Famous for her 80’s US television crime series, Murder She Wrote, Angela Lansbury has died. The three time Oscar nominee passed away at 96. Born in 1925 she died in her sleep just five days before she would have turned 97.
“The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles,” the family said
“In addition to her three children, Anthony, Deirdre and David she is also survived by three grandchildren; Peter, Katherine and Ian plus five great-grandchildren and her brother Edgar Lansbury. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Peter Shaw. A private family ceremony will be held at a date to be determined.”
Lansbury has done both film and theatre. In 1962 she played the Machiavellian mother in The Manchurian Candidate and the outlandish aunt in Mame.
She also played the delightful teapot in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 1991.
Born in London she later moved to New York to attend the Feagin School of Dramatic Art. In 1942 she appeared as a maid in the film Gaslight.
She was also nominated for Oscars for her role in Sibyl in The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1945 and for The Manchurian Candidate.
She also starred in children’s favourite Bedknobs and Broomsticks in 1971.
However her biggest and most popular role was undoubtedly that of Jessica Fletcher in Murder She Wrote. The show ran for 12 years from 1984 and had nine seasons. She was nominated for an Emmy for each season. The series also made her one of the wealthiest women in Hollywood at the time.
Lansbury received The Lifetime Achievement award in 2013 when she was 88 years old. She was honoured with the title Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2014 for her contribution to drama, charity and philanthropy.
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