She's best known for playing TV's Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer who spends so much time solving mysteries one wonders when she finds time to write them, but Angela Lansbury had been acting and performing her stockings off long before that series came along. Some highlights:
Gaslight (1944)
Will a Cockney-accented Lansbury come between a French-accented Charles Boyer and a Swedish-accented Ingrid Bergman? Watch the film and find out.
The Cockney accent was real, though Lansbury eventually managed to shed it. A mere two years later, she could not only talk in an American accent but...
The Harvey Girls (1946)
...sing in one as well.
The Court Jester (1955)
With an entranced, then not entranced, then entranced again Danny Kaye. Snap!
Some more hypnotism:
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
In this political satire disguised as a political thriller, communists infiltrate the Republican Party.
Some have called him the Moscow Candidate, but at least the infiltrators are no longer communist (small consolation to the Ukrainians.)
Halloween is only a few weeks away, so how about some...
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
...witchcraft?
As entertaining as she could be in motion pictures, Angela Lansbury was never all that big a movie star. However...
...The Great White Way was another matter.
"Life is a banquet and most poor son of a bitches are starving to death."
Um...excuse me, but I felt a sudden urge to raid the refrigerator.
BURP!
OK, I'm back. As big as a star as Angela Lansbury had been on Broadway, as I said at the top of this post, she was an even bigger star on...
...television.
That Cabot Cove looks like a nice little place to visit, huh? Just make sure you wear a bulletproof vest. Its' homicide rate would put 1970s New York City to shame.
Mike, I left many things out, like that she was in Sweeny Todd on Broadway, or was the singing teapot in the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, but I had enough videos already.
I can't believe you had another one to go on. And it seems Angela Lansbury has been around since I can remember. I enjoyed her and everything. Although Ross Russell will always be my ultimate Mame.
Two days ago my partner mentioned she was still alive and her age. I was surprised. I was never keen on her as an actor in Murder She Wrote but I do respect her acting skills in other areas. I did not know she was in Blue Hawaii, which is the first film I can remember seeing, at a drive in with my parents and some siblings.
Andrew, Angela played Elvis's mother, even though in real life she was only ten years older than him. But that's nothing compared to the Manchurian Candidate. In that she played Laurence Harvey's mother even though she was just THREE YEARS his senior!
I figured you would be doing a Reaper Report tribute to Angela Lansbury, one of the last stars of the golden age of Hollywood who died yesterday only a few days before her 97th birthday. You did a fine job of it, good buddy, covering the highlights of her long and stellar career.
Before I continue, I must tell you (I know you sometimes wonder about my taste) that Danny Kaye is my idea of a truly funny guy. The script often called for Danny to perform long speeches and impossibly complex, high speed tongue-twisters. He delivered his lines flawlessly with impeccable coming timing. His physical dexterity was another powerful tool in his comedic acting arsenal, a master of stage athleticism and body language. Danny astonished me and cracked me up in roles like The Court Jester. I loved how he hungrily kissed his own hand and his numerous curtain calls. I also admired Danny's IRL charity work and politics. Ditto with regard to Angela Lansbury. I admired her politics and her support of numerous charities and worthy causes.
Given her fame as the star of TV's Murder, She Wrote, I forgot, or perhaps never knew, that Angela was featured in so many films, including those in which she performed song and dance routines. I forgot she appeared in the Elvis movie Blue Hawaii. I was, however, aware that she was Mame in the hit Broadway musical. Mrs. Shady was a fan of Murder, She Wrote, but I must admit that I didn't closely follow the series.
Thanks for doing a fine job on this salute to Angela Lansbury, one of the golden age greats of Hollywood, the "First Lady of Musical Theatre" and a heck of a good mystery writer and amateur sleuth on Murder, She Wrote. Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy!
Shady, I've always found Danny Kaye funny. If I haven't done a post on him so far, well, his number just hasn't come up yet. So many famous people, so little time. But I'll get to him.
Angela Lansbury was a real triple threat, so talented at acting, singing and dancing! My fave movies with her in them were "Manchurian Candidate" and "Pirates of Penzance." Her role in the often dreadful "Murder She Wrote" was far beneath her talents but I hope she made a boatload of money from that series for her old age.
I think she made a yachtload, Debra. I can't say I was ever truly a fan of the show, but it was on right after 60 Minutes, which back then I watched regularly, so I watched MSW, too. Blame the CBS schedulers.
I remember my parents buying the Bedknobs and Broomsticks VHS when I was younger. I don't remember liking it as much as Mary Poppins and of course the Wizard of Oz. But my parents liked it, so it got played quite often.
In order to keep the hucksters, humbugs, scoundrels, psychos, morons, and last but not least, artificial intelligentsia at bay, I have decided to turn on comment moderation. On the plus side, I've gotten rid of the word verification.
Angela was always showing up somewhere.
ReplyDeleteMike, I left many things out, like that she was in Sweeny Todd on Broadway, or was the singing teapot in the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, but I had enough videos already.
DeleteI can't believe you had another one to go on. And it seems Angela Lansbury has been around since I can remember. I enjoyed her and everything. Although Ross Russell will always be my ultimate Mame.
ReplyDeleteWell, Maddie, Rosalind Russell played a non-musical Auntie Mame, so there's that difference.
DeleteTwo days ago my partner mentioned she was still alive and her age. I was surprised. I was never keen on her as an actor in Murder She Wrote but I do respect her acting skills in other areas. I did not know she was in Blue Hawaii, which is the first film I can remember seeing, at a drive in with my parents and some siblings.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, Angela played Elvis's mother, even though in real life she was only ten years older than him. But that's nothing compared to the Manchurian Candidate. In that she played Laurence Harvey's mother even though she was just THREE YEARS his senior!
DeleteShe WAS convincing in both roles.
I remember rewatching Gaslight in the ´80s and being shocked to recognize Angela Lansbury. She was a woman of so many talents.
ReplyDeleteShe was just 19 when she made that, Mitchell.
Delete"We leave at midnight!"
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
I figured you would be doing a Reaper Report tribute to Angela Lansbury, one of the last stars of the golden age of Hollywood who died yesterday only a few days before her 97th birthday. You did a fine job of it, good buddy, covering the highlights of her long and stellar career.
Before I continue, I must tell you (I know you sometimes wonder about my taste) that Danny Kaye is my idea of a truly funny guy. The script often called for Danny to perform long speeches and impossibly complex, high speed tongue-twisters. He delivered his lines flawlessly with impeccable coming timing. His physical dexterity was another powerful tool in his comedic acting arsenal, a master of stage athleticism and body language. Danny astonished me and cracked me up in roles like The Court Jester. I loved how he hungrily kissed his own hand and his numerous curtain calls. I also admired Danny's IRL charity work and politics. Ditto with regard to Angela Lansbury. I admired her politics and her support of numerous charities and worthy causes.
Given her fame as the star of TV's Murder, She Wrote, I forgot, or perhaps never knew, that Angela was featured in so many films, including those in which she performed song and dance routines. I forgot she appeared in the Elvis movie Blue Hawaii. I was, however, aware that she was Mame in the hit Broadway musical. Mrs. Shady was a fan of Murder, She Wrote, but I must admit that I didn't closely follow the series.
Thanks for doing a fine job on this salute to Angela Lansbury, one of the golden age greats of Hollywood, the "First Lady of Musical Theatre" and a heck of a good mystery writer and amateur sleuth on Murder, She Wrote. Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy!
Shady, I've always found Danny Kaye funny. If I haven't done a post on him so far, well, his number just hasn't come up yet. So many famous people, so little time. But I'll get to him.
DeleteAngela Lansbury was a real triple threat, so talented at acting, singing and dancing! My fave movies with her in them were "Manchurian Candidate" and "Pirates of Penzance." Her role in the often dreadful "Murder She Wrote" was far beneath her talents but I hope she made a boatload of money from that series for her old age.
ReplyDeleteI think she made a yachtload, Debra. I can't say I was ever truly a fan of the show, but it was on right after 60 Minutes, which back then I watched regularly, so I watched MSW, too. Blame the CBS schedulers.
DeleteRIP Angela. I was a big fan.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed this post, Ananka.
DeleteShe definitely was a busy woman and will be missed by many! RIP
ReplyDeleteMildred, Angela had quite the acting portfolio.
ReplyDeleteI remember my parents buying the Bedknobs and Broomsticks VHS when I was younger. I don't remember liking it as much as Mary Poppins and of course the Wizard of Oz. But my parents liked it, so it got played quite often.
ReplyDeleteJM, The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins are two mighty hard acts to follow
Delete