# Angela Lansbury passes away at 96 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [October 11, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086 "2022-10-11T19:53:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/1 "2022-10-11T19:53:47Z")
> **[Angela Lansbury, Entrancing Star of Stage and Screen, Dies at 96](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/angela-lansbury-dead-murder-she-wrote-1235239215/amp/)** > > She played Mame and won five Tony Awards, received an honorary Oscar and starred for 12 seasons as Jessica Fletcher on 'Murder, She Wrote.'  I wasn’t too cool as a young man to watch _Murder She Wrote_ with my mom on Sunday nights in the '80s. And my kids still have good memories of Lansbury voicing/singing Ms. Potts in _Beauty and the Beast_. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/2 "2022-10-11T19:57:35Z")
I remember Miss Price and Mrs. Lovett fondly. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/3 "2022-10-11T20:04:10Z")
My memories of her will always revolve around **Bedknobs and Broomsticks** ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/4 "2022-10-11T20:12:27Z")
I remember watching _Gaslight_ for the first time in the late 90’s (when I was probably 17 or 18). My dad loved Bergman films because, he said, “she’s great on the eyes.” But I couldn’t have cared less about Bergman – I developed a crush on Angela Lansbury after watching that movie. It was a few years before I learned she was the same actress that voiced Mrs. Potts. I don’t think I ever saw her in anything else, but I’ll still watch _Gaslight_ just to see her. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/5 "2022-10-11T20:15:40Z")
Was flipping channels a few days ago and noticed that she was Elvis’ mother in _Blue Hawaii_. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/6 "2022-10-11T20:17:29Z")
She was also the Balloon Lady in _Mary Poppins Returns_. From what I understand, the producers wanted Julie Andrews to play that part, but she, understandably, declined. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/7 "2022-10-11T20:26:25Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > From what I understand, the producers wanted Julie Andrews to play that part, but she, understandably, declined. Why understandably? I was a little confused by Angela Lansbury’s sudden appearance in _Mary Poppins Returns_ but will fondly remember her for other roles. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/8 "2022-10-11T20:27:52Z")
The murder rate in Cabot Cove is going to skyrocket, and nephew Grady is going to be blamed for all of them. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/9 "2022-10-11T20:29:20Z")
She’ll always be Mrs Lovett to me. She was phenomenal in that role. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/10 "2022-10-11T20:29:39Z")
No one’s mentioned The Manchurian Candidate yet, so I will. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/11 "2022-10-11T20:29:53Z")
Jessica wasn’t stopping murders anyway. Rate will drop like a stone 'cuz she did 'em all herself! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/12 "2022-10-11T20:33:07Z")
I remember her from the **Pirates of Penzance** movie from 1983, the one with Kevin Kline. It’s great. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/13 "2022-10-11T20:36:42Z")
Then I’ll say The Court Jester. Damn! She was beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/14 "2022-10-11T21:14:40Z")
RIP, he wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/15 "2022-10-11T21:17:44Z")
I think it might have been a little confusing for children who had seen _Mary Poppins_. Also, it would distract from Emily Blunt’s performance. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/16 "2022-10-11T21:25:24Z")
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Julie Andrews declined because she felt it would distract from Emily Blunt’s performance. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/17 "2022-10-11T22:01:56Z")
Damn! Now I’ll never be able to invite her to my wedding! 😠 RIP, Angela. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/18 "2022-10-11T22:07:29Z")
_Bedknobs and Broomsticks_ introduced me to Lansbury. She never seemed to age very much. She looked basically the same 20 years later in _Murder She Wrote_. It’s always fun to see her in small movie roles. I suggest watching her Western _A Lawless Street_ with Randolph Scott. _National Velvet_ with Elizabeth Taylor is really good. RIP ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/19 "2022-10-11T23:07:59Z")
She was also the lead showgirl against the Harvey Girls in the movie of that name. I suspect she always regretted not being the leading lady type, even though she made a smashing beginning in movies with Gaslight and The Picture of Dorian Gray giving her back-to-back Oscar nominations. She was a pretty young thing, but something about her face a few years later made it too easy to look “hard” instead of tender. The first thing I really noticed her in was The Manchurian Candidate, which I saw as a teen on TV in the late 60’s I think, and that just left me breathless. Seeing her in all her other roles came later, as I became more interested in vintage movies. I thought her acting in Murder She Wrote was no better than it absolutely needed to be, which I thought was a shame, as it made it seem like she was doing it just for the money. I don’t judge her for that, if I had that kind of opportunity I’m sure I would have been all over it. I’m glad she got the chance to exercise her acting chops on stage. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086/20 "2022-10-11T23:11:47Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > No one’s mentioned The Manchurian Candidate yet, so I will. Yes, that was a phenomenal performance. She did play a lot of villains in the beginning and middle part of her career–a fact eclipsed for many by the fame of her _Murder, She Wrote_ role. (The _Gaslight_ role mentioned already was one of those—she was there to add to the Ingrid Bergman character’s distress. Major snark!) Irreverently, another reason she lingers in my memory is for Craig Ferguson’s running joke of showing a photo of Lansbury when referencing Paul McCartney. (There _was_ a resemblance!) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angela-lansbury-passes-away-at-96/973086.md?page=2)