American actress Angela Lansbury has died at the age of 96, her family reported in a statement. Lansbury was known for, among other things, her role as Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, one of the longest-running detective series in American television history.
Lansbury was of British descent but moved to the United States at a young age. She starred with Elvis Presley in the film Blue Hawaii, in which she played the mother of the only 10 years younger Presley.
The actress was further known for her voice to work as teapot Mrs. Potts in the Disney film Beauty and the Beast. As a film and television actress, she also won six Golden Globes and was nominated three times for an Oscar and 18 times for an Emmy. In June of this year, she won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tony Awards, where she was absent. In 2013, she also received a lifetime achievement award at the Oscar ceremony.
She gained her greatest fame for her role as Jessica Fletcher in the detective series Murder, She Wrote, which ran from 1984 to 1996. It made her one of the highest-paid actresses of her time.
"The children of Dame Angela Lansbury announce with sadness that their mother passed away peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles today, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, just five days before her 97th birthday," reads the family's announcement.
In addition to her three children, Lansbury leaves behind three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Her brother Edgar is also still alive. The late actress' funeral will be held in private at a date to be determined.