Today we celebrate the life of Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury. She has made many film, theatre, and TV roles famous while experiencing one of the longest careers in entertainment.
Angela was a star of the Golden Age of Hollywood Cinema. After being born in London, she moved to the U.S. in 1940 and began studying acting in New York City.
She moved to Hollywood in 1942 and landed her first film role in 1944’s ‘Gaslight.’ Angela followed that film with 1945’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray.’ The roles earned her two Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe Award.
Her third Academy Award nomination came from her role in ‘The Manchurian Candidate’ in 1962. Angela journeyed to Broadway in 1966 to play the leading role in ‘Mame’ in 1966, earning her first Tony Award.
Angela famously played ‘Mrs. Potts’ in the Disney movie musical ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ She reluctantly sang and recorded the title track to the movie’s soundtrack, and it became her signature song. She also headlined her own TV series titled ‘Murder She Wrote.’ The incredibly successful series ran for 12 seasons from 1984 until 1996 with 264 episodes.
She went on to garner 7 Tony Award nominations, winning 5 total. Angela won for 1966’s ‘Mame,’ 1969’s ‘Dear World,’ 1975’s ‘Gypsy,’ 1979’s ‘Sweeney Todd,’ and 2009’s ‘Blithe Spirit.’
She received the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2022, and her beloved career was honored. Few actresses can compare to Angela’s 80-plus years in the industry, and her legacy will be remembered for years to come.
