Angela Lansbury, “Murder, She Wrote” star, dies at 96

Angela Lansbury, star of the long-running drama sequence “Murder, She Wrote,” has died, the British actress’ household confirmed. She was 96.

Lansbury died “peacefully in her sleep at dwelling in Los Angeles” early Tuesday morning, Michael A. McConnell, of Zero Gravity Management, stated in an announcement on behalf of her three kids. Lansbury was going to show 97 in simply 5 days.

Throughout her 80-year profession, Lansbury starred on the large display screen, tv and on stage.

Lansbury gained 5 Tony Awards for her Broadway performances and a lifetime achievement award. She earned Academy Award nominations as supporting actress for 2 of her first three movies, “Gaslight” (1945) and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1946), and was nominated once more in 1962 for “The Manchurian Candidate” and her icy portrayal of a Communist agent and the title character’s mom.

Her stardom got here in center age when she grew to become the hit of the New York theater, successful Tony Awards for “Mame” (1966), “Dear World” (1969), “Gypsy” (1975) and “Sweeney Todd” (1979).

She was again on Broadway and acquired one other Tony nomination in 2007 in Terrence McNally’s “Deuce,” taking part in a scrappy, brash former tennis star, reflecting with one other ex-star as she watches a modern-day match from the stands. In 2009 she collected her fifth Tony, for greatest featured actress in a revival of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” and in 2015 gained an Olivier Award within the function.

But Lansbury is probably greatest identified for starring as thriller author Jessica Fletcher within the CBS hit sequence “Murder, She Wrote” which ran for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996. 

“Murder, She Wrote” and different tv work introduced her 18 Emmy nominations, although she by no means gained one. She holds the file for probably the most Golden Globe nominations and wins for greatest actress in a tv drama sequence and probably the most Emmy nominations for lead actress in a drama sequence.

In 1949 Lansbury married Peter Shaw, a British actor who grew to become a studio govt and agent. Shaw died in 2003.

In addition to 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.