Such sad news to hear of the passing of Angela Lansbury. With a career that spanned virtually seven decades, Angela will be remembered for remarkable performances on stage,screen and television.
With Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. GASLIGHT.
Oscar nominated for her debut film, GASLIGHT, her MGM contract guaranteed her steady employment, but but it was really after the MGM years that her career flourished.
With Hurt Hatfield. THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY.
From 1950, Angela was active on television and in the theatre.
She was still in her 30s when she was cast as the sinister ‘Mrs. Islen’ in the political thriller, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE . Personally, I think she should have won the Oscar for her performance as the truly monstrous woman who destroys her own son ( played so well by Laurence Harvey.)
With Laurence Harvey.THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE.
With William Windom.MURDER SHE WROTE.
Angela played Jessica Fletcher in MURDER SHE WROTE from 1984 and appeared in all 256 episodes!
She stormed Broadway in 1966 in MAME and it is such a shame she wasn’t allowed to preserve her performance on film (Lucille Ball took over).
I was fortunate to see Angela at the Piccadilly theatre in London in GYPSY in 1973 and ,as I have said before, it was the first time I ever stood up in a theatre as Angela received a standing ovation.
In 1978 she transformed herself again as the pie-making ‘Mrs Lovett’ in SWEENEY TODD.
And who can forget her beautiful rendition of “Beauty and the Beast” in 1991.
Angela was still active in her 90s, appearing in BLYTHE SPIRIT in London.
What a book it would have been if Angela had written her autobiography.
A life well lived and a very talented lady.
Angela married her second husband, Peter Shaw in 1949.
MAME
I love this clip of Angela and Bea Arthur reprising one of their songs from MAME, ‘Bosom Buddies”.
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
I saw her in one of her last films, “Mary Poppins Returns,” in 2018. A lot of fine people in that movie – Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emily Mortimer – even Meryl Streep! For the most part, it was a pleasant picture about magic. And then Angela Lansbury and Dick Van Dyke appeared, not just in tiny cameos but really performing – acting, singing, dancing – and the film stopped just being about magic and became truly magical!
RIP, Ms. Lansbury.
Lovely memory.
I was lucky to see Angela perform Bosom Buddies at a London charity concert in n the nineties. We had no idea she would be appearing. Scheduled Bea Arthur came out and said I want you to meet an old friend….Angie. What a wonderful surprise. More recently she hosted a tribute to Jerry Herman at the London Palladium and did a meet and greet in the Circle Bar afterwards. Treasured memories.
Treasured memories indeed.
Just seen on YT Angela guesting on Julie Andrews Variety show.The ladies are terrific together. Julie does a wonderful Tribute to Eleanor Powell with some impressive tapping.