How did you feel about taking on a role that she had done? We would do scenes from "Romeo And Juliet," and she would do scenes as Desdemona. And in "Sweeney Todd," Mrs. Lovett was running an unsuccessful bakery in London in the Victorian era, when she was inspired to team up with a local barber named Sweeney Todd. Prior to joining PEOPLE, Tommy covered the entertainment industry at Looper and sports at The Sporting News and Boston.com. What kind of special provisions were made for you on the set? Her death came five days before her 97th . LANSBURY: (As Nancy Oliver) Going to work on your tunes again tonight, sir? 38. Angela Lansbury, 'Murder, She Wrote' Star, Dies at 96 Let's get back to Terry's 2000 interview with Broadway movie and TV actress Angela Lansbury. So you're onstage in front of an empty theater and singing your number. Lansbury, notably, worked as an actor for over seven decades on both stage and screen. This is FRESH AIR. It just had never really sunk in. Story tips can be sent to stephanie.giang@fox.com and on Twitter: @SGiangPaunon. And I was making 500 a week or 750 a week, which in those days was an enormous amount of money. The actress died on October 11 at age 96. Lansbury's cameo in "Glass Onion" is especially fitting, seeing as "Knives Out" contains a short clip from an episode of "Murder, She Wrote" which fans of the classic series loved seeing. As Broadway mourns the loss of one its brightest lights, we're taking a look back at the career of this stellar artist with these show-stopping performances. She was a comedy - musical comedy actress. | GROSS: How did do you feel about that scene? And during that scene, I suddenly got this - the feel and the smell of being able to make an effect by the way I played the role, the way I comported myself. And being Jessica was second nature to me because she embodied all of the qualities that I like about women. March 3, 2023, By GROSS: Yeah. (Singing) Wait. I had known so many gay people in Hollywood. We want the role to be played by an actress, and we would really encourage you to do this. Her movie credits include "Gaslight," "The Manchurian Candidate" and Disney's animated version of "Beauty And The Beast." It's hair-raising, and it's because Angie's an actress. Death of a character actor | Arnold Zwicky's Blog While working with MGM she'd watched musical actors like Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in rehearsal, yearning to be a part of it all. Angela Lansbury dead: Star Trek's George Takei and Josh Gad lead tributes to screen star, 'REFUSING TO GO QUIETLY': Prince Andrew demands mansion 'fit for a king' on REGAL estate from Charles - and 'top role' in royal family despite being KICKED OUT, Tom Sizemore dies after Saving Private Ryan actor suffered a brain aneurysm, Family left heartbroken with wife in tears after being kicked out of a pantomime show, Jeremy Kyle Show guest who famously had skull inked on face tragically dies, Roberto Firmino leaving Liverpool and lucrative bonus he sacrificed sums him up, New Partygate WhatsApp messages show No10 aides feared stories on Downing St 'p**s ups' getting out - meaning THEY KNEW they were breaking Covid laws, PartyGate rulebreaking would've been obvious to Boris Johnson - because he was THERE, Dolly Parton's hit songwriter David Lindley dies, Ferry catches fire in English Channel with 183 people on board as lifeboats scramble, Denise Welch tears up as she announces she's become a grandma for the first time, Mum shouts at kids for being loud at night - but CCTV showed the sinister truth, Ruth Madoc glittering career as she makes final on-screen appearance after death aged 79, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. I would go to the studio heads and say, look; don't make me play this part. Legal Statement. GROSS: It's funny because your situation was the opposite of Judy Garland. And I - thank goodness I chose to do that or that she agreed to let me do that. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Angela Lansbury Dies: Beloved 'Murder, She Wrote' Star, Icon Of Film Angela Lansbury: Credits, Bio, News & More | Broadway World In 1984, renowned British film and stage actress Angela Lansbury, known for movies like The Manchurian Candidate, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, began her first major. | We want your dramatic input. Scroll down to see who appears briefly in the flick alongside stars Craig, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn, Edward Norton, Janelle Mone, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline and Dave Bautista. But when it extended and I realized the deep inroads it had made into family life in America, I couldn't stop. The last public pictures of Dame Angela were taken in October 2019, at film do in LA. Star Trek actor George Takei penned a heartfelt tribute, writing on Twitter : "Angela Lansbury, who graced the stage for decades winning five Tony awards and brought the sleuthing Jessica Fletcher into our living rooms for a dozen years, has passed. And I'll review "Keeping Company With Sondheim," a new "Great Performances" documentary on PBS that looks at the history and making of the current Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical "Company." 1 Movie on Netflix with 82.1 Million Hours Viewed on First Weekend, 'Knives Out' Director Confirms That Daniel Craig's Character Benoit Blanc Is 'Obviously' Queer, Everything to Know About Netflix's 'Glass Onion' :'A Knives Out Mystery', Madelyn Cline Had a 'Little Freak-Out' When She Met Her Famous 'Knives Out 2' Costars, 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery': The Killer Is in Plain Sight in Sequel Trailer, Jamie Lee Curtis Jokes She's 'Jealous' of 'Knives Out 2' Stars After Not Getting Cast in Sequel, Kate Hudson Says She Avoided Alcohol Until After Filming Her 'Glass Onion' Bikini Scene, The Cast of 'Outer Banks' : Everything to Know, Lansbury's life and career in a Twitter post, won a Tony in 1979 for best actress in a musical. Additionally, Robert Redford and Kate Winslet act as narrators. Viewers can see Lansburys energetic and jubilant performance, as the iconic late actress sang flawlessly during the heartwarming studio session. We didnt think they would. Tributes pour in for Dame Angela Lansbury after her death aged 96 "Beauty and the Beast" from Beauty and the BeastLansbury joined the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 2001 to re-create her performance as Mrs. Potts, singing the title song from the 1991 blockbuster Disney film. Just listen and hear and do what I was told and asked to do. Angela Lansbury | Biography, Movies, Gaslight, & Facts Angela Lansbury. It's been nearly sixty years since she made her stage debut here in town at the National Theatre. Starting now it's going to be my turn. She was nominated for an Academy Award for that performance, and received another nomination the following year for her role in "The Picture Of Dorian Gray." LANSBURY: Yes. Stephen Sondheim, who died in November at 91, also appears in the scene, which takes place over a Zoom call with Daniel Craig's detective character, Benoit Blanc. When's it your turn to be onstage and to be before the lights? But I really wasn't. All rights reserved. But do you feel beloved? Glass Onion was largely filmed in summer 2021. Angela Lansbury, TV's Favorite Sleuth on 'Murder She Wrote,' Dies at 96 GROSS: You were nominated for an Oscar, Best Supporting Actress, for that first role. "Liaisons" from A Little Night Music At the 2011 Olivier Awards, Lansbury performed Mme. Angela Lansbury and company of A Little Family Business, 1982, Angela Lansbury in A Little Family Business, 1982, Angela Lansbury and John McMartin in A Little Family Business, 1982, Angela Lansbury and children in The King and I. Broadway's "Rat Pack" features Sam Gravitte, Kathryn Allison, Luke Hawkins, and Jelani Remy. And when you're a student and you are given a role, something is assigned to you. - I forget the name; I should remember - and also some of the great prep schools outside of the city, and for $25, which in those days was quite a lot of money. ", Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "Bosom Buddies" from MameAt the 1998 Tony Awards, longtime friends and original Mame co-stars Lansbury and Bea Arthur re-created their duet from the Tony-winning Jerry Herman musical, which brought both their first Tony Awards. And this - my ability to do that worked, thank goodness, because I understood exactly what Cukor was asking me to do. Fans can remember legendary Hollywood icon Angela Lansbury in her magical role as Mrs. Potts in "Beauty and the Beast. GROSS: Your first marriage was to Richard Cromwell, who you later found out was actually gay. He was a great friend of Joan Crawford's and, oh, Bill Holden and Zachary Scott and all kinds of actors and actresses of that era. Angela Lansbury and Jerry Orbach recording Beauty and the Beast. She started off doing Shaw - George Bernard Shaw and also Shakespeare, and became also the leading lady of the great English sort of matinee actor who was Sir Gerald du Maurier. Lansbury was cast in the starring role of 75-year-old Countess Aurelia, despite her actual age of 44. RIP to the legendary Dame Angela Lansbury, whose astonishing career spanned nine decades, from her debut Hollywood performance in GASLIGHT to her final role in the upcoming GLASS ONION.. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Angela Lansbury, one of Hollywood's most legendary stars, passed away at the age of 96 on Tuesday, her family confirmed to Fox News Digital in a statement. The hit production of the Alan Menken-Howard Ashman musical co-stars Tony winner Matt Doyle as Seymour. For 12 seasons, from 1984 to 1996, she portrayed motherly mystery writer and amateur sleuth. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Fans can remember legendary Hollywood icon Angela Lansbury in her magical role as Mrs. Potts in "Beauty and the Beast." And we celebrated. BIANCULLI: Angela Lansbury speaking to Terry Gross in 2000. And that's why, as I say, I always felt that I had to, shall we say, tread rather warily from a personal point of view. Angela Lansbury' s legacy lives on. Take, for instance, Mrs. Mooney and her pie shop. Market data provided by Factset. Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox. Do you remember getting lit for the film and what that process was like? So I'd like to play part of "Rose's Turn." GROSS: You made "The Manchurian Candidate" in 1962. Our website is made possible bydisplaying online advertisements to our visitors. All rights reserved. Why I love Angela Lansbury's performance in The Manchurian Candidate And I must say, when people would come backstage after the performance, they would be in tears. Many . And he also had an incredible library of music, of old 78 records in those days. But she - but mainly, No. Sign up for reopening news, announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows! I mean, I didn't enjoy it. You thought you were auditioning for - you thought you thought your first role would be in "The Picture Of Dorian Gray." She also won four Best Actress Emmys for her role as Jessica Fletcher in the long-running CBS mystery series "Murder, She Wrote." (SOUNDBITE OF RICARDO LORENZ'S "THE WORST (EMPANADAS) IN LONDON"). And I don't think I'm up for it. Let's talk about what led to that audition. In fact, she received Tony Awards for her performances in both Mame and Sweeney Todd as well as for her work in Gypsy, Dear World, and Blithe Spirit(plus a sixth Lifetime Achievement Tony). And the head of casting, a man called Billy Grady, came into the room while I was sitting there. Coming up, I review "Keeping Company With Sondheim," a new PBS "Great Performances" documentary about the new version of one of Stephen Sondheim's classic Broadway musicals. And therefore, she was quite happy to have me stay at home with her and have classes and start my dramatic training. Actress Angela Lansbury has died at 96 years old. And I tried hard. GROSS: Over the years that you did that show, did you ever count how many murders you solved? In 1991, Lansbury starred in the Disney classic, "Beauty and the Beast" as Mrs. Potts, the former castle cook who turned into a teapot after the curse was placed on the castle. In other words, what I do is I use the emotional kick that I know is inherent in that moment, in that scene that I'm singing. LANSBURY: I can't honestly say, except by my on-set demeanor. Yet, even with so many vocal performances on her resume, her take on the Dowager Empress Marie in Don Bluth's "Anastasia" is. Andy was a backup singer in those days. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. And I'm sure they can't compare as far as taste. GROSS: Well, if this isn't an example of singing the scene, as the way you put it, I don't know what it is - what is. This is what I do, and this is what I always maintained throughout my career - was that I had that ability to take direction and also to understand what the - what was required of the character. She became a TV icon in Murder She Wrote as Jessica Fletcher, a murder mystery novelist who helped the police solve homicide cases. Lansbury appears in a brief cameo that nods to her Murder, She Wrote heyday. But it took me a year. Angela Lansbury - Age, Movies & Facts - Biography LANSBURY: That's absolutely true. 11 Videos of Angela Lansbury's Greatest Performances | Playbill Advertisement CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER. LANSBURY: People ask me that often. However, while she rarely portrayed villains, her greatest screen performance is arguably as the atypically . GROSS: Do you remember any of the more helpful or interesting directions that Cukor gave you? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He's piling up bodies, and she offers a uniquely advantageous means of disposal. | Angela Lansbury, 'Murder, She Wrote' and 'Beauty and the Beast' star It wasn't for me, Herbie. What was it like right after that number on - you know, onstage? She's not the only one in the house, is she? She will will be sadly missed. Dame Angela Lansbury smiled for the camera and posed with fellow veteran actors at a red carpet event, in the last public pictures taken of the actress before her death. And that's what sells the song. Thank you, Nancy. She held out gallantly, but the material didn't. She held out gallantly . You knew Merman's work. In Memoriam: Angela Lansbury (1925-2022) - The Second Disc The Purple Mask. Both those latter musicals had lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and both were very juicy leading roles. This time, boys, I'm taking the bows, and everything's coming up Rose. It enabled me to help my family. I was playing Frank Morgan's wife as the Queen of France in "The Three Musketeers." And I - my first role was to play Audrey in "As You Like It," which is a very comic part. LANSBURY: Absolutely. For years, she tried to get out of playing the juvenile and grow up in a movie. GROSS: Was that your bit of business, singing that vaudeville kind of song, "Up In A Balloon?". The Murder, She Wrote star previously won Tonys for her performances in Gypsy and Sweeney Todd. The screen legend's children announced she had died peacefully at her LA home this afternoon, aged 96, after a glittering career on stage and screen. Did you ever feel competitive with your mother? What I inferred was a great deal more than what I was saying. You might get it from Nina Simone, or you might get it from Judy, or you might get it from Merman. And I wasn't allowed to inhale, as Mr. Clinton would say. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. And that's acting (laughter). Angela Lansbury Honored for Lifetime Achievement at the Tonys - The New I can take care of myself when I want to. If you are a fan of mystery crime solvers, chances are Angela Lansbury is a personal favorite. Her earliest film roles, in Gaslight (1944) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945 . I'm David Bianculli, in for Terry Gross, back with more of Terry's 2000 interview with Broadway, film and TV actress Angela Lansbury.