The star of the stage, television and screen, actress Angela Lansbury for seven decades surprised the audience with her unimaginable talent, high skill and crazy beauty. The "universal" English artist won four Tony awards, was nominated for an Academy Award three times and ten times an Emmy Award.
Her fans are people of all age categories. Even young people recognize Angela in the role of Jessica Fletcher from the successful series "She wrote the murder." And thanks to her perfect English diction, small viewers simply adore the animated films Beauty and the Beast, Anastasia, voiced by Lansbury.
Angela Lansbury: biography
The famous actress and singer was born on October 16, 1925 in London, then back in the British Empire. Her mother, Moina McGill, was an Irish artist who regularly appeared on the stage in the West End and even starred in several successful films. His father, Edgar Lansbury, was a wealthy English timber merchant and politician, a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain and a former mayor of the capital city of Poplar.
Her paternal grandfather, George Lansbury, was a Labor leader and a prominent figure. It was this man who had a great influence on Angela in her youth. In January 1930, when she was four years old, her mother gave birth to twin boys, Bruce and Edgar. So she became the oldest child in the family. Her cousin Coral Lansbury was a scholar and novelist whose son Malcolm Turnbull became a prominent Australian politician.
In an interview, the actress often said that she was infinitely grateful for the combination of Irish and English blood. Otherwise, she would not have received an incomparable sense of comedy and fantasy and would not have become such a brilliant person.
Childhood and youth
Angela Lansbury suffered a terrible loss in her youth: when she was 9 years old, her father died of stomach cancer. After that, she began to overcome unprecedented difficulties in life. Due to financial difficulties, her mother has to marry the Scottish military colonel Lecky Forbes and move to Hampstead.
From 1934 to 1939, Angela attended South Hampstead High School. She was self-taught and learned from books, theater and cinema. In 1940, she began studying acting with Webber Douglas at the Kensington School of Singing and Dramatic Art, West London. Then she first appeared on the scene.
In the same year, her grandfather dies. The young actress was on the verge of depression. Then her mother decides to move to the United States. Together with the British children who were evacuated to North America, they got to Montreal (Canada), and from there they arrived by train to New York. Angela began receiving a scholarship from the American Wing Theater. This gave her the opportunity to study at the School of Drama and Radio, which she graduated in 1942, when the family moved to an apartment on Morton Street, Greenwich Village.
The famous "Gaslight"
Angela Lansbury received her first theatrical work at age 16 at a nightclub, telling everyone that she was 19 years old. Her partner was Arthur Bourbon, with whom she sang Noel Coward songs.
In 1942, they moved to Hollywood, Los Angeles, as my mother again wanted to become an actress. But she was soon fired for incompetence, and they lived only on Angela's salary - $ 28 a week.
At a party organized by her mother, she meets John Van Druten, who co-wrote the script for the new film, Gaslight (1944). And he invited Lansbury to play the role of maid Nancy Oliver. But since Angela was only 17 years old, a social worker was present on the set with her. Soon she signs a seven-year deal with Metro Golden Mayer, earning $ 500 a week. After the release of the movie “Gaslight,” the role of Lansbury is highly appreciated and even nominated for an Academy Award as the best supporting actress.
At 19, she first married actor Richard Cromwell. This marriage was short, since Angela soon found out that her husband was gay.
"The Picture of Dorian Grey"
In 1945, she starred in the film "Portrait of Dorian Gray", directed by Albert Levin. The work of Angela was again highly praised by critics, and for this she will receive an award - the Golden Globe Award. Then she is again nominated for an Academy Award, where she loses to actress Ann Rever.
In 1949, she remarries - for British actor Peter Shaw. For fifty years of marriage, he was not only her loving husband, but also a personal producer.
In 1952, after the contract with the Metro Golden Mayer, during a break between tours, she gives birth to her first child Anthony Peter, and a year later her daughter Deirdre Angelo.
Angela Lansbury: filmography of the 50-60s
Angela returns to the cinema as a freelance actress, playing small roles in such films: Life at the Cauldron (1954), The Jester (1956), Please Kill Me (1956), Long Hut Summer ”(1958),“ The Seventeenth Doll’s Summer ”(1959),“ The Breath of the Scandal ”(1960),“ Blue Hawaii ”(1961).
Her role as widow Mavis in the film “Darkness at the Top of the Stairs” (1960) was adequately appreciated by critics. In 1962, the role of Eleanor Aiselin in the film "Manchurian Candidate" became her cinematic triumph and brought her the third Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Tony Award
In 1966, Angela Lansbury starred in Jerry Herman's musical Mami. After the premiere in the New York Times, they will say about her that such an actress well combines on stage the mind, poise and warmth. Lansbury receives her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Such incredible success has allowed Angela to appear in several popular television shows. And in 1968, members of the Hasti Pudding Club at Harvard University elected her "Woman of the Year."
Great theater work
Lansbury did not stop there and soon played another major role - Countess Aurelia in the musical production of Mad of Chaillot by Gene Girodou. The premiere took place on Broadway in February 1969. Feedback on her performance was positive, and Angela was again awarded the Tony Award.
She then appears in the title role in the musical Prettibelle. The controversial topic of the production was not rightly appreciated by critics.
In September 1974, Angela Lansbury received the third Tony Award for her role in Gypsy. In December 1975, she played the role of Gertrude in Hamlet at the Royal National Theater.
In April 1978, she plays Anna in the Broadway production of King and Me. In 1979, Angela became Madame Lovett in the musical thriller Sweeney Todd. The New York Times will say of her that Lansbury sings "frighteningly well."
Detective roles and sound for cartoons
After many years of starring on the stage, Lansbury returned to the screen for the movie “Death on the Nile” (1978), and then portrayed Miss Marple in the movie “The Mirror Cracked” (1980).
Soon she starred in the film "Talent for the Kill" (1983), along with Laurence Olivier. Then she continued to work in this genre and took part in the filming of the series "She wrote the murder" (1984-1996). The role of Jessica Fletcher will bring the actress worldwide fame.
She began to voice with interest the animated films: “Last Unicorn” (1982) and “Anastasia” (1997). And in the animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991), Mrs. Potts (teapot) also revived Angela Lansbury. The children were delighted with her title song. Later, the creators will receive an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and a Grammy Award for the best song written for the film.
Active 21st Century
After a long absence on stage due to the death of her husband Peter Shaw, the famous "Miss Marple" will return to Broadway in the play "Die" by Terence McNally. The premiere took place in May 2007 in a limited edition.
In May 2009, she played the role of Madame Arkati in the production of Blyth Spirit. For impeccable acting, she receives many awards, including the Tony Award as the best actress in the play.
Lansbury starred in Gore Vidal's Broadway musical “The Best Man,” along with James Earl Johnson, John Larockett, Kendis Bergen and Eric McCormack. The premiere took place on April 1, 2012. Critics praised Angela's talent. For this, she was nominated for the Des Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play.
In June 2011, Lansbury starred in Mr. Popper Penguins with Jim Carrey.
In 2013, along with James Earl Johnson, he plays in the play "Chauffeur Miss Daisy." Then they and the theater make an Australian tour until the end of the year.
Angela Lansbury now wants to receive an Oscar for her great achievements in musical theater and cinema, which will be a big reward for her contribution to the small screen.
October 16, 2015 she turned 90 years old! The amazing actress still looks amazing, plays in the theater, as she herself admitted, drinks strong tea and eats canned sardines.
After watching her films, each time you are convinced that Angela Lansbury is endowed with amazing talent and impeccable acting. Her biography was quite complicated. But she proved that, despite all the falls down, you need to continue to work hard and achieve your goal. She was nominated three times for the Academy Award, never having won, Angela claims that she is not disappointed in this, because otherwise she would not have such a successful career.