Whenever someone says the words consummate professional and staying power, I immediately think of Angela Lansbury. The Grand Dame has been acting since the 40’s and is still going in her 90’s. Now that’s what I call a killer work ethic. With her dedication to her work, she has been seen in movies, television and stage. To many people of different ages, she can be remembered for countless roles. And adulation for her is well-earned. So which role of her illustrious career is your favourite?
What Is Your Favourite Angela Lansbury Performance?
21 Friday Jul 2017
Posted Movie opinions and thoughts
in
James J. Cudney IV said:
Love everything, but some of her roles in the Agatha Christie books turned into movies with Poirot are my favorite. Plus a stage performance of a political play I saw two years ago. And Murder, She Wrote. And, I’ll shut up. Great post idea.
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vinnieh said:
I’ve never seen her on stage but I can imagine she’s sensational. And who doesn’t love Murder, She Wrote?
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James J. Cudney IV said:
haha! true, it is a fan favorite.
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vinnieh said:
Indeed it is. And you can’t imagine anyone else in her role.
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beetleypete said:
I can’t stand ‘Murder She Wrote’, so I hope nobody says that!
My choice is ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ (1945). I much prefer her acting roles in her younger days, as you can tell from my selection.
Cheers, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
I need to see that film. And I am going to watch The Manchurian Candidate soon.
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beetleypete said:
The modern version of ‘Dorian Gray’ is quite good too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorian_Gray_(2009_film)
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, are you a fan of The Manchurian Candidate? I’m very much looking forward to seeing it.
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beetleypete said:
The original was good in its day. Trouble is, Lawrence Harvey is a bit ‘gay’ to play a tough-guy role, to be honest. I have seen the remake too, and it’s not bad.
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vinnieh said:
It’s the original I am going to watch. Heard Lansbury is great in it.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
There is just no way I can list just one, so here are my top 5:
Gaslight
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Sweeney Todd
Beauty and the Beast
The Manchurian Candidate (You’re going to love this Vinnie!)
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vinnieh said:
Gaslight was her debut and I loved her as the impudent maid. Got to love her as Mrs Potts, she’s so motherly. And I very much look forward to see The Manchurian Candidate. I’ve heard she’s pretty chilling in it.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Her Nancy practically stole the whole movie!
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vinnieh said:
She was great, alongside Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer.
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thespiritkeeper said:
She was one of those actresses that was not so memorable with me, although Murder she Wrote probably stick in my mind. Can’t thhhhhhhhink of anything else. 🙂
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vinnieh said:
She made Murder, She Wrote special.
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thespiritkeeper said:
Yes she did
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vinnieh said:
It’s impossible to imagine the show without her.
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thespiritkeeper said:
Yes she was good in that role.
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maddylovesherclassicfilms said:
Absolute screen legend. I love her in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
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vinnieh said:
I adored that movie as a kid and still do now.
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maddylovesherclassicfilms said:
It’s such fun!
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vinnieh said:
Magical and seriously entertaining.
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Laura Beth said:
Beauty and the Beast as Mrs. Potts, and Murder, She Wrote.
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vinnieh said:
You can’t beat her voice work in Beauty and the Beast. Simply lovely.
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ninvoid99 said:
Bedknobs & Broomsticks.
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vinnieh said:
That’s a classic film. Can never grow tired of it.
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Keith said:
It’s funny, I always find myself going back to her first film, Gaslight. She’s so good there.
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vinnieh said:
Considering it was her first film and she was still a teenager, she made an impact.
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Joy The Witch said:
She is my mum’s favourite actress!!! (Her favourite series is Murder, She Wrote).
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vinnieh said:
You mother has some fine taste. I think for a lot of people, she will be remembered for Murder, She Wrote.
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Joy The Witch said:
She does!! And yes agreed!
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vinnieh said:
She just embodies Jessica Fletcher wonderfully. I honestly wonder how much of her is actually like the character?
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Joy The Witch said:
I wonder that too!! Yes she plays Jessica beautifully!!
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vinnieh said:
I just saw The Manchurian Candidate where she plays a sociopathic political mother. It’s a really chilling performance.
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Joy The Witch said:
I will check it out! Thank you
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vinnieh said:
It’s a real departure from the image many have of her.
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Harry Miller said:
I’d go with Manchurian Candidate. Enjoy it!
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vinnieh said:
I saw it last night. Man she was chilling and calculating in it.
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Robert said:
It has to be bed knobs and broomstick. I was mesmerised by the movie as a child; going to see it at the cinema four times 😎
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vinnieh said:
It boasts so much magic and I love the parts where live action is mixed with animation.
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Robert said:
Me too, truely magical!
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vinnieh said:
I can never get bored of that film.
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ourglife.com said:
Jessica Fletcher in murder she wrote my favorite series
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vinnieh said:
I knew that would be a popular answer. She’s sharp, funny and very warm in that show. Someone you’d want to be your grandma.
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MoJo said:
I’ll always love her singing teapot character, but her role in The Manchurian Candidate was really more my cup of tea. 😉
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vinnieh said:
I watched that movie last night and it was a really unnerving performance. Watching as she manipulated everyone and showing that she would stamp on anyone to get there, she was chilling.
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MoJo said:
Yes!!! She was so clever in that role.
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vinnieh said:
Definitely, my review is now up if you’re interested.
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MoJo said:
Oh yes definitely!!
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raistlin0903 said:
I actually feel quite ashamed when saying this, but I actually haven’t seen much from her work. That’s why I don’t have a lot of choices, so I’m going to go with Manchurian Candidate. A great movie, but also a great role from this lady 😊
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vinnieh said:
I watched The Manchurian Candidate last night for the first time and was enthralled. Lansbury particularly stole the show as the scheming mother. Even when she wasn’t on screen, her influence was there as she was pulling all of the strings.
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Paul S said:
Tough question for a lady with over 100 acting credits!
Like several before me I’ll go for Gaslight!
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vinnieh said:
She’s been in so much. Ah, Gaslight is a good one and shows her in a great debut.
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J. said:
Nothing tops Jessica Fletcher!
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vinnieh said:
She completely owned that role.
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Kaustav Ray said:
Great read!
Here’s a review of the new Foster the People album by TheIndianIndiehead. Do check it out!
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vinnieh said:
I promise to view it soon.
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fragglerocking said:
Mrs. Potts in Beauty & The Beast, and the song of the movie which she sang too.
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vinnieh said:
That’s a classic, her voice is simply marvellous to listen to.
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Jordan Dodd said:
Boy do I feel out of the loop mate. I have never heard of her, nor have I ever heard of Party of Five!
*crawls back under the rock under which he belongs….
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vinnieh said:
You must have seen Beauty and the Beast and Bedknobs and Broomsticks as a child. They were what introduced me to her.
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Jordan Dodd said:
Hehe, nope, have only even heard of the first one. I suck!
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vinnieh said:
You don’t suck in the slightest. You’re a bad ass.
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keepsmealive said:
Lots of great answers in the comments here. I’d say lots of them. All of them. Something like that.
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vinnieh said:
Haha, she does have so many fine performances in the bag. And it’s astounding how long her career has ran for.
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Ramus Labiapari said:
For me Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote) is a classic. In a certain sense Angela did with the East Coast small town feeling what director John Avildsen did filming The Karate Kid 1 in San Fernando Valley -CA. Fans started visiting the filming sites even 30 years after KK was lunched. In Murder she Wrote we see a similarity, fans interested in visiting a town where Angela portraits Jessica Fletcher. them.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the trivia, I love discovering new things each day. She made Murder, She Wrote special with her personality.
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kmSalvatore said:
Well Vman, I’ll tell u, everyone else in a while I’ll We an old move
I.e., and I’m surprized at what a beauty she was. Ur my favorite was her week series …Murder She Wrote, we never missed it/)
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vinnieh said:
She was really beautiful when she was younger. Murder, She Wrote has unsurprisingly been a popular choice.
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kmSalvatore said:
Wow… my words are really messed up here… glad u could make sense of it all V;)
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vinnieh said:
It happens to me all the time. No need to worry.
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kmSalvatore said:
Thanks B, I should read b4 I send:) .. I pad is faster than me;))))
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vinnieh said:
My I Pad is the exact same.
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kmSalvatore said:
Fresh, it happened again.. I know your name, and I even looked and my V went to a B:( sorry Vman
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vinnieh said:
Never apologise.
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Rebecca Dawn said:
I loved Murder,She wrote. And she had a part on Law & Order cross over event (Special victims ) playing Alfred Molina’s overbearing cruel mother. I loved her in that role. As well as in Nanny McPhee
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vinnieh said:
Ah, Murder, She Wrote is so good. I had no idea she was in Law and Order.
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Rebecca Dawn said:
Yes she played a socialite whose son is a sexual predator.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for telling me. I recently saw her in The Manchurian Candidate, where she was superb as the mother from hell.
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