Former child actress Kym Karath, best known for playing Gretl, the youngest daughter in the iconic 1965 film The Sound of Music, has publicly named the producer she alleges raped her when she was a teenager.
In a deeply emotional interview with The Times of London this weekend, Karath explained that she was allegedly abused by producer Patrick Curtis when she was just 15 years old.
Kym Karath Recounts Abuse by Hollywood Producer
Karath stated that growing up in Hollywood, her parents were frequently worried about her being surrounded by so many adults, and she felt she was often around people she described as “pedophile-ish.” She told the journalist that because she appeared “a little older physically” for her age, she believed she was targeted.
She confessed: “I was a little older physically for my age, so I think I was targeted.”
Karath added that she had “heard many horror stories from other young people” and was shocked that something like that had happened to her.
She stated that she believes Curtis, the man she accused, may have assaulted others while he was working in Hollywood. Curtis, who was married to Raquel Welch and worked on films like Gone with the Wind and other smaller projects, died in 2022.
Silence Driven By Fear For Her Father
In the poignant interview, Karath explained that she was afraid and therefore did not immediately tell anyone about the alleged sexual abuse she endured. However, she believes her parents sensed she was unwell after the incident and advised her to leave Hollywood and focus on her education.
Finally speaking her truth, she revealed that she withheld the truth from her parents, particularly because she felt that her father “would have killed the person” who abused her. She eventually left Hollywood to focus on school and graduated from the University of Southern California (USC).
She said, “I felt my father would have killed him. I was afraid to tell anybody.”
Return To Acting Was Derailed By Tragedy
After college, Kym Karath relocated to France, fell madly in love, and married Philippe L’Equilbec, and they welcomed a son.
Sadly, their child contracted meningitis and suffers from permanent mental disability. Karath completely quit her acting career and instead chose to dedicate her life to caring for her child with special needs.
Actress Breaks Silence In The Wake Of #MeToo
In 2017, during the rise of the #MeToo movement, Karath shared a photo of herself, explaining that voices needed to be heard and action taken against such crimes. Her interview with The Times marks the first time she has publicly named her alleged abuser.
At the time, she wrote: “[Voices] need to be heard and that action had to be taken for those horrific actions against some women.”
Supporters applaud Kym Karath for speaking her truth.
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