1. Overview
Angela Margaret Cartwright is an English-born American actress renowned for her significant roles in both film and television. She is widely recognized for her portrayal of Linda Williams, the stepdaughter of Danny Williams, in the long-running television series The Danny Thomas Show. She also gained prominence as Penny Robinson in the 1960s science fiction series Lost in Space. Her most iconic film role is that of Brigitta von Trapp in the critically acclaimed 1965 musical film The Sound of Music. Beyond her acting career, Cartwright has also established herself as a photographer and is involved in collage art, co-authoring several books and a bi-annual journal related to these creative pursuits. Her older sister, Veronica Cartwright, is also an actress.
2. Early Life and Background
Angela Margaret Cartwright was born on September 9, 1952, in Altrincham, Cheshire, England. When she was just one year old, her family relocated to Los Angeles, California, via Canada. Her older sister, Veronica Cartwright, also pursued a career in acting. Angela's earliest steps into the acting world began at a very young age. She made her first film appearance when she was three years old, playing the uncredited role of Audrey, the daughter of Paul Newman's character, in the 1956 film Somebody Up There Likes Me. The following year, in 1957, she appeared alongside notable actors Rock Hudson and Sidney Poitier in the film Something of Value, also in an uncredited role as Caroline.
3. Acting Career
Angela Cartwright's acting career spans several decades, beginning in her childhood and continuing through various prominent roles in both television and film.
3.1. Early Career and Child Roles
Cartwright's initial foray into acting as a child quickly led to significant opportunities. After her uncredited film appearances, she secured a major role in the CBS television series The Danny Thomas Show, which premiered in 1957. In this series, she played Linda Williams, the stepdaughter of comedian Danny Thomas's character. Her early television work also included guest appearances in shows such as Whirlybirds in 1958, where she played Susan Davis in the episode "Glamour Girl." In 1960, she appeared in Shirley Temple's Storybook as Jane in the "Babes in Toyland" episode and had an uncredited role as Irenee Wellington in the "The Schartz-Metterklume Method" episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. She also made an uncredited appearance as a girl in an episode of The Red Skelton Hour in 1961 and played Anne in an episode of The Twilight Zone in 1962 titled "I Sing the Body Electric."
3.2. Major Television Series
Cartwright's most prominent television roles include her long-running tenure on The Danny Thomas Show and her starring role in Lost in Space. She was a series regular on The Danny Thomas Show from 1957 to 1964, appearing in 178 episodes as Linda Williams. During her time on the show, she developed a close relationship with Danny Thomas, which continued until his death on February 6, 1991.
Following the conclusion of The Danny Thomas Show, Cartwright quickly secured another iconic role as Penny Robinson in the science fiction television series Lost in Space. She was a series regular on Lost in Space from 1965 to 1968, appearing in 84 episodes.
Her connection to Lost in Space continued into later adaptations; she made a guest appearance in the 2018 Netflix reimagined series of Lost in Space as Angela Harris in the episode "Echoes," and also played Dr. Smith's mother in the third episode of the second season.
3.3. Notable Film Roles
Angela Cartwright's most famous film role is that of Brigitta von Trapp in the 1965 musical drama film The Sound of Music. This film became a cultural phenomenon, winning five Academy Awards and, at the time, surpassing Gone with the Wind to become the highest-grossing film of all time. Her performance as Brigitta, one of the seven von Trapp children, contributed significantly to the film's enduring popularity.
3.4. Other Film and Television Appearances
Beyond her major roles, Cartwright has appeared in a variety of other films and television productions throughout her career. In 1962, she played the character Angela in the film Lad, A Dog. She continued to make guest appearances on television shows in the late 1960s, including My Three Sons in 1965 (as Alice Vail in "The Glass Sneaker" episode) and again in 1969 (as Debbie Hunter in "Chip and Debbie"). In 1969, she also appeared in Calling Dr. Gannon as Angela in the episode "Operation Heartbeat."
In the early 1970s, she reprised her role as Linda Williams in Make Room for Granddaddy, a continuation of The Danny Thomas Show, from 1970 to 1971. She also appeared in Adam-12 in 1971 as Cindy Williams in the episode "Assassination," and in Room 222 in 1972 for two episodes as Phyllis Nichols.
In 1975, she starred as Sally in the television film Mr. & Ms. and the Magic Studio Mystery. Later, in 1977, she appeared as Karen in the Logan's Run episode "The Collectors." She also had a role as Theresa Mazzetti in the 1979 film Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, which was directed by Irwin Allen, the producer of Lost in Space.
In the 1980s, Cartwright continued to work in television movies, including Scout's Honor (1980), where she played Alfredo's Mom, and High School U.S.A. (1983), in which she played Miss D'Angelo. Her television guest appearances in the 1980s included The Love Boat in 1982, playing Yanne in the episode "Baby Talk/My Friend, the Executrix/Programmed for Love," and Airwolf in 1985, as Mrs. Cranovich in the episode "Eruption."
She also made a cameo appearance as Reporter #2 in the 1998 film adaptation of Lost in Space.
4. Other Creative Pursuits
Beyond her acting career, Angela Cartwright has cultivated a diverse range of artistic endeavors, particularly in the fields of photography and collage art. She has been a professional photographer for over 30 years, showcasing her work at her studio located in Studio City, Los Angeles.
Cartwright is also deeply involved in collage and mixed-media art. She co-authored a bi-annual journal titled Pasticcio quartz with Sarah Fishburn. The first issue, published on July 23, 2007, comprised 52 full-color glossy pages, measuring 8.5 in by 8.5 in. By January 10, 2014, the journal had reached its 15th issue, expanding to 60 pages while maintaining its full-color and size attributes. Additionally, she co-operated a video production company with Heather Menzies, who played her sister Louisa von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
5. Books and Publications
Angela Cartwright has authored or co-authored several books and contributed to journals, primarily focusing on art techniques and her experiences in the entertainment industry.
Her publications include:
- In This House: A Collection of Altered Art Imagery and Collage Techniques (2007)
- Mixed Emulsions: Altered Art Techniques for Photographic Imagery (2007)
- In This Garden: Exploration in Mixed-Media Visual Narrative (2009)
- "Lineage: A Personal & Private Journey," an article published in Somerset Studio magazine (March/April 2014)
- Styling the Stars: Lost Treasures from the Twentieth Century Fox Archive (2014), co-authored with Tom McLaren, featuring a foreword by Maureen O'Hara. The idea for this book originated when Cartwright was exploring the 20th Century Fox archives while researching for her 2011 book, The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook. This book received significant recognition, winning the Gold Winner award for Cover Design: Large Format at the IBPA 2015 Benjamin Franklin Awards. A softcover edition of Styling the Stars was released in 2017.
- On Purpose: A Novel by Angela Cartwright and Bill Mumy (2018), co-authored with her Lost in Space co-star.
- Lost (and Found) in Space 2: Blast Off into the Expanded Edition (2021), also co-authored with Bill Mumy, further exploring their experiences related to the iconic series.
6. Personal Life
Angela Cartwright married Steve Gullion in 1976. Together, they have two children. She is a practicing Catholic and has been known to attend Mass at St. Charles Borromeo in North Hollywood with her sister, Veronica. Her personal life also intersects with her professional endeavors, as she maintains her photography studio in Studio City, Los Angeles.