Angela Lansbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame
Angela Lansbury
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Publicity shot, 1966
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| Born |
Angela Brigid Lansbury
16 October 1925 Regent's Park, London, England
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| Died | 11 October 2022 (aged 96) Los Angeles, California, US
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1942–2022 |
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Notable work
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Full list |
| Political party | |
| Spouse(s) |
Richard Cromwell
(m. 1945; div. 1946)Peter Shaw
(m. 1949; died 2003) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Family |
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| Awards | Full list |
Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (born October 16, 1925 – died October 11, 2022) was a famous Irish-British and American actress and singer. She played many different characters in movies, on stage, and on television. Her amazing career lasted for 80 years, and she became known all over the world. When she passed away, she was one of the last stars from the "Golden Age of Hollywood," a time when many classic movies were made.
Angela Lansbury won many awards for her work. These include six Tony Awards (which are for theatre), six Golden Globe Awards (for film and TV), and a Laurence Olivier Award (for theatre in the UK). She also received an Academy Honorary Award (an Oscar for her whole career). She was nominated for three Academy Awards (Oscars), eighteen Primetime Emmy Awards (for TV), and a Grammy Award (for music).
Lansbury was born in London to a family involved in acting and politics. In 1940, she moved to the United States to escape the Blitz, which was a time of heavy bombing in London during World War II. She studied acting in New York City. In 1942, she went to Hollywood and got her first movie roles. These were in Gaslight (1944), National Velvet (1944), and The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945). These roles earned her two Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe Award.
After her first big successes, she appeared in many more movies. Her role in The Manchurian Candidate (1962) was highly praised and is often called one of her best performances. She then became a huge star in musical theatre, especially for her lead role in the Broadway musical Mame (1966). This show won her first Tony Award and made her a beloved figure, especially among the gay community.
In 1970, Lansbury moved to Ireland. She continued to act in plays and movies, including the musicals Gypsy and Sweeney Todd, and the popular Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). In 1984, she started a new chapter in her career on television. She became famous worldwide as the writer and detective Jessica Fletcher in the American TV series Murder, She Wrote. This show ran for twelve seasons until 1996 and became one of the most popular detective shows ever. She also did voice work for animated films like Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Anastasia (1997). Later in her career, she appeared in films like Nanny McPhee (2005) and Mary Poppins Returns (2018). Her very last film role was in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in 2022.
In 2014, Queen Elizabeth II made Angela Lansbury a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This is a very high honour in the United Kingdom.
Contents
- Angela Lansbury's Early Life
- Angela Lansbury's Acting Career
- Angela Lansbury's Personal Life
- Angela Lansbury's Acting Roles
- Awards and Legacy
- Images for kids
- See also
Angela Lansbury's Early Life
Angela Lansbury was born in Central London on October 16, 1925. Her mother, Moyna Macgill, was an actress from Ireland who performed a lot on stage and in movies. Her father, Edgar Lansbury, was a wealthy English businessman and politician. Her grandfather, George Lansbury, was a well-known leader of the Labour Party and worked for peace. Angela had an older half-sister, Isolde, and twin younger brothers, Bruce and Edgar.
I'm eternally grateful for the Irish side of me. That's where I got my sense of comedy and whimsy. As for the English half–that's my reserved side ... But put me onstage, and the Irish comes out. The combination makes a good mix for acting.
When Angela was nine, her father passed away. She found comfort in pretending to be different characters. In 1940, with World War II happening and London being bombed (the Blitz), her mother decided to move Angela and her brothers to the United States. Angela's sister, Isolde, stayed in Britain.
Angela's family arrived in Montreal, Canada, and then traveled to New York City. Angela received a scholarship to study acting at the Feagin School of Drama and Radio. She graduated in 1942.
Angela Lansbury's Acting Career
Her First Movies and Big Break (1940s-1950s)
Angela's mother moved to Hollywood, California, hoping to restart her acting career, and Angela followed with her brothers. Angela got a job at a department store. At a party, she met a writer who thought she would be perfect for a role in the movie Gaslight (1944). She was only 17, so a social worker had to be with her on set.
Angela signed a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), a big movie studio. Gaslight was a success, and Angela's acting was highly praised. She was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Her next movie was National Velvet (1944), where she played the older sister of the main character. She became good friends with her co-star, Elizabeth Taylor. Angela then starred in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945), which earned her another Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award.
In 1945, Angela married actor Richard Cromwell. Their marriage was short, ending in 1946, but they remained friends. In 1949, she married Peter Shaw, an actor and producer. They got married in London and then moved back to California. In 1951, they both became US citizens but also kept their British citizenship.
Playing Different Characters (1940s-1960s)
After her early success, MGM cast Angela in many more films. However, she often played older women, sometimes even villains, which made her unhappy. She felt that Hollywood made her seem older than she was.
She appeared in movies like The Harvey Girls (1946) and The Three Musketeers (1948). In 1952, she ended her contract with MGM because she wanted more interesting roles.
Angela and Peter had two children, Anthony (born 1952) and Deirdre (born 1953). Peter also had a son, David, from a previous marriage, who came to live with them. With three children, they moved to a bigger house in Santa Monica, California. Angela later said she never felt completely at home in Hollywood because of her British background. In 1959, they moved to Malibu, where they could enjoy a quieter life away from the Hollywood scene.
As a freelance actress, Angela continued to be cast as women older than herself. She appeared in films like The Court Jester (1956) and The Long, Hot Summer (1958). She also started appearing on television shows.
New Roles and More Awards (1960s-1980s)
Angela received great reviews for her role as a manipulative mother in All Fall Down (1962). She then starred in the thriller The Manchurian Candidate (1962), where she played a scheming politician's wife. Even though she was only three years older than the actor who played her son, she was very convincing. Many people consider this her best movie performance, and it earned her a third Oscar nomination.
Angela also appeared as a witch in the Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). This was her first main role in a movie musical and became a big hit, making her even more famous.
During the 1970s, Angela spent more time on stage. However, she received praise for her supporting role as a tipsy writer in the detective movie Death on the Nile. She also played Miss Froy in The Lady Vanishes (1979) and the famous detective Miss Marple in The Mirror Crack'd (1980).
Beauty and the Beast and Later Films (1990s-2022)
One of Angela's most beloved roles was the voice of the kind teapot, Mrs. Potts, in Disney's animated movie Beauty and the Beast (1991). She sang the movie's famous title song, which won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy Award. She said this role was a gift to her grandchildren.
Angela also appeared in the film Nanny McPhee (2005) as Aunt Adelaide. She later said that working on this movie helped her after her husband passed away. She also had a supporting role in Mary Poppins Returns (2018), a sequel to the classic 1964 film. Her final movie role was a small appearance in the detective film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in 2022.
Angela Lansbury on Stage (Theatre)
Early Theatre Roles (1957-1961)
In 1957, Angela made her Broadway debut in a play called Hotel Paradiso. She later said this play saved her career. In 1960, she appeared in A Taste of Honey on Broadway, where she played a difficult mother. She became friends with her co-star, Joan Plowright, and Plowright's future husband, Laurence Olivier.
In 1961, she appeared in the movie Blue Hawaii with Elvis Presley, playing his mother, even though she was only nine years older than him. She admitted she took the role because she "was desperate."
Becoming a Broadway Star (1966-1980)
In 1966, Angela took on the main role of Mame Dennis in the musical Mame. This was a huge turning point in her career. She was 41 years old, and it was her first starring role on stage. The character of Mame was very glamorous, with many costume changes, songs, and dance routines.
I was a wife and a mother, and I was completely fulfilled. But my husband recognised the signals in me which said "I've been doing enough gardening, I've cooked enough good dinners, I've sat around the house and mooned about what more interior decoration I can get my fingers into." It's a curious thing with actors and actresses, but suddenly the alarm goes off. My husband is a very sensitive person to my moods and he recognised the fact that I had to get on with something. Mame came along out of the blue just at this time. Now isn't that a miracle?
Mame opened on Broadway and was a huge success. Angela's performance received amazing reviews, and she won her first Tony Award. This show made her a "superstar."
After Mame, Angela starred in other musicals like Dear World (1969), which won her a second Tony Award, and Gypsy (1973), which earned her a third Tony Award.
In 1970, Angela's family faced some challenges. Her husband had surgery, and her son Anthony had serious health issues. Their home in Malibu was also destroyed in a fire. To help her children, the family moved to a farmhouse in County Cork, Ireland. Angela took a year off from work to be with her children. Her son Anthony later became a television director.
In 1979, Angela starred as Nellie Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a musical by Stephen Sondheim. She loved working on this show and won her fourth Tony Award for her performance.
Returning to Broadway (2001-2009)
After Murder, She Wrote ended, Angela returned to the theatre. In 2003, her husband, Peter Shaw, passed away. Angela thought she might not take on any more big acting roles. However, in 2007, she returned to Broadway in a play called Deuce, earning another Tony Award nomination.
In 2009, she starred in a revival of Blithe Spirit on Broadway, playing Madame Arcati. This role won her fifth Tony Award, tying the record for the most Tony Awards won by an actress.
Back to the West End (2012-2019)
From 2013 to 2015, Angela toured with the play Driving Miss Daisy alongside James Earl Jones. In 2014, she brought her performance as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit to London's West End, her first time on a London stage in almost 40 years.
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In 2015, when she was 89, she received her first Olivier Award for her role in Blithe Spirit. In 2019, Angela made her final appearance on Broadway in a special one-night show of The Importance of Being Earnest.
Angela Lansbury on Television
Murder, She Wrote (1984-2003)
In 1983, Angela was offered two main TV roles. She chose a detective series called Murder, She Wrote. The show was about Jessica Fletcher, a retired school teacher who becomes a successful mystery writer and solves murders wherever she goes. Angela described Jessica as an "American Miss Marple" (another famous detective).
A small number of people have seen me on the stage. [Television] is a chance for me to play to a vast U.S. public, and I think that's a chance you don't pass up ... I'm interested in reaching everybody. I don't want to reach just the people who can pay forty-five or fifty dollars for a [theatre] seat.
The first episode of Murder, She Wrote aired on September 30, 1984. The show became very popular, especially because it was family-friendly and focused on solving mysteries without a lot of violence. Angela was very protective of Jessica Fletcher's character. She had a say in Jessica's clothes and makeup, and she made sure Jessica remained a strong, single woman. Angela saw Jessica as a role model for older women.
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As the show continued, Angela became more involved behind the scenes. Her company, Corymore Productions, started co-producing the show. She even became an executive producer for the last four seasons. Murder, She Wrote ran for twelve seasons until 1996, becoming one of the longest-running detective series in TV history.
After the series ended, Angela starred in four more Murder, She Wrote TV movies between 1997 and 2003. She also starred in a TV movie called Mrs. Santa Claus, where she played Santa's wife. Angela was known for her kindness; she created a recurring character for actress Madlyn Rhue on Murder, She Wrote to ensure Rhue, who had multiple sclerosis, could keep her health insurance.
Other TV Roles (2005-2017)
In 2005, Angela appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Her final TV role was as Aunt March in the BBC miniseries Little Women in 2017. Critics praised her performance, saying she was magnificent.
Angela Lansbury's Personal Life
Ange is classy and elegant, warm and generous, but she's also tough and expects everyone around her to give their all. As far as she is concerned, there is no challenge that can't be at least partially met with a "cuppa" very strong Yorkshire Gold. Working on the stage keeps her vibrant. A healthy regimen keeps her beautiful. What keeps her ageless is her immense curiosity, her exuberance for life, and her tremendous gift for holding on to joy.
Angela Lansbury was known for being careful and private. She didn't like flattery. She was married twice. Her first marriage was to actor Richard Cromwell in 1945, but it ended in 1946. They remained friends. In 1949, she married actor and producer Peter Shaw. They were together for 54 years until he passed away in 2003.
Angela had two children with Peter: Anthony Peter (born 1952) and Deirdre Ann (born 1953). She also had a stepson, David, from Peter's first marriage. Angela often said she wanted to put her children first, but her acting career sometimes meant she had to be away from them for long periods.
Anthony became a television director and directed many episodes of Murder, She Wrote. Deirdre married a chef and opened a restaurant. Angela had three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Angela Lansbury was a supporter of the Democratic Party in the United States and the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. She also supported many charities, especially those helping people affected by domestic abuse and HIV/AIDS.
Angela Lansbury passed away in her sleep at her home in Los Angeles, California, on October 11, 2022, just five days before her 97th birthday.
Angela Lansbury's Acting Roles
Angela Lansbury had a very long and successful career in movies, theatre, and television. She was one of the last stars from the "golden age of Hollywood." She acted alongside many famous actors like Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Elvis Presley, and Bette Davis.
Some of her classic films include:
- Gaslight (1944)
- National Velvet (1944)
- The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
- The Court Jester (1956)
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- Death on the Nile (1978)
She is also well-known for her roles in children's films:
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
- The Last Unicorn (1982)
- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Anastasia (1997)
- Nanny McPhee (2005)
- Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
On Broadway, she starred in many popular musicals:
- Mame (1966)
- Gypsy (1973)
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1978)
- A Little Night Music (2009–2010)
She also gained international fame for her role as the detective Jessica Fletcher in the TV series Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996).
Awards and Legacy
In a career stretching from ingénue to dowager, from elegant heroine to depraved villainess, [Lansbury] has displayed durability and flexibility, as well as a highly admired work ethic.
Angela Lansbury was sometimes called the "First Lady of Musical Theatre." She described herself as an actress who could also sing. Many people considered her an "American icon" with a very kind public image.
In 2002, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) gave Angela a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1994, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Then, in 2014, Queen Elizabeth II made her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her contributions to drama and charity. Angela said she was very happy to receive this honour from her home country.
Even though she was nominated 18 times, Angela never won an Emmy Award for her television work. She was also nominated three times for an Oscar but never won. However, she did receive many Golden Globe Awards and People's Choice Awards for her work in film and television.
In 2013, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave her an Academy Honorary Award to celebrate her amazing career. This special Oscar statue is inscribed: "To Angela Lansbury, an icon who has created some of cinema's most memorable characters inspiring generations of actors."
Images for kids
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Lansbury in 1950
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Lansbury with her children in 1957
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Lansbury in 2013
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See also
In Spanish: Angela Lansbury para niños
