Remembering the life and times of Angela Lansbury

'Gaslight' (1944) - Lansbury’s mother eventually relocated to Hollywood. The young Angela and her brothers accompanied her. Angela Lansbury made her film debut in the 1944 film version of 'Gaslight.' Amazingly, the actress was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She was just 19 years old!

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'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (1945) - Signed with MGM, Lansbury's career took off. She was again nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for 'The Picture of Dorian Gray.' She didn't win, but did take home a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

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Marriage 1945 - Lansbury's first marriage to Richard Cromwell lasted a year. She tied the knot with second husband, actor Peter Shaw (pictured), in 1945. The pair would remain together until his death in 2003.

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'The Harvey Girls' (1946) - Appearing alongside Judy Garland in this musical, Lansbury had her singing voice dubbed by Virginia Rees despite being a songstress herself.

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'Till the Clouds Roll By' (1946) -

Another early role for Lansbury—and once again sharing screen time with Judy Garland—was in this Technicolor musical. Frank Sinatra appeared as himself.

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'A Taste of Honey' (1960) - Joan Plowright as Jo with Lansbury as Helen in the original Broadway production of 'A Taste of Honey.'

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'The Manchurian Candidate' (1962) - For her role as Mrs Iselin in this celebrated political thriller, Lansbury was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received a Golden Globe nod.

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'Anyone Can Whistle' (1964) - Taking time out from film work, Lansbury turned to the stage. She made her Broadway debut in 'Hotel Paradiso' (1957) and was well received. She made her Broadway musical debut in 1964 in 'Anyone Can Whistle.' She's pictured with the cast.

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Finding fame with 'Mame' - She won her first Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for 'Mame' (1966). Her stage performance sealed her success as a Broadway superstar.

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Deirdre Lansbury - In the late 1960s Lansbury's daughter, Deirdre (pictured) fell in with members of the notorious Manson family. Fortunately she played no part in the dreadful events of August 9, 1969.

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Anthony Lansbury - Anthony Lansbury, pictured with his mother and father, dabbled in heroin and cocaine and by the late 1960s, was an addict. He later became a television director, and directed 68 episodes of 'Murder, She Wrote.'

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'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' (1971) - A favorite with children, the musical fantasy, which combines live action and animation, saw Lansbury nominated for a Golden Globe.

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'Murder, She Wrote' (1984–1996) - Lansbury's most endearing role is that of Jessica Fletcher, the ex-schoolteacher turned mystery writer in the hit crime drama series 'Murder, She Wrote.'

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'Murder, She Wrote' (1984–1996) - Among the most successful and longest-running television shows in history, 'Murder, She Wrote' garnered Lansbury numerous Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, with the actress winning four Golden Globes.

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Lifetime achievement - She's pictured receiving a Lifetime Achievement in Television and Film Award from actor Robert Wagner in 1997.

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Kennedy Center Honors - In 2000, the actress was a recipient of the annual honor given to those in the performing arts. Pictured is US President Bill Clinton and from left to right: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Chuck Berry, Plácido Domingo, Clint Eastwood, and Angela Lansbury.

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Grief -

A grief-stricken Angela Lansbury hugs a guest at the Brentwood Presbyterian Church in California where a memorial service was held for her husband, Peter Shaw, on February 9, 2003. The couple had been wed for 54 years.

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'Nanny McPhee' (2005) -

Lansbury enjoyed her work as Great-Aunt Lady Adelaide Stitch in this comedy set in Victorian England.

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'Blithe Spirit' (2009) - Lansbury wooed audiences as Madame Arcati in the 2014 Broadway revival of Noël Coward's play. The actress is pictured with Rupert Everett.

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That's the spirit - For her role as Madame Arcati, Lansbury won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Incredibly, she would win the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the same portrayal in the 2014 London production of the play.

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'A Little Night Music' (2009) - The 2009 Broadway revival of 'A Little Night Music' costarred Lansbury and Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.

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Old friends - One of Angela Lansbury's dearest friends was fellow actress Bea Arthur (1922–2009). The two appeared in 'Mame' together, which resulted in both Lansbury and Arthur winning Tony Awards for their respective performances.

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Lansbury holds the record for most Emmy acting nominations without a win - Many industry pundits think it's a great injustice that despite being nominated 18 times throughout her career, Lansbury never won an Emmy award.

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Honorary Oscar - Lansbury was nominated for three Academy Awards in her career. She received an Honorary Oscar in 2013.

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Hollywood royalty - In 2014, Lansbury was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She received the prestigious accolade from Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle in England.

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'Driving Miss Daisy' (2014) - The critically acclaimed 2013 Australian stage production of 'Driving Miss Daisy' was filmed and released the following year to equal praise. Lansbury was cast alongside James Earl Jones and Boyd Gaines.

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'Little Women' (2017) -

After nearly eight decades in the business, Lansbury finally worked with her first female director at 92, Vaness Caswill on PBS' 'Little Women' miniseries. Pictured: Annes Elwy, Angela Lansbury, Maya Hawke, Willa Fitzgerald, Collin Callender, Heidi Thomas.

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Forever popular - The actress once rated a perfect 100 on People magazine’s lovability index.

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In demand until the end -

In 2018, aged 93, Angela Lansbury appeared in 'Mary Poppins Returns'—74 years after her film debut!

Remembering the life and times of Angela Lansbury

The beloved actress passed away on October 11, just shy of her 97th birthday on October 16

14/10/22 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Retrospective

One of Hollywood's most endearing stars, Angela Lansbury made her film debut in 1944. She went on to act in some 60 movies, made numerous television appearances, and claimed the stage in theaters around the world.

Perhaps best known for her role as the mystery writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher in the hit series 'Murder, She Wrote,' Lansbury was a show business legend. Sadly, she recently passed away at the age of 96, just shy of turning 97.

In honor of the beloved star, browse this gallery for an affectionate look back at the life and career of this acclaimed Dame.