Angela Lansbury, God I Love That Woman!

Angela Lansbury has had an amazing career. It's spanned 8 decades - yes that's right - 8 decades! It all started back in 1944 with the film Gaslight, in which she starred alongside Joseph Cotten and Ingrid Bergman and for which she received her first oscar nomination. You don't have a career of this longevity without being a huge talent. Do you think that some of the 'stars' we have today will still be around in 70 years time? I doubt it. She has conquered the cinema, the stage and television. She can act, sing, dance and frankly do whatever she turns her hand to, and do it well. I've grown extremely fond of this woman who I've never met (well once nearly, I'll tell you about that later on) over the last 25 years or so. There's something intrinsically watchable about her that's hard to pin point, but I'll have a go.

Although having seen Bedknobs and Broomsticks when I was a child, it wasn't until Murder, She Wrote that I really noticed Angela Lansbury. The show's still immensely popular and re-run all over the world, even though it finished in 1996. Just why is it so popular? Well, I would say that that's solely down to Ms Lansbury. When I watch an episode of MSW, as well as enjoying trying to figure out who the murderer is, I enjoy AL's (from now on AL - I can't keep writing Angela Lansbury :-)) performance as an actor. Much in the same way as Peter Falk, I find AL to be a very natural actor, very believable and ultimately watchable. You can see Jessica's mind working when she's saying nothing. She absentmindedly picks a piece of fluff off her cardigan or gently touches someone's arm in sympathy. Little things, natural things that add layers to the character. A lesser actor would just go through the motions but AL gives Jessica depth and just as importantly, warmth. She seems real. You can almost imagine her knocking up an apple pie for Seth Hazlitt in her cozy kitchen, in between pruning her roses, churning out bestselling crime fiction and solving the odd murder. She's portrayed as a woman of today. She's got high moral standards, but she doesn't preach. She's very wealthy, but not showy. She's highly intelligent, but doesn't make anyone feel stupid. Not every actor could pull this off, but AL does it with aplomb.

I've watched AL in many interviews over the years and she always comes across well. She's obviously very bright and still has her wits about her (not that 86 year olds don't generally have) and is a wonderful raconteur. Having been in the business for so long she knows and/or has worked with just about everybody. She's one of the very last from the golden era of Hollywood. Nothing seems to be unaskable in interviews, although her first husband (Richard Cromwell) who was gay, is only ever mentioned fleetingly. I read many years ago that she was something of a 'tough cookie' but then again I don't suppose you get where she is today without standing on a few corns! She's a perfectionist and in a world where there's a real 'oh that'll be good enough' attitude I should think that she's rattled a few cages over the years. When MSW became a family business following the 1991- 1992 season,with most of the family employed in some way or another in production of the show I (and these are my thoughts alone) always got the inkling that she was pretty hard-nosed about squeezing every last dollar from the success of the show. Who can blame her? Television is a notoriously fickle business and if you've got a hit then you have to run with it. She kept doing MSW to provide a future for her family - no harm in that! When being herself she always comes across as charming, funny and witty and although I can hardly bear to write it, there will come a day when she won't be around and that is a day I dread.

AL was recently quoted as saying ''Here I am, I still go on, you know, like the tides'', and how true that is. She is currently (as of Feb 2012) in rehearsals for a Broadway production of Gore Vidal's The Best Man. It has its first preview on March 6th 2012 and official opening is on April 1st. In part of the interview that I posted further up this page she expresses the desire to do one more great film with her as the main antagonist - we can but hope. Also, during an interview for the promotion of Mr Popper's Penguins she was asked about possibly reprising the role of Jessica Fletcher and she said that she would love to and was actually suprised that she hadn't been asked to do so by CBS. I have tried to find that interview again on Youtube but it eludes me. If anyone locates it then please let me know and I'll put it up here. Incidentally, if anyone from CBS reads this then I have written an outline for a 5th (and final) Murder, She Wrote movie :-) So, she continues to work and I'm sure that she will until she's unable to - a day which I hope is a LONG WAY off.

A few years ago I was working in the box office of a London theatre. On the wall I had my prized signed photo of AL. One day one of the cast came to get some tickets. As I was sorting this out for him he boomed at me ''Why do you have a photo of my cousin on the wall?'' I bumbled something like ''well, I'm a great admirer of her work...you're her COUSIN???''

He said that she would be coming to London later that Summer and he would see if he could arrange for me to meet her. I was bouncing off the walls as you can imagine. I spent many daydreaming hours imagining this meeting, how and where it might happen and what I might say. Anyway, it all came to nothing. He never mentioned it again and I was too shy to remind him. So, AL, if for some bizarre reason you're reading this, then get in touch and I can fly to the US and show you my treatment for the MSW movie whilst trying not to fawn over you! :-) I'm owed a meeting! :-)

I don't know exactly what it is about AL that makes me so fond of her. I suppose the main thing is that she represents something that I approve of and aspire to. She's a consumate actor, she knows her craft and learnt it from the best. She remains kind, warm and approachable and 'unaffected' by her fame and wealth. She has a generosity of spirit and a no nonsense approach that I like. I appreciate people who are good at what they do. This goes from the person who makes you a coffee in a cafe who knows their job inside out, right up to The Queen, who (apart from not acting more quickly following Princess Diana's death) has never faltered. I enjoy her talent. She has truly given me such enormous pleasure over the years and I return again and again to her work. She's a one-off, an original, a genuinely 'nice' person who gets the job done. I salute you Angela Lansbury, you've brought such joy to so many people. Next stop should be Dame Angela Lansbury, come on Your Majesty, you know it makes sense.

The video below is one of my absolute favourites. Listen to the words, really listen. It makes me think that out there is a woman who will let no harm befall those she loves. As she loves us all then the song kind of tells us that because Angela Lansbury is in the world it is made a better place. I know that sounds all gooey and a bit over the top but hey ho. :-) By the way, it's perfectly normal to have a lump in your throat as you listen.