The Tragic Truth About Child Star Debbie Turner's Downfall From Fame

Debbie Turner starred as Marta von Trapp in the 1965 film "The Sound of Music." Given that the iconic musical premiered over 60 years ago, it shouldn't exactly come as a surprise that the kids from "The Sound of Music" are completely unrecognizable today. Some of the film's child stars found acting success beyond "The Sound of Music," such as Angela Cartwright, who had a major role on the original "Lost in Space," and Nicholas Hammond, who would go on to become the first actor to play Spider-Man in live action, decades before Leonardo DiCaprio's BFF Tobey Maguire took on the role. That said, you'd be forgiven for not immediately recognizing Turner, given that she is among the "Sound of Music" stars whose time in the spotlight was rather short. Not only that, but the reason for Turner's fall from fame was tragically mundane and relatable.

While some child stars continue to find Hollywood success as adults, many others have disappeared from the spotlight. Some may not have wanted to pursue acting into adulthood, with a number of child stars voluntarily ditching Hollywood for surprisingly normal jobs. For Turner herself, however, the decision to quit acting was anything but voluntary. The sad truth is that, while Turner was able to find happiness and success away from Hollywood, she very much would have liked to keep her acting career going, but the phone just stopped ringing.

Beyond a bit part she played in the 1979 film "North Dallas Forty," her role as Marta von Trapp in 1965's "The Sound of Music" remains Debbie Turner's only film acting credit of note. Speaking to People in September 2025, Turner partially attributed her inability to find work post-"Sound of Music" to the fact that, unlike some of her co-stars, her only acting experience beforehand was in TV commercials. "Angela [Cartwright] was already an established actress beforehand. I wasn't," she explained. 

Turner added that her only notable role seemed to do her more harm than good while she trying out for more parts. "I'd go in interviews and they'd go, 'Oh, so you were in 'The Sound of Music?' And then it's like, I don't know if I got put on a pedestal or I got thrown out the side –- I don't know. ... I just didn't get jobs," she said. Turner eventually settled into a career as a floral designer for weddings and other events. She even got the opportunity to decorate the White House for Christmas one year.

On the home front, Turner married a man by the name of Rick Larson in 1989. The couple share four kids, who have since had children of their own. Now that she's in her grandma era, Turner doesn't really seem all that eager to get back into acting. However, she did tell People that she's open to the idea, should the right project come along. She's also remained on good terms with her "Sound of Music" co-stars, and joined them in honoring lead actress Julie Andrews' AFI Life Achievement Award in 2022.