British-American actress Angela Lansbury has died. The star of the TV series “Murder Is Her Hobby” died on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 96, the family said.
Her mother died “peacefully” in her sleep at home just five days before her 97th birthday, the actress’ three children wrote. Many colleagues paid tribute to the stage and film star and expressed their sadness.
Lansbury left an “absolutely wonderful legacy,” wrote Oscar winner Viola Davis (57) on Twitter. She inspired generations of actors to strive for better performances. “Angela Lansbury forever and ever,” wrote “West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler (21) on Twitter. “It’s rare that one person can touch multiple generations, with a range of works that define one decade at a time,” Josh Gad (41, “Beauty and the Beast”) acknowledged his colleague.
“Knives Out” director Rian Johnson spoke of an “absolute legend”. “Sex and the City” star Kim Cattrall thanked Lansbury for “all the unforgettable characters and performances”. George Takei, Jason Alexander and Fran Drescher also expressed their admiration.
Born in London on October 16, 1925, Lansbury was fascinated by Hollywood from an early age and took singing and acting lessons as a teenager. Her family moved to the United States during World War II. The 20-year-old made her breakthrough with her first film “The House of Lady Alquist”. Lansbury was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a scheming maid, followed by a second nomination for The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Dozens of Hollywood films followed, including the award-winning thriller Fear Ambassador and Death on the Nile, as well as Broadway productions such as Mame, Sweeney Todd and Gypsy. Lansbury earned an honorary Oscar, three Academy Award nominations, six Golden Globes and five Tony Awards. But “Murder Is Her Hobby” brought her into the living rooms of the world as amateur detective Jessica Fletcher – it was one of the most popular and longest-running detective series of all time. After twelve years on TV, Lansbury solved her last case as a curious detective in 1996.