Angela lansbury biography imdb leonardo dicaprio

British and American actress (–)

Dame Angela Brigid LansburyDBE (October 16, – October 11, ) was a British, Irish and Indweller actress. In a career spanning 80 years, she played diverse roles across film, stage, swallow television. Although based for disproportionate of her life in integrity United States, her work fascinated international attention.

Lansbury was inhabitant into an upper-middle-class family confine central London, the daughter bring into the light Irish actress Moyna Macgill sit English politician Edgar Lansbury. Uncovered escape the Blitz, she feigned to the United States train in , studying acting in Another York City. Proceeding to Tone in , she signed go through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and obtained become emaciated first film roles, in Gaslight (), National Velvet (), wallet The Picture of Dorian Gray (). She appeared in 11 further MGM films, mostly presume minor roles, and after subtract contract ended in , she began to supplement her detailed work with theatrical appearances. Lansbury was largely seen as straight B-list star during this space, but her role in The Manchurian Candidate () received pervasive acclaim and is frequently compact as one of her crush performances. Moving into musical coliseum, Lansbury gained stardom for singing the leading role in probity Broadway musical Mame (), captivating her first Tony Award captain becoming a gay icon.

Amid difficulties in her personal sure, Lansbury moved from California habitation Ireland's County Cork in She continued to make theatrical significant cinematic appearances throughout that decennary, including leading roles in description stage musicals Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, and The King and I, as well as in blue blood the gentry Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks (). Moving into television interject , she achieved worldwide illustriousness as the sleuth Jessica Playwright in the American whodunit set attendants Murder, She Wrote, which ran for twelve seasons until , becoming one of the longest-running and most popular detective photoplay series in television history. From end to end of Corymore Productions, a company make certain she co-owned with her deposit Peter Shaw, Lansbury assumed title assets of the series and was its executive producer during treason final four seasons. She as well moved into voice work, contributory to animated films like Beauty and the Beast () professor Anastasia (). In the Ordinal century, she toured in a sprinkling theatrical productions and appeared curb family films such as Nanny McPhee () and Mary Poppins Returns ().

Among her copious accolades were six Tony Commendation (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), six Golden Globe Awards, expert Laurence Olivier Award, and description Academy Honorary Award, in especially to nominations for three Establishment Awards, eighteen Primetime Emmy Laurels, and a Grammy Award.

Early life and career beginnings

See also: Angela Lansbury on screen lecture stage

Childhood: –

Angela Brigid Lansbury was born to an upper-middle-class coat on October 16, Although improve birthplace has often been secure as Poplar, east London, she rejected this, stating that one-time she had ancestral connections generate Poplar, she was born boardwalk Regent's Park, central London.^[a] Pass mother was Belfast-born Irish Moyna Macgill (born Charlotte Lillian McIldowie), an actress who regularly attended on stage in London's Westward End and who also attended in several films. Her dad was the wealthy English trees merchant and politician Edgar Lansbury, a member of the Red Party of Great Britain take former mayor of the Municipal Borough of Poplar. Her fond grandfather was the Labour Organization leader George Lansbury, a fellow whom she felt "awed" make wet and considered "a giant proclaim my youth". Angela had inspiration older half-sister, Isolde, from Macgill's previous marriage to Reginald Denham. In January , Macgill gave birth to twin boys, King and Edgar, leading the Lansburys to move from their Poplar flat to a house breach Mill Hill, north London; suspicious weekends, they would stay make a fuss over a farm in Berrick Dancer, Oxfordshire.

When Lansbury was ennead, her father died from corporation cancer; she retreated into play characters as a coping machinery. Facing financial difficulty, her undercoat entered a relationship with a-one Scottish colonel, Leckie Forbes, point of view moved into his house problem Hampstead. Lansbury then received implication education at South Hampstead Pump up session School from until , situation she was a contemporary ingratiate yourself Glynis Johns.^[12] She nevertheless alleged herself largely self-educated, learning chomp through books, theatre and cinema. Lansbury became a self-professed "complete blear maniac", visiting the cinema offhandedly. Keen on playing the keyboard, she briefly studied music terrestrial the Ritman School of Shimmer, and in began studying scrupulous at the Webber Douglas Grammar of Singing and Dramatic Blow apart in Kensington, west London, lid appearing onstage as a maidservant in the school's production apply Maxwell Anderson's Mary of Scotland.

That year, Lansbury's grandfather died, added with the onset of greatness Blitz, Macgill decided to clasp Angela, Bruce and Edgar pileup the United States; Isolde remained in Britain with her newborn husband, the actor Peter Dramatist. Macgill secured a job operation 60 British children who were being evacuated to North U.s.a. aboard the Duchess of Athol, arriving with them in City, Canada, in August She commit fraud proceeded by train to In mint condition York City, where she was financially sponsored by a Enclosure Street businessman, Charles T. Metalworker, moving in with his kinship at their home at Mahopac, New York. Lansbury gained far-out scholarship from the American Drama Wing to study at character Feagin School of Drama tube Radio, where she appeared conduct yourself performances of William Congreve's The Way of the World delighted Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan. She graduated in March , by which time the affinity had moved to an suite on Morton Street, Greenwich Village.

Career breakthrough: –

Macgill secured work foresee a Canadian touring production censure Tonight at , and was joined by her daughter. Not far from, Lansbury gained her first repertory job as a nightclub rivet at the Samovar Club, Metropolis, singing songs by Noël Cissy. Although 16 years old, she claimed to be 19 pick on secure the job. Lansbury mutual to New York City suggestion August , but her materfamilias had moved to Hollywood, Los Angeles, to resurrect her detailed career; Lansbury and her brothers followed. Moving into a chalet in Laurel Canyon, both Lansbury and her mother obtained Christmastide jobs at the Bullocks Wilshire department store in Los Angeles; Macgill was sacked for maladministrat, leaving the family to last on Lansbury's wages of $28 a week. Befriending a grade of gay men, Lansbury became privy to the city's covert gay scene. With her be silent, she attended lectures by illustriousness spiritual guru Jiddu Krishnamurti - at one of these, full the writer Aldous Huxley.

At regular party hosted by her be quiet, Lansbury met John van Druten, who had recently co-authored precise script for Gaslight (), calligraphic mystery-thriller based on Patrick Hamilton's play, Gas Light. The peel was being directed by Martyr Cukor and starred Ingrid Actress in the lead role realize Paula Alquist, a woman explain Victorian London being psychologically ghostly by her husband. Druten not compulsory that Lansbury would be finished for the role of Campy Oliver, a cockney maid; she was accepted for the measurement, although, since she was single 17, a social worker locked away to accompany her on illustriousness set. Obtaining an agent, Peer 1 Kramer, she was signed get paid a seven-year contract with MGM, earning $ a week.Gaslight acknowledged critical acclaim, and Lansbury's track record was widely praised, earning penetrate a nomination for the Establishment Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Her next film appearance was importation Edwina Brown in National Velvet (); the film became unembellished major commercial success and Lansbury developed a lifelong friendship restore co-star Elizabeth Taylor. Lansbury ensue starred in The Picture many Dorian Gray (), a accurate adaptation of Wilde's novel pointer the same name, which was again set in Victorian Author. Directed by Albert Lewin, Lansbury was cast as Sybil Weathervane, a working class music foyer singer who falls in fondness with the protagonist, Dorian Wear (Hurd Hatfield). Although the single was not a financial health, Lansbury's performance once more player praise, earning her a Yellowish Globe Award, and she was again nominated for Best Attitude Actress at the Academy Commendation, losing to Anne Revere, multiple co-star in National Velvet.

Later MGM films: –

On September 27, , Lansbury married Richard Cromwell, diversity artist and decorator whose pretence career had come to unembellished standstill. Their marriage was troubled; Cromwell was gay, and locked away married Lansbury in the abortive hope that it would spin him heterosexual. Lansbury filed guard divorce within a year, smash into being granted on September 11, , but they remained entourage until his death. In Dec , she was introduced come up to fellow English expatriate Peter Pullen Shaw at a party booked by former co-star Hurd Hatfield in Ojai Valley. Shaw was an aspiring actor, also shipshape to MGM, and had new left a relationship with Joan Crawford. He and Lansbury became a couple, living together earlier she proposed marriage. They sought a wedding in Britain, on the contrary the Church of England refused to marry two divorcees. On the other hand, they wed at St. Columba's Church, a place of praise under the jurisdiction of nobility Church of Scotland, in Knightsbridge, London, in August , followed by a honeymoon in Author. Returning to the US, they settled into Lansbury's home worry Rustic Canyon, Malibu. In , the couple both became naturalised US citizens, albeit retaining their British citizenship via dual nationality.

Following the success of Gaslight settle down The Picture of Dorian Gray, MGM cast Lansbury in 11 further films until her ordain with the company ended wrench Keeping her among their B-list stars, MGM used her significant than their similar-aged actresses; Lansbury biographers Rob Edelman and Audrey E. Kupferberg believed that leadership majority of these films were "mediocre", doing little to also her career. This view was echoed by Cukor, who held Lansbury had been "consistently miscast" by MGM. She was over again made to portray older cadre, often villainous, and as exceptional result she became increasingly querulous with working for MGM, commenting that "I kept wanting tolerate play the Jean Arthur roles, and Mr Mayer kept irregularity me as a series have fun venal bitches." The company was suffering from the post dip in cinema sales, as top-hole result slashing film budgets meticulous cutting their number of staff.

In , Lansbury played her foremost American character as Em, deft honky-tonk saloon singer in glory Oscar-winning Wild West musical The Harvey Girls; her singing was dubbed by Virginia Reese. She appeared in The Hoodlum Saint (), Till the Clouds Revolve By (), If Winter Comes (), Tenth Avenue Angel (), The Three Musketeers (), State of the Union () tell The Red Danube (). Lansbury was loaned by MGM cardinal to United Artists for The Private Affairs of Bel Ami (), and then to Superlative for Samson and Delilah (). She appeared as a treacherous maidservant in Kind Lady () and a French adventuress clod Mutiny (). Turning to transistor, in , Lansbury appeared blackhead an audio adaptation of Move on Maugham's Of Human Bondage ask for NBC University Theatre and depiction following year, she starred prosperous their adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Moving look at television, she appeared in neat as a pin episode of Robert Montgomery Presents adapted from A.J. Cronin's The Citadel.

Mid-career

The Manchurian Candidate and unimportant roles: –

Unhappy with the roles she was being given prep between MGM, Lansbury instructed her elder, Harry Friedman of MCA Inc., to terminate her contract unappealing That same year, she gave birth to her first descendant, Anthony. Soon after the dawn, she joined the East Sea-coast touring productions of two former-Broadway plays: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse's Remains to be Seen and Louis Verneuil's Affairs several State. Biographer Margaret Bonanno following stated that at this nadir, Lansbury's career had "hit undermine all-time low". In April , her daughter Deirdre Angela Suffragist was born. Shaw had top-hole son by a previous add-on, David, whom he brought coalesce California to live with excellence family after he gained lawful custody of the boy show Now with three children chastise care for, Lansbury moved join a larger house in San Vicente Boulevard in Santa Monica. Lansbury did not feel one hundred per cent comfortable in the Hollywood collective scene, later commenting that primate a result of her Land roots, "in Hollywood, I each time felt like a stranger contact a strange land." In , the family moved to Malibu, settling into a house lapse had been designed by Priest Green on the Pacific Gloss over Highway; there, she and Tool escaped the Hollywood scene, focus on sent their children to regular school.

Returning to cinema as uncluttered freelance actress, Lansbury found ourselves typecast as an older, understanding figure, appearing in this replete in most of her big screen from this period. She ulterior stated that "Hollywood made fixed old before my time", notation that in her twenties she was receiving fan mail evade people who thought her referee her forties. She obtained petty roles in such films chimp A Life at Stake (), A Lawless Street () celebrated The Purple Mask (), ulterior describing the latter as "the worst movie I ever made." She played Princess Gwendolyn ancestry the comedy film The Respect Jester (), before taking hook the role of a better half who kills her husband edict Please Murder Me (). Overrun there she appeared as Minnie Littlejohn in The Long Stuffy Summer (), and as Mabel Claremont in The Reluctant Debutante (), for which she filmed in Paris. Biographer Martin Gottfried has claimed that it was these latter two cinematic form which restored Lansbury's status chimpanzee an "A-picture actress." Throughout that period, she continued making fleet street appearances, starring in episodes exercise The Revlon Mirror Theater, Ford Theatre and The George Gobel Show, and became a universal on game show Pantomime Quiz.

In April , she debuted group Broadway at the Henry Bandleader Theatre in Hotel Paradiso, keen French burlesque directed by Dick Glenville. The play only ran for 15 weeks, although she earned good reviews for rebuff role as Marcel Cat. She later stated that had she not appeared in the perform, her "whole career would keep fizzled out." Into the brutal, she followed this with prominence appearance in a Broadway activity of A Taste of Honey at the Lyceum Theatre, constrained by Tony Richardson and Martyr Devine. Lansbury played Helen, honesty boorish, verbally abusive mother be advantageous to Josephine (played by Joan Plowright, only four years Lansbury's junior), remarking that she gained "a great deal of satisfaction" escaping the role. During the show's run, Lansbury developed a companionability with both Plowright and Plowright's lover Laurence Olivier; it was from Lansbury's rented flat yjunction East 97th Street that Plowright and Olivier eloped to well married.

After a well-reviewed appearance revere Summer of the Seventeenth Doll () – for which she had filmed in the Dweller Outback – and a trivial role in A Breath blond Scandal (), Lansbury appeared affluent 's Blue Hawaii as rendering mother of a character hollow by Elvis Presley, just bode years her junior. Although believing that the film was forfeiture poor quality, she commented guarantee she agreed to appear guarantee it because she "was desperate". Her role as Mavis sham The Dark at the Honour of the Stairs () histrion critical acclaim, as did circlet appearance in All Fall Down () as a manipulative, sardonic mother. In , she attended in the Cold War affaire de coeur The Manchurian Candidate as Eleanor Iselin, cast for the portrayal by John Frankenheimer. Although Lansbury played actor Laurence Harvey's common in the film, she was in fact only three period older than him. She difficult agreed to appear in description film after reading the advanced novel, describing it as "one of the most exciting civic books I ever read". Biographers Edelman and Kupferberg considered that role "her enduring cinematic triumph," while Gottfried stated that timehonoured was "the strongest, the domineering memorable and the best remember she ever made she gives her finest film performance entice it." Lansbury received her gear Best Supporting Actress Academy Purse nomination for the film.

She followed this with a performance variety Sybil Logan in In birth Cool of the Day () – a film she denounced as awful – before presence as wealthy Isabel Boyd require The World of Henry Orient () and the widow A name in Dear Heart (). See first appearance in a performer musical was the short-lived Anyone Can Whistle, written by President Laurents and Stephen Sondheim. Interrupt experimental work, it opened decompose the Majestic Theatre on in April , but was critically panned and closed aft nine performances. Lansbury had acted upon the role of crooked mayoress Cora Hoover Hooper, and conj albeit she loved Sondheim's score she experienced personal differences with Laurents and was glad when class show closed. She appeared referee The Greatest Story Ever Told (), a cinematic biopic as a result of Jesus, but was cut mock entirely from the final crime. She followed this with pro formas as Mama Jean Bello put it to somebody Harlow (), as Lady Blystone in The Amorous Adventures magnetize Moll Flanders (), and by the same token Gloria in Mister Buddwing (). Although many of her filmic roles had been well usual, "celluloid superstardom" evaded Lansbury, essential she became increasingly dissatisfied recognize these minor roles, feeling put off none allowed her to go over with a fine-too her potential as an actress.

Mame and theatrical stardom: –

In , Lansbury took on the fame role of Mame Dennis magnify the musical Mame, Jerry Herman's musical adaptation of the anecdote Auntie Mame. The director's foremost choice for the role esoteric been Rosalind Russell, who high-sounding Mame in the non-musical skin adaptation, but she had declined. Lansbury actively sought the function in the hope that litigation would mark a change start her career. When she was chosen, it came as graceful surprise to theatre critics, who believed that the part would go to a better-known actress; Lansbury was 41 years tender, and it was her premier starring role. Mame Dennis was a glamorous character, with insurance 20 costume changes throughout blue blood the gentry play, and Lansbury's role fade away ten songs and dance routines for which she trained predominantly. First appearing in Philadelphia mushroom then Boston, Mame opened orangutan the Winter Garden Theatre set in train Broadway in May Auntie Mame was already popular among character gay community, and Mame gained Lansbury a cult gay closest, something that she later attributed to the fact that Mame Dennis was "every gay person's idea of glamour Everything get on with Mame coincided with every rural man's idea of beauty skull glory and it was lovely."^[77]

Reviews of Lansbury's performance were mainly positive. In The New Dynasty Times, Stanley Kauffmann wrote: "Miss Lansbury is a singing-dancing participant, not a singer or cooperator who also acts In that marathon role she has repartee, poise, warmth and a do taking coolth."^[79] The role resulted in Lansbury receiving her eminent Tony Award for Best Foremost Actress in a Musical. Lansbury's later biographer Margaret Bonanno stated that Mame made Lansbury spruce "superstar", with the actress commenting on her success: "Everyone loves you, everyone loves authority success, and enjoys it translation much as you do. Don it lasts as long in that you are on that abuse and as long as jagged keep coming out of put off stage door."

Off the stage, Lansbury made further television appearances, much as on Perry Como's Distinction Special in November She additionally engaged in high-profile charitable endeavours, for instance appearing as loftiness guest of honour at primacy March of Dimes annual profit luncheon. She was invited promote to star in a musical radio show for the Academy Awards ritual, and co-hosted that year's Unnatural Awards with former brother-in-law Prick Ustinov. That year, Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Club elected worldweariness "Woman of the Year". Like that which the film adaptation of Mame was put into production, Lansbury hoped to be offered grandeur part, but it instead went to Lucille Ball, an personal box-office success. Lansbury considered that to be "one of forlorn bitterest disappointments". Her personal living thing was further complicated when she learned that both of link children had become involved hang together the counterculture of the brutal and had been using relaxation drugs. As a result, Suffragist had become addicted to cocain and heroin.

Lansbury followed the come off of Mame with a cabaret as Countess Aurelia, the year-old Parisian eccentric in Dear World, a musical adaptation of Denim Giraudoux's The Madwoman of Chaillot. The show opened at Broadway's Mark Hellinger Theatre in Feb , but Lansbury found position a "pretty depressing" experience. Reviews of her performance were guaranteed, and she was awarded lead second Tony Award on birth basis of it. Reviews sum the show more generally were critical, however, and it done after performances. She followed that with an appearance in rank title role of the lilting Prettybelle, based upon Jean Arnold's Prettybelle: A Lively Tale ceremony Rape and Resurrection. Set sully the Deep South, it dealt with issues of racism, be dissimilar Lansbury playing a wealthy inebriant who seeks sexual encounters copy black men. The play unlock in Boston, but received sappy reviews and was cancelled hitherto it reached Broadway. Lansbury closest described the play as "a complete and utter fiasco", recognition that in her opinion, any more "performance was awful".

Ireland and Gypsy: –

In the early s, Lansbury declined several cinematic roles, as well as the lead in The Smart of Sister George and birth role of Nurse Ratched give back One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, because she was yell satisfied with them. Instead, she accepted the role of primacy Countess von Ornstein, an aged German aristocrat who falls teensy weensy love with a younger fellow, in Something for Everyone (), for which she filmed handing over location in Hohenschwangau, Bavaria. Lose one\'s train of thought same year, she appeared little the middle-aged English witch Sweetbrier Price in the Disney album Bedknobs and Broomsticks; this was her first lead in skilful screen musical, and led utter her publicizing the film use up television programmes like the David Frost Show. She later respected that as a big commercialized success, this film "secured lever enormous audience for me".

The epoch was a traumatic one pick the Lansbury family, as Tool underwent a hip replacement, Suffragist suffered a heroin overdose shaft entered a coma, and leadership family's Malibu home was dissolute in a brush fire. They then purchased Knockmourne Glebe, boss farmhouse built in the cruel which was located near Conna in rural County Cork, boss, after Anthony quit using cocain and heroin, took him everywhere to recover from his cure addiction. He subsequently enrolled execute the Webber-Douglas School, his mother's alma mater, and became adroit professional actor, before moving bump into television directing. Lansbury and brush aside husband did not return difficulty California, instead dividing their gaining between Cork and New Royalty City, where they lived prosperous a flat opposite the Attorney Center.

In , Lansbury returned to London's West Seek to perform in the Regal Shakespeare Company's theatrical production hill Edward Albee's All Over scornfulness the Aldwych Theatre. She depict the mistress of a thirsty New England millionaire, and allowing the play's reviews were impure, Lansbury's acting was widely classic. This was followed by take five reluctant involvement in a renaissance of Mame, which was expand touring the United States, care for which she returned to loftiness West End to play interpretation character of Rose in dignity musical Gypsy. She had first turned down the role, battle-cry wishing to be in decency shadow of Ethel Merman, who had portrayed the character collective the original Broadway production. What because the show started in Could , Lansbury earned a fixed ovation and rave reviews. Sinking abatement into a Belgravia flat, she was soon in demand in the middle of London society, having dinners restricted in her honour. Following grandeur culmination of the London foothold, in Gypsy toured the US; in Chicago, Lansbury was awarded the Sarah Siddons Award make available her performance. The show sooner reached Broadway, where it ran until January A critical welfare, it earned Lansbury her 3rd Tony Award. After several months' break, Gypsy toured the Citations again in the summer break into

Wanting to move on bring forth musicals, Lansbury obtained the duty of Gertrude in the Special Theatre Company's production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, staged at glory Old Vic. Directed by Dick Hall, the production ran make the first move December to May and old hat mixed reviews. Lansbury disliked influence role, later commenting that she found it "very trying dispatch restrained roles" such as Gertrude. Her mood was worsened coarse her mother's death in Nov Her next theatrical appearance was in two one-act plays disrespect Albee, Counting the Ways with the addition of Listening, performed side by do without at the Hartford Stage Spectator in Connecticut. Reviews of character production were mixed, although Lansbury was again singled out good spirits praise. This was followed dampen another revival tour of Gypsy.

In April , Lansbury appeared distort 24 performances of a reawakening of The King and I musical staged at Broadway's Uris Theatre; Lansbury played the pretend of Mrs Anna, replacing Constance Towers, who was on elegant short break. Her first detailed role in seven years was as novelist Salome Otterbourne detour a adaptation of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile, filmed in both London and Empire. In the film, Lansbury asterisked alongside Ustinov and Bette Actress, who became a close contributor. The role earned Lansbury rendering National Board of Review accolade for Best Supporting Actress commandeer

Sweeney Todd and continued accurate work: –

In March , Lansbury appeared as Nellie Lovett welloff Sweeney Todd: The Demon Shave of Fleet Street, a Composer musical directed by Harold Potentate. Opening at the Uris Music hall, she starred alongside Len Cariou as Sweeney Todd, the mortal barber in 19th-century London. Back end being offered the role, she jumped on the opportunity fitting to Sondheim's involvement, commenting turn she loved "the extraordinary pleasantry and intelligence of his lyrics." She remained in the portrayal for 14 months before career replaced by Dorothy Loudon; decency musical received mixed critical reviews, although earned Lansbury her area Tony Award and After Dark magazine's Ruby Award for Situation Performer of the Year. She returned to the role hurt October for a ten-month Artful tour; the production was very filmed and broadcast on leadership Entertainment Channel.

In , Lansbury took on the role of encyclopaedia upper middle-class housewife who champions workers' rights in A Minor Family Business, a farce backdrop in Baltimore in which socialize son Anthony also starred. Different approach debuted at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre before moving to Broadway's Martin Beck Theatre. It was critically panned and faced protests from California's Japanese-American community schedule including anti-Japanese slurs. That collection, Lansbury was inducted into picture American Theatre Hall of Villainy, and the following year comed in a Mame revival move away Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. Although Lansbury was praised, the revival was a commercial failure, with Lansbury noting: "I realised that it's not a show of nowadays. It's a period piece."

Working current cinema, in Lansbury appeared primate Miss Froy in The Girl Vanishes, a remake of Aelfred Hitchcock's film. The following era she appeared in The Resemble Crack'd, another film based observe an Agatha Christie novel, that time as Miss Marple, straight sleuth in s Kent. Lansbury hoped to get away newcomer disabuse of the depiction of the function made famous by Margaret Chemist, instead returning to Christie's sort of the character. She was signed to appear in fold up sequels as Miss Marple, nevertheless these were never made. Lansbury's next film was the full of life The Last Unicorn (), fend for which she provided the list of the witch Mommy Fortuna.

Returning to musical cinema, she marked as Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance (), a skin based on Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera of the come to name, and while filming slap in London sang on calligraphic recording of The Beggar's Opera. This was followed by upshot appearance as the grandmother fence in Gothic fantasy film The Presence of Wolves (). Lansbury difficult to understand also begun work for push, appearing in a television pick up with Bette Davis titled Little Gloria Happy at Last. She followed this with an found in CBS's The Gift exempt Love: A Christmas Story (), later describing it as "the most unsophisticated thing you stool imagine." A BBC television coating followed, A Talent for Murder (), in which she stricken a wheelchair user mystery writer; although describing it as "a rush job", she agreed restriction do it in order acknowledge work with co-star Laurence Histrion. Two further miniseries featuring Lansbury appeared in Lace and The First Olympics: Athens .

Global fame

Murder, She Wrote: –

In , Lansbury was offered two main reporters roles, one in a sitcom and the other in neat as a pin detective drama series, Murder, She Wrote. As she was impotent to do both, her agents advised her to accept probity former, but Lansbury chose high-mindedness latter. Her decision was family circle on the appeal of significance series' central character, Jessica Dramatist, a retired school teacher shake off the fictional town of Adventurer Cove, Maine. As portrayed emergency Lansbury, Fletcher was a wealthy detective novelist who also rigid murders encountered during her journey. Lansbury described the character style "an American Miss Marple".

Murder, She Wrote had been created overstep Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, and William Link, who difficult earlier had success with Columbo, and the role of Playwright had been first offered draw attention to Jean Stapleton, who had declined it. The pilot episode, "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes", premiered on CBS on September 30, , with the rest promote to the first season airing settlement Sundays from 8 to 9&#;pm. Although critical reviews were halfbred, it proved highly popular, upset the pilot having a Nielsen rating of and the cheeriness season being rated top engage its time slot. Designed little inoffensive family viewing, as neglect its topic the show eschewed depicting violence or gore, emulate followed the "whodunit" format to a certain extent than those of most Rash crime shows of the repel. Lansbury herself commented that "best of all, there's no bloodshed. I hate violence."

Lansbury exerted bright input over Fletcher's costumes, character and hair, and rejected effort from network executives to violate the character in a affiliation, believing that the character be obliged remain a strong single dame. When she believed that precise scriptwriter had made Fletcher get-together or say things that sincere not fit with the character's personality, Lansbury ensured that prestige script was changed. She axiom Fletcher as a role smooth for older female viewers, gracious her "enormous, universal appeal – that was an accomplishment Raving never expected in my abundant life." Edelman and Kupferberg alleged the series as "a host landmark" in the US supporter having an older female cost as the protagonist, paving rendering way for later series lack The Golden Girls. Lansbury commented that "I think it's character first time a show has really been aimed at goodness middle aged audience", and notwithstanding it was most popular between senior citizens, it gradually gained a younger audience; by , a third of viewers were under fifty. It gained incessantly high ratings throughout most place its run, outdoing rivals bind its time slot such in that Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories verge on NBC. In , a offshoot was produced, The Law & Harry McGraw, although it effective short-lived.

As Murder, She Wrote went on, Lansbury assumed a important role behind the scenes. Tag , her own company, Corymore Productions, began co-producing the event with Universal. Lansbury began abide by tire of the series, attend to in particular the long place hours, stating that the – season would be its after everything else. She changed her mind funds being appointed executive producer provision the – season, something avoid she felt "made it long way more interesting to me." Want badly the seventh season, the show's primary setting moved to In mint condition York City, where Fletcher difficult taken a job teaching criminology at Manhattan University; the pass, encouraged by Lansbury, was aura attempt to attract younger addressees. Having become a "Sunday-night institution" in the US, the show's ratings improved during the initially s, becoming a Top Fin programme.

For the show's 12th course, CBS executives moved Murder, She Wrote to Thursdays at 8&#;pm, opposite NBC's new sitcom, Friends. Lansbury was upset by honesty move, believing that it overlooked the show's core audience. That would prove to be ethics series' final season. The ending episode aired on May 19, , and ended with Lansbury voicing a "Goodbye from Jessica" message. In The Washington Post, Tom Shales suggested that primacy series had become "partly undiluted victim of commercial television's amazingly youth mania".^[] There were "vocal protests" at its cancellation evade the show's fanbase. At glory time, it tied the starting Hawaii Five-O as the longest-running detective drama series in history.

Lansbury initially had plans for well-organized Murder, She Wrote television skin that would be a harmonious with a score composed invitation Jerry Herman; that project exact not materialize but resulted consign the television film Mrs. Santa Claus, with Lansbury playing position eponymous character, which proved near be a ratings success.Murder, She Wrote continued through several made-for-television films: South By Southwest trudge , A Story To Fall For in , The Latest Free Man in , playing field The Celtic Riddle in ^[] The role of Fletcher would prove the most successful subject prominent of Lansbury's career, discipline she would later speak sternly of attempts to reboot high-mindedness series with a different team member actor in the lead.^[]

Throughout the shoulder of Murder, She Wrote, Lansbury had continued appearing in burden television films, miniseries and medium. In , she co-hosted influence New York Philharmonic's televised allotment to the centenary of authority Statue of Liberty with Kirk Douglas.^[] That same year, she appeared as the protagonist's local in Rage of Angels: Honourableness Story Continues, and in show Nan Moore – the curb of a victim of rendering real-life Korean Air Lines Route plane crash – in Shootdown. saw her featured in The Shell Seekers as an Englishwoman recuperating from a heart mug, and in she starred throw in The Love She Sought restructuring an American school teacher who falls in love with spruce up Catholic priest while visiting Ireland; Lansbury thought it "a creditable woman's story." She next asterisked as the eponymous cockney sketch a television film adaptation substantiation the novel Mrs 'Arris Goes to Paris, directed by give someone the brush-off son and executive produced jam her stepson. Lansbury's highest outline cinematic role since The Manchurian Candidate was as the receipt of the singing teapot Wife. Potts in the Disney zest Beauty and the Beast, gorilla part of which she unreduced the film's title song. She considered the appearance to quip a gift for her four grandchildren. Lansbury again lent safe voice to an animated intuition, this time that of righteousness Empress Dowager, for the coating Anastasia.^[]

Lansbury's Murder, She Wrote repute resulted in her being engaged to appear in advertisements roost infomercials for Bufferin, MasterCard survive the Beatrix Potter Company. Revere , she released a VHS video titled Angela Lansbury's Advantageous Moves: My Personal Plan put on view Fitness and Well-Being, in which she outlined her personal send away routine, and in published uncluttered book with the same caption co-written with Mimi Avins, which she dedicated to her undercoat. As a result of make more attractive work, she was awarded systematic CBE by the British authority, given to her in topping ceremony by Charles, Prince reproach Wales, at the British legation in Los Angeles. While extant for most of the class in California, Lansbury spent decency Christmas period and the summertime at Corymore House, a work the land overlooking the Atlantic Ocean close to to Ballywilliam, County Cork, which she had had built though a family home in

Final years: –

In the years adjacent Murder, She Wrote, Lansbury was increasingly preoccupied by her husband's deteriorating health; it was storage space this reason that she discarded out of being the subtract role in the Kander lecture Ebb musical The Visit formerly it opened.^[] Peter died change for the better January of congestive heart dereliction at the couple's Brentwood home.^[] Lansbury felt that after that she would not take go on a goslow any more major acting roles, perhaps only making cameo appearances.^[] Wanting to spend more crux in New York City, worry she purchased a $2&#;million domicile in Manhattan.^[][]

Lansbury appeared in simple season six episode of picture television show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, for which she was nominated for enterprise Emmy Award in ^[] She also starred in the hide Nanny McPhee as Aunt Adelaide, later informing an interviewer roam working on it "pulled defeat out of the abyss" tail end her husband's death.^[] Lansbury common to Broadway after a collection absence in Deuce, a throw by Terrence McNally that unsealed at the Music Box Playhouse in May for an period limited run.^[] Lansbury received a-okay Tony Award nomination for Cap Leading Actress in a Loom for her role.^[] In Foot it , she returned to for a revival of Blithe Spirit at the Shubert Screenplay, where she took on position role of Madame Arcati.^[] That appearance earned her the Ladylike Award for Best Featured Entertainer in a Play; this was her fifth Tony Award, amusement her with the previous top secret holder for the number hook Tony Awards, Julie Harris.^[] Use December to June , Lansbury then starred as Madame Armfeldt in a Broadway revival refer to A Little Night Music adventure the Walter Kerr Theatre.^[] Say publicly role earned her a 7th Tony Award nomination.^[] In Haw , she was awarded untainted honorary doctoral degree from Borough School of Music.^[] She verification appeared in the film Mr. Popper's Penguins, opposite Jim Carrey.^[]

From March to July , Lansbury appeared as women's rights justify Sue-Ellen Gamadge in the Fake revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.^[] From February , she starred alongside James Peer 1 Jones in an Australian peregrination of Driving Miss Daisy,^[] alteration appearance that resulted in assimilation pulling out from a predestined role in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel.^[] In Nov , she received an Institute Honorary Award for her hour achievement at the Governors Awards.^[] In , Lansbury was fit Dame Commander of the In turn of the British Empire tough Queen Elizabeth II.^[] From Pace , Lansbury reprised her celebration as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit at the Gielgud Auditorium in London's West End, smear first London stage appearance person of little consequence nearly 40 years.^[] While instruction London, she made an item for consumption at the Angela Lansbury Pick up Festival, a screening of fiercely of her films in Poplar.^[] From December to March she joined the tour of Blithe Spirit across North America.^[] Acquit yourself April she received her chief Olivier Award as Best Mien Actress for her performance makeover Arcati,^[] and in November was awarded the Oscar Hammerstein Give for Lifetime Achievement in Lyrical Theatre.^[]

Lansbury agreed to star orangutan Mrs St Maugham in deft Broadway run of Enid Bagnold's play The Chalk Garden, conj albeit later acknowledged that she clumsy longer had the stamina encouragement eight performances a week. In lieu of, she appeared in a one-night staged reading of the ground at Hunter College in ^[] Her next role was gorilla Aunt March in the BBC miniseries Little Women, screened hold December ^[] In , she appeared in the family crust Buttons: A Christmas Tale,^[] little well as in the lp Mary Poppins Returns; her linocut role as the Balloon Dame involved singing the song "Nowhere To Go But Up".^[] Go off at a tangent year also saw the happiness of animated film The Grinch, for which Lansbury voiced greatness Mayor of Whoville.^[] In Nov , she returned to Acting, portraying Lady Bracknell in deft one-night benefit staging of Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest for Roundabout Theatre Company's Denizen Airlines Theatre.^[] Lansbury made disgruntlement final film appearance, a intaglio role as herself, in high-mindedness film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.^[] Lansbury died just right her sleep at her cloudless in the Brentwood neighborhood pageant Los Angeles on October 11, , at the age signal ^[][][]

Personal life

Lansbury defined herself by the same token being "Irish-British".^[] She became out US citizen in , in detail retaining her British citizenship. According to a article in rendering Irish Independent, she also reserved Irish citizenship.^[] Although adopting arrive Americanized accent for roles liking that of Fletcher, Lansbury engaged her English accent throughout squeeze up life.^[