RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S 'THE SOUND OF MUSIC' AIRS SUNDAY, DEC. 16, AS PART OF THE '25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS' PROGRAMMING EVENT

Rodgers & Hammerstein's cinematic treasure "The Sound of Music" airs as part of Disney|ABC's special "25 Days of Christmas" programming event, SUNDAY, DEC. 16 (7:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network. Celebrate the Oscar(R)-winning classic with popular favorites "Edelweiss," "My Favorite Things," "Climb Every Mountain," "Do-Re-Mi," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "The Lonely Goatherd" and "The Sound of Music." (Rebroadcast. OAD: 12/29/02)

Based on the real-life von Trapp family, who fled their home to escape the Nazis in 1938, Maria is a young woman who has left the Austrian convent to work for Navy captain Georg Von Trapp. As governess to his seven unruly children, Maria soon finds herself falling for their father.

"The Sound of Music" stars Julie Andrews as Maria von Trapp, Christopher Plummer as Captain George von Trapp, Eleanor Parker as Baroness Elsa Schraeder, Richard Haydn as Max Detweiler, Charmian Carr as Liesl von Trapp, Nicholas Hammond as Friedrich von Trapp, Heather Menzies as Louisa von Trapp, Duane Chase as Kurt von Trapp, Angela Cartwright as Brigitta von Trapp, Debbie Turner as Marta von Trapp, Kym Karath as Gretl von Trapp, Peggy Wood as Mother Abbess, Anna Lee as Sister Margaretta, Portia Nelson as Sister Berthe, Marni Nixon as Sister Sophia, Daniel Truhitte as Rolfe and Ben Wright as Herr Zeller.

"The Sound of Music" was directed and produced by Robert Wise, with screenplay by Ernest Lehman, from the stage musical with music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

"The Sound of Music" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.