ANGELA LANSBURY

Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury DBE was a mainstay personality in theatre, television, and film in the 1940s. Unlike other stars who came from humble beginnings, she had an easier path to stardom. Her mother was an Irish actress while her father was a politician. Her family moved to New York where she pursued a degree in acting. Lansbury instantly became a Hollywood hit with roles in Gaslight and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Her role for the latter earned her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award. She also tried doing Broadway musicals.

However, it was her role in the 1966 musical Mame that gave her the ultimate stardom as a gay icon. Lansbury was accorded as one of Britain’s most successful actresses. She enjoyed a career that has spanned for eight decades before she decided to embrace retirement. Now at 94 years old, Lansbury lives in Brentwood in California and often goes to her mansion in Ballycotton at least once a year.