With the recent death of Angela Lansbury we’ve lost one of the last remaining performers from the ‘Golden Age Of Hollywood’.
But due to endless repeats of “Murder She Wrote”, many people only thought of her as Jessica Fletcher, the crime-solving mystery writer and didn’t realise the British-born actress was a huge Broadway star for decades.
She won a load of Tony Awards and was regarded as a brilliant interpreter of the sometimes-complex work of Stephen Sondheim.
She made her first film in 1944, was nominated for an Oscar in 1962’s “The Manchurian Candidate” and will be seen in her final film role this Christmas in “Glass Onion: Knives Out 2” with Daniel Craig. Just think about that! Her film career spanned almost 80 years!
Let’s hope Harry Styles does half as well!
Many of the people she co-starred with are now remembered only by serious film buffs, yet she remained a star at the time of her death, just five days before her 97th birthday. Which made me wonder why it is some performers have longevity and others fall by the wayside.
And why anyone would want to enter a profession offering no job security or guarantees of success, regardless of how talented you are or how hard you work – and can break your heart with crushing disappointment and painful rejection.
Perhaps people believe the lyrics of Irving Berlin’s song…
“There’s no business, like show business.
There’s no business I know.
Everything about it is appealing.
Everything the traffic will allow.
Nowhere could you get the happy feeling
When you are stealing that extra bow”.
I’d counter that highly-romanticised view of showbusiness – which only applies to those who’ve made it to the top – with these more cynical (truthful?) lyrics by Noel Coward…
“Don’t put your daughter on the stage, Mrs. Worthington!
Don’t put your daughter on the stage.
The profession is over-crowded
The struggle’s pretty tough.
And admitting the fact she’s burning to act
Isn’t quite enough!”
He wrote that 90 years ago and it’s as relevant today. No wonder they called him ‘The Master’!
RIP Ms Lansbury. You are now solving the greatest mystery of all.