Remembering Christopher Plummer, Hollywood's distinguished gentleman -

He's now left us, but Christopher Plummer parted this world being able to look back on his career with enormous pride, thanks to over sixty-odd years spent in film, television, and theater. Throughout his illustrious career, he won an Academy Award, an Emmy, and a Tony—one of the few performers to receive the so-called Triple Crown of Acting. And almost until the end he kept busy in Hollywood!

Browse this gallery and take a look at some of the work this distinguished Canadian actor is celebrated for.

© Getty Images

Christopher Plummer - He was born Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer on December 13, 1929 in Toronto, Canada.

© NL Beeld

'Stage Struck' (1958) - Plummer made his film debut in this Sidney Lumet-directed drama, which starred Henry Fonda and Susan Strasberg.

© Public Domain

Stage career - But he began his acting career on stage, treading the boards in a string of plays on Broadway before moving to London, England, where he honed his profession. He appeared in several critically-acclaimed Shakespeare roles.

© NL Beeld

'Fall of the Roman Empire' (1964) -

A so-called "sword and sandal" epic, this film failed at the box office. Plummer played Commodus, a role originally slated for Richard Harris.

© NL Beeld

'The Sound of Music' (1965) - One of the most commercially successful films of all time, not least for its evergreen soundtrack, 'The Sound of Music' nearly didn't feature Plummer at all.

© NL Beeld

'The Sound of Music' (1965) - The actor turned down the role of Captain von Trapp on several occasions. He finally relented after being assured by screenwriter Ernest Lehman that he could work with Lehman to improve the character.

© NL Beeld

'The Sound of Music' (1965) - Bing Crosby, Yul Brynner, Sean Connery, and Richard Burton were all considered for the part before Plummer finally agreed to step into von Trapp's shoes.

© NL Beeld

'Oedipus the King' (1967) - Based on the Athenian tragedy 'Oedipus Rex' by Sophocles, this mid-sixties anomaly wasn't seen in Europe or the US for several years after it was made. It remains a rare and little-screened feature.

© NL Beeld

'The Battle of Britain' (1969) - Looking the part as Canadian fighter pilot Squadron Leader Colin Harvey in the technically brilliant depiction of the RAF triumph over the German Luftwaffe in 1940.

© NL Beeld

Meeting Battle of Britain heroes - Actors Robert Shaw (second left) and Christopher Plummer (second right) talking to World War Two pilots Group Captain Douglas Bader (left) and Group Captain Peter Townsend (right) about the making of the film 'The Battle of Britain.'

© Getty Images

Married for the third time - Pictured with third wife, English actress Elaine Taylor, in his 40-year-old classic Invicta car in October 1971, a year after the couple married.

© Getty Images

'The Return of the Pink Panther' (1975) - Peter Sellers' bungling Inspector Clouseau remains one of cinema's great comedy characters. In this film, Plummer plays the notorious "Phantom," a master jewel thief whose identity Clouseau desperately wants to reveal.

© Getty Images

'The Man Who Would Be King' (1975) -

Plummer played Rudyard Kipling—who wrote 'The Man Who Would Be King' in 1888—and costarred alongside Sean Connery and Michael Caine in this John Huston-directed adventure.

© Getty Images

'Murder by Decree' (1979) -

Plummer played Sherlock Holmes in this intriguing story based on the real life Jack the Ripper killings in 1880's London. Variety lauded the actor's Holmes as the best since Basil Rathbone donned pipe and cap for a series of films in the late 1930s and 1940s.

© Getty Images

'The Cosby Show' -

The actor appeared on the '80s hit television show in an episode entitled 'Shakespeare.'

© NL Beeld

'The Insider' (1999) - Bestowed with numerous awards and nominations, Michael Mann's taught drama about a whistleblower in the tobacco industry paired Plummer with Russell Crowe and Al Pacino. The film is based on a true story.

© NL Beeld

'Nicholas Nickleby' (2002) - Plummer joined a stellar cast of British and American actors for this take on Charles Dickens' classic 19th-century novel. The film received positive reviews from critics.

© NL Beeld

'Four Minutes' (2005) - Here Plummer is in character as Archie Mason, filming the made-for-TV historical, sport drama movie 'Four Minutes.' The film was a biopic of British athlete Roger Bannister, who made history in 1954 when he became the first man to run a mile in less than four minutes.

© NL Beeld

'Must Love Dogs' (2005) - Plummer enjoyed a supporting role in this romantic comedy starring Diane Lane and John Cusack. But while the film recuperated its expenses, it failed to wag the tails of most critics.

© NL Beeld

'Syriana' (2005) - This powerful geopolitical thriller was George Clooney's all the way, but he was supported by an extensive roll call of excellent actors, including Plummer.

© NL Beeld

'The New World' (2006) - Directed by Terrence Malik, this historical drama depicting the 1607 founding of Jamestown, Virginia, won a slew of nominations and several awards despite a lukewarm critical reception. Plummer played Captain Christopher Newport.

© NL Beeld

'Inside Man' (2006) - This slick, clever heist thriller saw Plummer play the chairman of a Manhattan bank hiding a dark secret.   

© NL Beeld

'The Lake House' (2006) -

A commercial and critical success, Plummer starred alongside Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in this gentle romance.

© NL Beeld

'Emotional Arithmetic' (2007) - Opening at the Toronto Film Festival, the film chronicles the sometimes difficult emotional consequences of three Holocaust survivors when they are reunited decades later. 

© NL Beeld

'Inherit the Wind' (2007) - His performance as Henry Drummond in the 2007 Broadway revival of 'Inherit the Wind' earned him a Tony Award nomination. He's pictured with Brian Dennehy taking their opening night curtain call bows at New York's Lyceum Theater.

© NL Beeld

'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' (2009) -

Plummer played the titular character in Terry Gilliam's fantasy comedy-drama. Filming was temporarily halted when the death of actor Heath Ledger necessitated a recasting of his role.

© NL Beeld

'The Last Station' (2009) -

Plummer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and also received a nod from the Screen Actors Guild Awards for his portrayal as Leo Tolstoy in this lauded English-language German film.

© NL Beeld

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor - All smiles after winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in 'Beginners' (2010), one of several accolades he received for that film.

© Getty Images

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' (2011) - David Fincher's cold, bleak adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel won universal praise, and was nominated and won several awards. Plummer is solid as wealthy businessman Henrik Vanger.

© NL Beeld

Academy couple - With wife Elaine Taylor arriving at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California in 2012.

© Reuters

Independent Spirit Award - Plummer is pictured clutching his 2012 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.

© Getty Images

Getting his hands dirty - The actor at the Hand and Footprint Ceremony held in 2015 at the TCL Chinese Theatre Imax, Hollywood, California.

© Getty Images

'The Exception' (2016) -

Premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, Plummer appeared elegant and well-dressed throughout as Kaiser Wilhelm II in a role that was well-received by critics.

© NL Beeld

'All the Money in the World' (2017) - Plummer with Ridley Scott, director of 'All the Money in the World,' attending the film's premier at the Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California.

© Getty Images

'All The Money in the World' (2017) - The film is notable for replacing Kevin Spacey as J. Paul Getty amid allegations of misconduct after filming had wrapped. His scenes were re-shot using Plummer, who went on to garner an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor—currently the oldest person to be nominated in an acting category.

© NL Beeld

Red carpet royalty - Arriving at the 90th Annual Academy Awards ceremony in 2017.

© NL Beeld

Lifetime achievement -

The actor holding his lifetime achievement award during the Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto, Canada, in 2017. Sadly, he left us on February 5, 2021, at the age of 91.

See also: Then and now–How cinema's finest actors have aged

© Reuters