Dame Angela Lansbury deserves one more great screen role

Dame Angela is one of the greatest actresses of our times.

Her versatility and success in films (The Manchurian Candidate, Gaslight, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Bedknobs and Broomsticks), theatre (Mame, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Blithe Spirit, Driving Miss Daisy) and television (Murder, She Wrote) is simply unmatched. There is nothing she can’t do: drama, comedy, musical, thriller, you name it.

Over the course of legendary 70+ career, she has received 3 Academy Awards nominations, 18 Emmy nominations, 5 Tony Awards, 6 Golden Globes, an Olivier Award, an Honorary Oscar and Kennedy Center Honors.

Now at the age of 90 (she doesn’t look a day over 70, though) she is continuing to perform on stage 8 times a week to rave reviews and sold out shows. Theatre is her first love and is clearly the medium she most fond of.

However, I really wish we would see her again in a great film or TV role her extraordinary talent deserves. It would be nice to see her having a shot at finally winning a competitive Oscar or that elusive Emmy (as of now, Dame Angela holds the record for the biggest amount of Emmy nominations without ever winning, with 18 losses.)

Dame Angela has stated in numerous interviews that she still interested in playing meaningful roles on TV or films, but it all comes down to opportunities, or lack of them.
It is just hard to believe that an actress of her status cannot find a decent screen role worthy of her talent. I just wish she would be offered at least one role the likes of Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, Ellen Burstyn, and Shirley MacLaine are getting all the time.

Since finishing with Murder, She Wrote in 1997 Dame Angela has appeared in 2 feature films, Nanny McPhee (2005) and Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011). 2 films in 19 years. That is less than Dame Judi Dehch has done last year alone.

Since her return to stage in 2007 she has headlined 7 theatrical productions on Broadway, West End, as well as North American tour and tour around Australia. All were very successful, not only critically, but also in terms of box office. She is a star and people are clearly willing to pay top dollar to see her performance.

I wish film producers and television executives would recognize that fact and will give Dame Angela, and her fans anther great screen role of hers. It’s been too long.

I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking. Joan Rivers