The Devastating Death Of Angela Lansbury

Dame Angela Lansbury has died on October 11, 2022. According to Broadway World, the 96-old actress died in her sleep at her home in California. Lansbury's family shared a statement, confirming that she died peacefully and that she is survived by three children, three grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and her brother. The cause of her death has not been confirmed.

Lansbury was arguably most famous for her long-running, beloved role as writer Jessica Fletcher on the CBS detective drama "Murder, She Wrote," but her acclaimed, long-running career is so much more than that. A true star of the Golden Age of Hollywood, her first film credit is from 1944, and over her many decades in the business, she amassed dozens of awards and nominations for her work, including a 2014 honorary Academy Award. She was known for both her exquisite live performances, including her role as Eleanor Iselin on "The Manchurian Candidate," and her wonderful work as a voice actress — like her powerful performance as Mrs. Potts in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." She was also an accomplished musical star with a shining career on Broadway and five Tony awards (via Broadway World). 

As the entertainment industry reels from the loss of one of its last true old-school stars, we'll take a moment to look at the life and times of the late, great actress.

Lansbury, who was born in London in 1925, studied acting in Ireland before her family escaped World War II to the U.S. in 1940 (via Biography). Her destiny for movie stardom was immediately clear when her very first movie role as maid Nancy in "Gaslight" earned her a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar nod, and her third film credit as Sibyl Vane in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" repeated the trick – as well as earning Lansbury the first of her six Golden Globes.

Lansbury had her ups and downs like anyone who works in the entertainment industry as long as she did, but the sheer length of her active career is a testament to her peerless talent and work ethic. In 2013, Britain gave her the ultimate nod by knighting her for her considerable "services to drama and to charitable work and philanthropy," according to the BBC. 

"I'm joining a marvelous group of women I greatly admire like Judi Dench and Maggie Smith," the actress said of the honor. "It's a lovely thing to be given that nod of approval by your own country and I really cherish it."

Rest in peace, Dame Angela.