Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa von Trapp in popular 1965 musical drama film The Sound of Music, is dead. She was 68. She was diagnosed with brain cancer a month ago and died on Christmas Eve while surrounded by her family, her son Ryan said, reports theguardian.com.

Menzies-Urich was just 14 years old and had no acting experience when she got the role in the movie starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. "She was an actor, a ballerina and loved living her life to the fullest," Ryan said. The estate of the musical's creators, Rodgers and Hammerstein, also paid a tribute to Menzies-Urich.