01of 15Angela Lansbury’s Early LifeJohn Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via GettyTheBritish-American actress Angela Lansbury, with a legendary careerspanning almost eight decades, was born in central London on Oct. 16, 1925. Known for a variety of recognizable roles in television, film and theater, Lansbury was one of the last stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.
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Angela Lansbury’s Early Life
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TheBritish-American actress Angela Lansbury, with a legendary careerspanning almost eight decades, was born in central London on Oct. 16, 1925. Known for a variety of recognizable roles in television, film and theater, Lansbury was one of the last stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.
02of 15Angela Lansbury’s Transition to HollywoodKeystone/Hulton Archive/GettyLansbury was born into an upper-middle-class family, the daughter of actress Moyna Macgill and English politician Edgar Lansbury. She moved from Britain to the United States to escape the Blitz in 1940. She studied acting in New York City and moved to Hollywood two years later.
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Angela Lansbury’s Transition to Hollywood
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Lansbury was born into an upper-middle-class family, the daughter of actress Moyna Macgill and English politician Edgar Lansbury. She moved from Britain to the United States to escape the Blitz in 1940. She studied acting in New York City and moved to Hollywood two years later.
03of 15Angela Lansbury and Richard Cromwell’s MarriageHymie Fink/Kobal/ShutterstockNot long after her move, she eloped with actor Richard Cromwell in 1945. Lansbury was 19 at the time, while Cromwell was 35. The marriage ended in divorce one year later, but they remained friends until his death in 1960.
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Angela Lansbury and Richard Cromwell’s Marriage
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Not long after her move, she eloped with actor Richard Cromwell in 1945. Lansbury was 19 at the time, while Cromwell was 35. The marriage ended in divorce one year later, but they remained friends until his death in 1960.
04of 15Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw’s MarriagePictorial Parade/Archive Photos/GettyLansbury remarried a few years later to actor and producer Peter Shaw, in 1949. The couple remained together for 54 years until his death in 2003. They share three children Anthony, Deirdre and David from Shaw’s previous marriage. Lansbury went on to become a grandmother to three and a great-grandmother of five.
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Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw’s Marriage
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Lansbury remarried a few years later to actor and producer Peter Shaw, in 1949. The couple remained together for 54 years until his death in 2003. They share three children Anthony, Deirdre and David from Shaw’s previous marriage. Lansbury went on to become a grandmother to three and a great-grandmother of five.
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Angela Lansbury in Gaslight
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06of 15Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian CandidateUnited Artists/Kobal/ShutterstockWhen her MGM contract ended in 1952, she landed a role in the widely acclaimed 1962 movieThe Manchurian Candidatebefore transitioning to the theater. Recognized as one of her strongest roles in a film, the part earned Lansbury her third Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
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Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian Candidate
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When her MGM contract ended in 1952, she landed a role in the widely acclaimed 1962 movieThe Manchurian Candidatebefore transitioning to the theater. Recognized as one of her strongest roles in a film, the part earned Lansbury her third Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
07of 15Angela Lansbury’s Broadway DebutBill Ray/The LIFE Picture Collection/ShutterstockAnyone Can Whistlemarked Lansbury’s first musical theater gig in 1964, but it wasn’t until she landed the leading role in 1966’s Broadway musicalMamethat she attained Broadway stardom status, earning her firstTony Awardin 1969.That same year, she also received a Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical inDear World.
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Angela Lansbury’s Broadway Debut
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Anyone Can Whistlemarked Lansbury’s first musical theater gig in 1964, but it wasn’t until she landed the leading role in 1966’s Broadway musicalMamethat she attained Broadway stardom status, earning her firstTony Awardin 1969.
That same year, she also received a Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical inDear World.
08of 15Angela Lansbury in Bedknobs and BroomsticksDisney/Kobal/ShutterstockLansbury continued with various on-stage performances, but also took up Disney’s acclaimed classicBedknobs and Broomsticksin 1971. This marked her first screen musical, which secured her an enormous audience.
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Angela Lansbury in Bedknobs and Broomsticks
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Lansbury continued with various on-stage performances, but also took up Disney’s acclaimed classicBedknobs and Broomsticksin 1971. This marked her first screen musical, which secured her an enormous audience.
09of 15Angela Lansbury’s Tony AwardsRay Fisher/GettyLansbury saw much success throughout the 1970s, as it was a Tony Award-winning decade for the actress. She was awarded the honor for her leading role inGypsyin1975 and Sweeney Todd in 1979.
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Angela Lansbury’s Tony Awards
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Lansbury saw much success throughout the 1970s, as it was a Tony Award-winning decade for the actress. She was awarded the honor for her leading role inGypsyin1975 and Sweeney Todd in 1979.
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Angela Lansbury on Murder, She Wrote
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11of 15Angela Lansbury in Beauty and the BeastNeilson Barnard/GettyLansbury contributed toclassic animated filmsin the 1990s and is widely known for voicing the beloved Mrs. Potts in Disney’sBeauty and the Beastin 1991. She sang the title song, which won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and a Grammy Award for best song written for a motion picture, television, or other visual media.She later voiced Dowager Empress Marie in Don Bluth’sAnastasiain 1997.
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Angela Lansbury in Beauty and the Beast
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Lansbury contributed toclassic animated filmsin the 1990s and is widely known for voicing the beloved Mrs. Potts in Disney’sBeauty and the Beastin 1991. She sang the title song, which won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and a Grammy Award for best song written for a motion picture, television, or other visual media.
She later voiced Dowager Empress Marie in Don Bluth’sAnastasiain 1997.
12of 15Angela Lansbury in Nanny McPheeMichael Tran/FilmMagicLansbury returned to film in 2005, starring as Aunt Adelaide inNanny McPhee.The movie filmed shortly after Lansbury lost her husband in 2003, and she credited co-starEmma Thompsonfor lifting her spirits through the production that “absolutely appealed to [my] sense of ridiculous,” Lansbury toldStudio 10.
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Angela Lansbury in Nanny McPhee
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Lansbury returned to film in 2005, starring as Aunt Adelaide inNanny McPhee.The movie filmed shortly after Lansbury lost her husband in 2003, and she credited co-starEmma Thompsonfor lifting her spirits through the production that “absolutely appealed to [my] sense of ridiculous,” Lansbury toldStudio 10.
13of 15Angela Lansbury’s Return to BroadwayJemal Countess/WireImageThirty years after her fourth Tony Award win forSweeney Todd, Lansbury took home her fifth Tony for best featured actress in a play for 2009’sBlithe Spirit. In 2015, she also earned an Olivier Award for the same role — at age 89!
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Angela Lansbury’s Return to Broadway
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Thirty years after her fourth Tony Award win forSweeney Todd, Lansbury took home her fifth Tony for best featured actress in a play for 2009’sBlithe Spirit. In 2015, she also earned an Olivier Award for the same role — at age 89!
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Angela Lansbury’s Academy Awards
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Angela Lansbury’s Recent Roles
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In 2018, she toldLarry Kingthat she’s never thought about retiring and that she’ll “probably pass away with one hand on [her] script.” In June of 2022,she was honored withthe Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, though wasn’t present at the ceremony.
Four months later, the actress' family announcedshe had died “peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles” on Oct. 11, 2022, just five days before her 97th birthday.
source: people.com
