to boot!
My wife of forty years, because she’s beautiful, as wise as Solomon and a Cordon Bleu to boot!
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
A constant leaning toward procrastination.
A constant leaning toward procrastination.
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Man’s incessant cruelty to man and to animals, which is almost worse.
Man’s incessant cruelty to man and to animals, which is almost worse.
7. What was your most embarrassing moment?
Being caught in bed with a lady, by her husband.
Being caught in bed with a lady, by her husband.
8. Aside from a property, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
A Renoir.
A Renoir.
9. What is your most treasured possession?
My vintage class 1931 Invicta Tourer.
My vintage class 1931 Invicta Tourer.
10. Where would you like to live?
Where I’ve lived for the last thirty years – my home in Connecticut.
Where I’ve lived for the last thirty years – my home in Connecticut.
11. What would your super power be?
To be able to play superbly Brahm’s terrifyingly difficult Paganini Variations.
To be able to play superbly Brahm’s terrifyingly difficult Paganini Variations.
12. What makes you unhappy?
The slow disappearance of style.
The slow disappearance of style.
13. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I really can’t think.
I really can’t think.
14. If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
The dodo or the odd pterodactyl or two. Otherwise, let’s try to save all living beasts who are in grave danger of extinction, as we speak.
The dodo or the odd pterodactyl or two. Otherwise, let’s try to save all living beasts who are in grave danger of extinction, as we speak.
15. Who would play you in the film of your life?
Colin Farrell, because he’s desperate and because he can play anything.
Colin Farrell, because he’s desperate and because he can play anything.
16. What is your most unappealing habit?
Lack of concentration.
Lack of concentration.
17. What is your favourite smell?
Garlic.
Garlic.
18. What is your favourite word?
Except for the obvious four letter one, my favourite is panache. Rostand seems to have created it – and I dream of living it.
Except for the obvious four letter one, my favourite is panache. Rostand seems to have created it – and I dream of living it.
19. What is your favourite book?
That most original of all fantasies – Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.
That most original of all fantasies – Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.
20. What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?
My Tigger suit.
My Tigger suit.
21. What is the worst thing anyone’s ever said to you?
After slapping Sir John Gielgud a resounding crack on the back accompanied by a repellently loud, “How are ya, Jack?” he turned to me, adjusted his cravat and said in a soft mellifluous voice, “And how are you Christopher, in your own small way?”
After slapping Sir John Gielgud a resounding crack on the back accompanied by a repellently loud, “How are ya, Jack?” he turned to me, adjusted his cravat and said in a soft mellifluous voice, “And how are you Christopher, in your own small way?”
22. Cat or dog?
Dog – definitely.
Dog – definitely.
23. Is it better to give or to receive?
It is better to give but cooler to receive.
It is better to give but cooler to receive.
24. What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Stealing money from my grandfather’s winter coat pockets.
Stealing money from my grandfather’s winter coat pockets.
25. What do you owe your parents?
My mother – everything. Before I was ten she had already taken me to the ballet, to the theatre, the opera and art galleries. She also taught me to ski. She was a marvellous skier.
My mother – everything. Before I was ten she had already taken me to the ballet, to the theatre, the opera and art galleries. She also taught me to ski. She was a marvellous skier.
26. To whom would you most like to say sorry and why?
Again, my mum, who died in 1955, for not showing her my gratitude before it was too late.
Again, my mum, who died in 1955, for not showing her my gratitude before it was too late.
27. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Ma femme – la belle Elaine.
Ma femme – la belle Elaine.
28. What does love feel like?
Agony and ecstasy.
Agony and ecstasy.
29. What was the best kiss of your life?
My French nanny kissed me at a very tender age; it was long and tempting – my first real turn-on.
My French nanny kissed me at a very tender age; it was long and tempting – my first real turn-on.
30. Have you ever said “I love you” without meaning it?
I honestly don’t think so.
I honestly don’t think so.
31. Which living person do you most despise and why?
Not just one but a host of fanatics who are determined to make our world tacky, ordinary, barbaric, loveless and dangerous – the most unhappy planet in the universe.
Not just one but a host of fanatics who are determined to make our world tacky, ordinary, barbaric, loveless and dangerous – the most unhappy planet in the universe.
32. Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Oscar Wilde, Cleopatra. Samuel Johnson, Dorothy Parker, Sophocles, Edith Piaf, Winston Churchill and Helen Mirren.
Oscar Wilde, Cleopatra. Samuel Johnson, Dorothy Parker, Sophocles, Edith Piaf, Winston Churchill and Helen Mirren.
33. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
They are all unprintable.
They are all unprintable.
34. What is the worst job you’ve ever done?
Being bad in the only job I’ve ever done – acting and occasionally directing.
Being bad in the only job I’ve ever done – acting and occasionally directing.
35. What has been your biggest disappointment?
Not being a concert pianist.
Not being a concert pianist.
36. If you could edit your past, what would you change?
Very little – I’ve had a great deal of fun.
Very little – I’ve had a great deal of fun.
37. If you could go back in time, where would you go?
The Renaissance – anything but the Age of Reason.
The Renaissance – anything but the Age of Reason.
38. When did you last cry, and why?
When my collie dog, Briggie, died. We had to put her down and when she was slowly going under, she looked at me and seemed to say, “Don’t worry, it’s going to be alright.”
When my collie dog, Briggie, died. We had to put her down and when she was slowly going under, she looked at me and seemed to say, “Don’t worry, it’s going to be alright.”
39. How do you relax?
Playing tennis, listening to great music, playing the piano, reading and guzzling vino!
Playing tennis, listening to great music, playing the piano, reading and guzzling vino!
40. How often do you have sex?
Mentally – non-stop!
Mentally – non-stop!
41. What is the closest you’ve ever come to death?
On a steep ski-slope going at great speed and falling head-first into an enormous drift. I was beginning to suffocate when, thank God, the ski-patrol and their St Bernard with a brandy flask around his neck got me out.
On a steep ski-slope going at great speed and falling head-first into an enormous drift. I was beginning to suffocate when, thank God, the ski-patrol and their St Bernard with a brandy flask around his neck got me out.
43. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Arriving at 80 and staying there.
Arriving at 80 and staying there.
44. What keeps you awake at night?
Going over my lines.
Going over my lines.
45. What song would you like played at your funeral?
The Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde.
The Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde.
46. How would you like to be remembered?
As being benign, beneficent, bountiful and brilliant – but there’s no hope!
As being benign, beneficent, bountiful and brilliant – but there’s no hope!
47. What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Never forget your sense of humour.
Never forget your sense of humour.
48. Where would you most like to be right now?
Somewhere where I don’t have to answer any more questions.
Somewhere where I don’t have to answer any more questions.
49. Tell us a joke:
No. You tell us a joke.
No. You tell us a joke.
50. Tell us a secret:
I would, but it would no longer be a secret.
I would, but it would no longer be a secret.
Interesting favorite word he chose with 'panache'. I like it too. There is a site called favoritewords.com where you can add your favorite words and find people sharing the same words with you.
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