Angela Lansbury

Angela Lansbury was an Irish-British actress and singer born on October 16, 1925. Lansbury was an incedibly talented actress and was one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. This five-time Tony Award-winning actress was the pinnacle of entertainment and is worth celebrating daily. So, join us as we celebrate her life and legacy today!

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury

Nickname:

Angie

Birth date:

October 16, 1925

Death date:

October 11, 2022 (age 96)

Zodiac Sign:

Libra

Height:

5' 8"

Net Worth:

$80 million

Dame's Social Media:

Background

Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury was an Irish-British actress and singer, whose profound talents on-screen have earned her a large fanbase of global supporters. Lansbury was a Libra born on October 16, 1925, and her birthplace is St. Pancras, Central London. Her mother was an actress, while her father was an English timber merchant and former mayor. Hence, Lansbury was born into a wealthy family and is of English-Irish descent. She grew up with siblings, and their family moved to Mill Hill in North London when she was four. When Lansbury turned nine, her father died from stomach cancer and the family faced financial difficulty. However, her mother got engaged to a Scottish colonel, and she attended South Hampstead High School, graduating in 1939. Lansbury visited the cinema often and started studying Acting at the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Arts in Kensington. After her grandfather’s death, Lansbury’s mother moved the family to the United States. Through scholarship, she gained admission into the Feagin School of Drama and Radio in New York and graduated in March 1942.

Lansbury’s debut film role was in “Gaslight” (1944), where she played the role of Nancy Oliver, a conniving cockney maid. She signed a seven-year contract with M.G.M., earning $500 a week the same year. Lansbury’s role in “Gaslight” earned her a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination. She starred in “National Velvet” (1944) and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1945), for which she received her first Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress Award. By the 1950s, Lansbury was an established actress. Her debut television role was in an episode of “Robert Montgomery Presents” (1950). In 1952, following a stint of unproductive roles, Lansbury terminated her contract with M.G.M. In the 1960s, she starred in “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” (1960), “All Fall Down” (1962), “In the Cool of the Day” (1963), etcetera. In the 1970s, Lansbury spent more time on stage. Her role in “Death on the Nile” (1978) was critically acclaimed. She appeared in more films before voicing Mrs. Potts in the Disney animation “Beauty and the Beast” (1991). The film’s title song, which she performed, won several awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media. By the 2000s, Lansbury starred as Aunt Adelaide in “Nanny McPhee” (2005) and “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” (2011) with Jim Carrey. She also received an Academy Honorary Award for her lifetime achievement in 2013.

Lansbury appeared in several more films, including “Mary Poppins Returns” (2018). She partook in several theater productions, including the role of Gertrude in N.T.C.’s Hamlet, and gained fame on Broadway. For her television career, she starred in “Murder, She Wrote” from 1984 to 1996. Lansbury is a highly awarded actress and singer who has won several awards, including six Golden Globes, five Tonys, a S.A.G., and a BAFTA. She shared her success with her family, which features her husband, Peter Shaw, until his death 54 years later in 2003. She had two children with Shaw and a stepson from his previous marriage.

Career timeline

1944
Her Debut Film Role

Lansbury plays a conniving maid in "Gaslight."

1945
Her First Golden Globe Award

Lansbury wins her first Golden Globe Award for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ for her role in "The Picture of Dorian Gray."

1957
Her Broadway Debut

Lansbury debuts on Broadway in a French burlesque by Peter Glenville.

1991
“Beauty and the Beast”

Lansbury voices Mrs. Potts in this Disney animation.

2013
A ‘Lifetime Achievement’ Award

Lansbury receives an Honorary Academy Award.

Why We Love Angela Lansbury

  1. She was a great mother

    Despite being a successful actress, Lansbury was a mother first and prioritized her children’s needs. When her children needed help following their drug addiction, she didn’t work for a year to see if they came out of it.

  2. She was involved in various causes and charities

    Lansbury contributed to different causes and charities, including Abused Wives in Crisis which combated domestic abuse. She supported charities in the fight against H.I.V./AIDS.

  3. She was a great actress

    Lansbury featured in over 100 films, theater, and television productions. Her talent was exceptional, and she embodied each role with grace and poise.

5 Surprising Facts

  1. She studied music

    Lansbury studied music at the Ritman School of Dancing to learn the piano.

  2. Her mother was fired

    Lansbury and her mother worked at Bullocks Wilshire, but her mother was fired for incompetence.

  3. Her first husband was gay

    Lansbury’s first husband, Cromwell, was gay, which she knew but she married him anyway in the hopes that this would change — it ended in a divorce a year later.

  4. She proposed to her second husband

    Lansbury proposed marriage to her second husband, Shaw.

  5. Her home was destroyed

    Lansbury’s Malibu home got destroyed in a fire.

Angela Lansbury FAQs

What surgery did Angela Lansbury have?

Aside from her hip and knee replacement surgeries, Lansbury got cosmetic surgery on her neck to prevent it from broadening with age.

Where is Angela Lansbury now?

Lansbury lived in New York now.

How much did Angela Lansbury make per episode?

Lansbury became an executive producer for “Murder She Wrote” for its last four seasons and made $300,000 per episode.

Angela Lansbury’s birthday dates

YearDateDay
2024October 16Wednesday
2025October 16Thursday
2026October 16Friday
2027October 16Saturday
2028October 16Monday

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