What do you know about this late and great icon?
The beloved star of the stage and screen (big and small), Angela Lansbury tragically passed away on Tuesday, October 11th at the age of 96. On that very day, I was at a concert with friends, and I exclaimed “Oh no Angela Lansbury died,” in response was a vast sea of silence, the strangers behind me even asking “Who?”. I was in shock because, in my household, we have always worshipped the ground Lansbury walked on. If you are one of those who asks “who” when you hear Lansbury’s name, then let me enlighten you.
The first time I can remember hearing Lansbury’s distinct voice is as Mrs. Potts in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (1991), where she portrays a talking teapot. Her voice will always be attached to the classic song “Beauty and the Beast,” forever echoing the lyrics tale as old as time…
Another Disney flick she is featured in, while more niche, is equally important to my childhood is Bedknobs and Broomsticks, a whimsical adventure movie set in the 1940s1. She has proven time and time again that she can produce childhood classics, but her career spans well beyond her time working with Disney.
One of her most noteworthy performances was as Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, a TV show spanning over 10 years (1984-1996) and 12 seasons. Lansbury received 12 Emmy nominations for the show. This warm, cozy series follows Lansbury as a mystery writer who, in her free time, solves murders. This show was popular with my grandparents, and my mom. Although I grew up watching it on rainy Sundays, this past summer my brother and I streamed all 12 seasons—while time-consuming—it further made me appreciate Lansbury.
While I think most people would recognize her from Beauty and the Beast and Murder, She Wrote, Lansbury is also very accomplished on the stage as well. While I am a theatre fan and knew of a few productions she was in, I had no idea how decorated she was for her stage roles.
She most notably played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (for which she won a Tony Award) while also receiving awards for shows such as Mame, Gypsy, and Blithe Spirit among others.
Even though Lansbury is no longer making new work, the beauty of movies and tv is that, even after someone is gone, we get to look back on their genius. We also have the ability to feel their emotions with new eyes, knowing that they are no longer here. We can now look back on her vast body of work where her essence still shines through. Her lifelong career can still impact the coming generations, as she can still get recognition from a younger audience. Next time someone mentions Angela Lansbury, I hope people recognize her talent, and her innate ability to provide such warmth and emotion in all of her roles.