Variety reports that Andrews — through her manager Steve Sauer — will not permit Digital Ranch to use her likeness, "either in clips or stills from the 1965 theatrical [release] or in-home movies shot during the production by parents of some of the child actors." Andrews, it seems, is planning to create in 2005 a 40th anniversary special about the award winning film and believes that the documentary, which was planned for A&E, could detract from network interest in her special. The planned A&E documentary was to focus on the lives of the seven actors who played the von Trapp children: Charmian Carr (Liesl von Trapp), Heather Menzies (Louisa von Trapp), Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich von Trapp), Duane Chase (Kurt von Trapp), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta von Trapp), Debbie Turner (Marta von Trapp) and Kym Karath (Gretl von Trapp). Talent manager Michael McLean, who was one of the “Sound of Music” casting directors, told the industry paper that the estates of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, who wrote the classic “Sound of Music” score, had already agreed to support the two-hour documentary. However, McLean added, “Without clips of Julie Andrews, we’re dead in the water.”

Julie Andrews starred as Maria in "The Sound of Music," which concerns a young woman (Andrews) who leaves a convent to become the governess to the children of a widowed Naval officer. Christopher Plummer played naval officer Captain Georg von Trapp. The film, based on the Broadway musical, featured such tunes as "Do Re Mi," "My Favorite Things," "The Sound of Music" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain."