A Tale as Old as Time - Godspeed, Angela Lansbury

This just in.

Legendary stage performer and character actress, Angela Lansbury has died on October 11, 2022. She was 96 years old, 4 days shy of her birthday. A recipient to numerous accolades, including six Tony Awards, six Golden Globe awards and Primetime Emmy nominations, among other things, Dame Lansbury was best known for playing amateur sleuth, Jessica Fletcher in the CBS adventure mystery drama, Murder, She Wrote. Even though I wasn't much of a fan of stage, especially Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and The King and I, Lansbury appeared in many memorable movies, whether it's playing a villainous mother, Eleanor Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate to co-starring with Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii. However, there are two movies that introduced to me to this posh, elegant stage legend, and both were made by Disney. The first was Bedknobs and Broomsticks in 1971, where she played aspiring witch, Eglantine Price. I use to watch this movie very proudly, especially its musical numbers, including The Beautiful Briny, which, along with the underwater scenes, were the inspiration for the song, Under the Sea, for The Little Mermaid. Speaking of the Disney Renaissance, Lansbury was also best known for being the original voice of Mrs. Potts in the original animated version of Beauty and the Beast. Her elegant singing voice, when singing the title song, is as memorable as the movie itself.

In short, Angela Lansbury is the one actress I think of as my honorary grandmother. She will be missed. Thank you, Dame Angela. Thank you for helping me guide me to the age of believing. Believing in pure imagination is the greatest gift of all. Godspeed, ma'am.

(TAPS play)

Dame Angela Briget Lansbury
(October 16, 1925 - October 11, 2022)

This has been a Retro Rebellion Special Report.