The portrayal of the Trapp family in the Broadway musical and film The Sound of Music is a favorable image, created by those closest to the family. Film critics at The History Bluff who teamed up with our archivists found out that most people during the 1930’s-1950’s considered the Trapp family to be “pretentious and, all things considered, undeniably annoying.”

The Trapp family was described by contemporaries as “lacking the ability to comfortably interact as normal people do.”

House guests of the Trapps were often thrown into awkward situations when members of the family would break out into song without warning while they were eating dinner, cleaning their rooms, or about to prepare for bed. The guests quite simply never knew what situation would soon be turned into a musical with the whole family dancing about on chairs, stairs, steps, stools, and beds.

While most people considered the Trapp family to be eccentric they had a few friends who, unfortunately for the majority of the world, encouraged the family to go on musical tours. The family heeded the advice and began to tour the world, singing at prestigious locations but rarely was the family invited back for a second performance. Those who worked with them described the family as “overbearing and lacking personality.” The family did not know how to interact with others beyond singing.

The Trapp family as portrayed in “The Sound of Music.”

When work began on the musical, family members and friends used the family’s newly acquired fortune to buy their way into the musical’s decision-making process. The musical then set the tone for the movie, which was released in 1965 and starred the beautiful and talented Julie Andrews.