‘Homicide, She Wrote’ Actress Dies at 96

Actress and Broadway icon Angela Lansbury died on Tuesday, October 11. She was 96.

“The youngsters of Dame Angela Lansbury are unhappy to announce that their mom died peacefully in her sleep at residence in Los Angeles at 1:30 a.m. in the present day, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, simply 5 days shy of her 97th birthday,” her household mentioned in a press release obtained by Individuals. “Along with her three kids, Anthony, Deirdre and David, she is survived by three grandchildren, Peter, Katherine and Ian, plus 5 great-grandchildren and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury.”

Her family members additionally revealed that there will likely be a “personal household ceremony” held at an unknown date to honor the actress who would have turned 97 on Monday, October 16.

The England native’s passing got here 4 months after Lansbury was noticeably absent from the seventy fifth Annual Tony Awards on June 12. The Mame star was honored throughout the occasion with the Lifetime Achievement within the Theatre Award for her lengthy profession on Broadway — bringing her Tony wins to 6 complete.

Lansbury, who first appeared on Broadway in 1957, didn’t attend the New York Metropolis occasion nor did she pre-tape an acceptance speech. Nevertheless, the Finest Man star was honored with a efficiency of “Mame” by the New York Metropolis Homosexual Males’s Refrain.

Her 1979 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Road costar Len Cariou additionally took the stage to pay tribute to his longtime pal. (The duo later reconnected on a number of episodes of Lansbury’s hit TV present Homicide, She Wrote.)

“There isn’t any one with whom I’d quite run a cutthroat enterprise with,” Cariou joked on the time, referring to Sweeney Todd’s lethal story line. “After we first met on the first rehearsal of Sweeney Todd, I used to be very excited and admittedly a bit in awe of probably the most unimaginable credentials that she had.”

He concluded: “Angela’s extraordinary 75-year profession was marked with many joyful moments onstage.”

Lansbury’s stage credit embrace 1964’s Anybody Can Whistle, 1969’s Pricey World, 1974’s Gypsy and 2009’s A Little Night time Music. The British-Irish actress’ movie and tv profession started in 1944 when she performed Nancy in Gaslight. The function earned Lansbury her first of three Oscar nominations.

The 2013 Honorary Oscar winner was finest identified on the large display for Nationwide Velvet, The Image of Dorian Grey, The Manchurian Candidate, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Demise on the Nile and Nanny McPhee.

Her voice work as Mrs. Potts in 1991’s Magnificence and the Beast and the Dowager Empress Marie in 1997’s Anastasia made her star rise even larger. Nevertheless, Lansbury’s function as writer and novice sleuth Jessica Fletcher on Homicide, She Wrote is what cemented her standing as one in every of America’s greatest TV stars.

“Being Jessica was second nature to me as a result of she embodied the entire qualities that I like about ladies. She was valiant and liberal and athletic and thrilling and attractive and every kind of excellent stuff that ladies are of a sure age and should not given credit score for,” Lansbury mentioned on a 2000 episode of NPR’s Recent Air. “So to have the ability to play that gave me great type of pleasure, and I’m so glad I’ve carried out it.”

The BAFTA winner added: “I do really feel a way of great heat from the American public who’ve identified and liked that program. I actually do. I do know they — I don’t know whether or not they’re mixing me up with the character. And it actually doesn’t matter. The primary factor is I’ve — I really feel that gratitude so typically for all of the nights.”

Lansbury starred on the crime sequence from 1984 to 1996 and appeared in a number of TV motion pictures as the identical character into the early 2000s. She served as an govt producer on the challenge, helming 88 episodes through the years. She starred in 246 episodes complete.

She is survived by son Anthony, daughter Deidre and stepson David whom Lansbury shared with late husband Peter Shaw. The Buttons, A New Musical Movie actress was married to Shaw for greater than 50 years earlier than his demise in 2003.