Angela Lansbury, the British actress who danced the night away in the Broadway musical Mame and solved endless murders as Jessica Fletcher in the TV series Murder, She Wrote, has died. She was 96 years old.
Angela Lansbury dies: What’s the cause?
As per People, Lansbury’s family confirmed that the actress died in her sleep on Tuesday, 11 October 2022, just five days before her birthday:
“The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles at 1:30 a.m.,” the statement read.
At a later time, a private family ceremony and burial will take place.
Angela Lansbury biography
Angela Lansbury was born on 16 October 1925 in London, England. In 1940, Lansbury moved to America with her mother, the actress Moyna MacGill. She studied acting at the Feagin School of Drama and Radio in New York City from 1940 until 1942. as per Britannica.
At a party in 1942, she caught the attention of a Hollywood producer, who cast her in her debut role as a maid in the movie Gaslight. Her ensuing career saw her success on large and small screens, taking her from Broadway to Hollywood.
However, her role as Jessica Fletcher in the television series Murder, She Wrote is what made her famous worldwide. She took up the role in 1984 and played the part for 12 years and nine seasons.
She received Oscar nominations for her roles as the maid in Gaslight, Sibyl in The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1945, and Laurence Harvey’s cunning mother in The Manchurian Candidate in 1962.
In 2013, she was 88 years old and received an honorary Oscar for her career achievements. She was made a Dame in 2014 for her services to drama, charitable work, and philanthropy.
When she was 19 years old, Dame Angela had a brief marriage to actor Richard Cromwell. Later, she wed British actor and producer Peter Shaw. Up to his passing in 2003, Lansbury and Shaw spent more than 50 years together.
She is survived by three children, her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Reactions to Lansbury’s death
Dame Angela’s death shook the film world, especially fans of the crime and investigation genre. Fans, colleagues and friends have since paid heartfelt tributes to the late actress. Here’s what they had to say: