STAGE and silver screen star Angela Lansbury died peacefully in her sleep at her Los Angeles home on Tuesday.
The 96-year-old was best known to TV audiences as mystery writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote. Lansbury was also the voice of the caring Mrs Potts, and sang the title song to the 1991 Disney hit Beauty and the Beast.
Lansbury was a highly decorated actress, with six Golden Globes awards, and six Tony Awards, including this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards. In 2014, she was awarded an Honorary Oscar to celebrate her seven-decade film career.
For her work on the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack, Lansbury was nominated for a Grammy Award.
While she was most well-known for her TV work, the actress never took home an Emmy despite receiving a record 18 nominations, including one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for each of Murder, She Wrote's 12 seasons.
Before even turning 20, Lansbury had nabbed two Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe win.
Turning her attention to the theatre, at 40 years old, Lansbury's first Tony win came from her first major Broadway role.
Lansbury worked steadily in movies and TV for the next decade before deciding to take on the lead role in CBS's new drama Murder, She Wrote in 1984. Lansbury eventually became an executive producer on the series.
Her eclectic résumé led her to receive two stars on the Walk of Fame – one for her movie work and one for TV – and, in 2014, she was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II.
The news was followed by outpouring tribute across the industry.
Former The Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger took to Twitter to say Lansbury was a “consummate professional, a talented actress and a lovely person”.
“What an absolutely beautiful legacy you've left. You have influenced generations of actors to aspire to excellence,” tweeted Viola Davis.
Meanwhile, Star Trek star George Takei wrote: “A tale old as time, our beloved Mrs. Potts will sing lullabies to us now from the stars.”
Lansbury is survived by her daughter Deirdre, and son Anthony.
