I was surprised when I saw that one of Angela Lansbury’s credits was for Blue Hawaii. It has been years since I viewed this Elvis movie, and I did not remember that she played the mother of Elvis’ character. We were used to Ms. Lansbury portraying Jessica Fletcher in the series “Murder She Wrote.”

The role of Sarah Lee Gates was no challenge for one of the best character actresses in movies at the time. She played a wealthy southern wife of a businessman who had a son that came back from two years in the army. She was a vapid woman that thought only of herself and wanted Chad, played by Elvis, to follow in his father’s footsteps.

She began her acting career in 1944 as Nancy, the maid, in “Gaslight” and received a supporting actress Academy Awards nomination. She was also in “National Velvet” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” in the forties.

Television called her in the 1950s with appearances in “Robert Montgomery Present,” “Lux Video Theatre,” “General Electric Theatre,” “Four Star Playhouse,” “The Star and the Story,” “Studio 57,” “Climax,” and “Playhouse 90.” Times were changing in the sixties and Angela was changing with the times.

“The Manchurian Candidate” brought attention to her with another nomination for an Academy Award for supporting actress. She was in “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” “Harlow,” and “The Man From Uncle.” 1971’s “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” was one of my favorite Lansbury movies.

Her portrayal of Miss Marple in “The Mirror Crack’d” and the 1984 TV movie “A Talent for Murder” set the stage for the beginning of her most renowned portrayal of Jessica Fletcher in “Murder She Wrote” which would occupy her until 1996 when the series ended. That wasn’t the last we would see of the character.

Jessica guest starred in “Magnum, P.I.” in 1986. Four “Murder She Wrote” movies brought her to the small screen in the nineties. She was also Mrs. Santa Claus in the title role of the television movie in 1996.

She made appearances as herself in the series “Newhart,” and the movie “About Schmidt” starring Jack Nicholson where she is not credited and is a voice that he hears. Two cameo rolls in shorts called “Mickey’s Audition” and “Your Studio and You” were also made in the nineties.

Voice acting was another area where she excelled. My favorite example of this is the character of Mrs. Potts in “The Beauty and the Beast.” Beginning in 1962 she was on “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” “The First Christmas”, “The Last Unicorn,” and “Anastasia” among others.

I recently read “The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax” by Dorothy Gillman. In 1999 Angela starred in a TV movie by the same name. Mrs. Pollifax is advised by her doctor to find something like a hobby to help with her boredom after the death of her husband. The premise of these 1960’s novels is excellent. There was no better actress to play this heroine.

One of her last films was “Buttons, A New Musical Film.” It was released in 2018 and she played a guardian angel for two girls. Dick Van Dyke played another angel that was helping her. Buttons were played by Alivia Clark and Abigail Spencer. Kate Winslet and Robert Redford narrate the story.

I have summarized the career of this marvelous talent and know that I may have missed your favorite memory of her. Comment below with what is your favorite performance. Many of you may have seen her in stage performances. If that is one of your favorite remembrances, I want to hear about it. Let us all share our favorite Angela Lansbury role that will keep her memory alive.

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger