Angela Lansbury’s net worth when she passed and her living legacy
Angela Lansbury’s net worth was about $70 million when she passed away in 2022, marking the end of a career that spanned more than seven decades. She earned her fortune through iconic roles in film, theatre, and television, including Murder, She Wrote. Her legacy continues to inspire admiration across generations.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Angela Lansbury’s net worth: How rich was the beloved Murder, She Wrote star?
- Angela Lansbury’s career: From stage prodigy to television legend
- Angela Lansbury’s family: Inside her London roots and remarkable family ties
- Angela Lansbury’s love life: The marriages and moments that shaped her
- What does Angela Lansbury’s daughter do?
- Who was Angela Lansbury's best friend?
- FAQs
Key takeaways
- Angela Lansbury earned up to $300,000 per episode of Murder, She Wrote.
- Her estate was inherited by her two children, Anthony and Deirdre, and her stepson, David.
- Lansbury’s career spanned over seven decades, earning her multiple Tony Awards, Golden Globes, and an honorary Oscar.
- She rescued her daughter Deirdre from substance addiction by relocating her family to Ireland in the 1970s.
Profile summary
Full name | Angela Brigid Lansbury |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 16 October 1925 |
Age | 96 years old (at the time of her death in 2022) |
Zodiac sign | Libra |
Place of birth | London, England |
Nationality | British-American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in inches | 5'8″ |
Height in centimetres | 173 |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Blue |
Father | Edgar Lansbury |
Mother | Moyna Macgill |
Siblings | 2 |
Marital status | Widowed |
Partner | Peter Shaw |
School | Feagin School of Drama & Radio |
Profession | Actress, singer, producer |
Net worth | $70 million |
Angela Lansbury’s net worth: How rich was the beloved Murder, She Wrote star?
According to Celebrity Net Worth and Fox Business, the legendary actress’s net worth at the time of her death in 2022 was about $70 million. Her income mainly came from her successful acting career.
How much money did Angela Lansbury make per episode?
Lansbury’s pay on Murder, She Wrote rose from about $40,000 to as much as $300,000 per episode by the show’s later seasons, making her one of television’s highest-paid actresses.
Source: Original
In an interview with The Mirror, Lansbury candidly said,
I did it for the money. There comes a time in a theatrical life when you say to yourself, ‘Well, I can’t make any money in the theatre,’ so television was a very specific decision I made.
Who inherited Angela Lansbury’s money?
Lansbury placed most of her estate in trusts benefiting her two biological children, Anthony and Deirdre, and her stepson, David. Her Irish farmhouse, valued at about €1.2 million (about $1.3 million), was also included in a family trust.
Angela Lansbury’s career: From stage prodigy to television legend
Dame Angela Lansbury’s career spanned over seven decades across film, theatre, and television. She began acting as a teenager and earned her first Academy Award nomination at 17 for Gaslight (1944).
Angela later received two more Oscar nominations for The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) and The Manchurian Candidate (1962). However, Hollywood often cast her in older roles, and by the late 1950s, she shifted her focus to the stage.
Source: Getty Images
In 1966, she became a Broadway star as the title character in the musical Mame, winning her first Tony Award. Over her illustrious career, she went on to win six Golden Globes and five Tony Awards.
According to her IMDb profile, she appeared in more than 124 films and television shows. Below are some of her most notable film appearances:
Film/TV Show | Role | Year |
Gaslight | Nancy | 1944 |
National Velvet | Edwina Brown | 1944 |
The Picture of Dorian Gray | Sibyl Vane | 1945 |
The Harvey Girls | Em | 1946 |
State of the Union | Kay Thorndyke | 1948 |
The Three Musketeers | Queen Anne | 1948 |
Kind Lady | Mrs. Edwards | 1951 |
The Court Jester | Princess Gwendolyn | 1955 |
The Manchurian Candidate | Mrs Eleanor Shaw Iselin | 1962 |
Dear Heart | Phyllis | 1964 |
Bedknobs and Broomsticks | Miss Price | 1971 |
Death on the Nile | Mrs. Salome Otterbourne | 1978 |
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Mrs. Lovett | 1982 |
Murder, She Wrote | Jessica Fletcher / Emma MacGill | 1984–1996 |
Beauty and the Beast | Mrs Potts (voice) | 1991 |
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris | Mrs. Ada Harris | 1992 |
The Love She Sought | Agatha McGee | 1990 |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Eleanor Duvall | 2005 |
Mr. Popper's Penguins | Mrs. Van Gundy | 2011 |
Glass Onion | Angela Lansbury | 2011 |
Angela Lansbury’s family: Inside her London roots and remarkable family ties
The legendary film producer was born on 16 October 1925 in London, England. Her father, Edgar Lansbury, was a timber merchant and politician, while her grandfather, George Lansbury, served as mayor of Poplar and Labour Party leader.
Source: Getty Images
Angela’s mother, Moyna Macgill, was an Irish actress who performed in West End productions and films. She had twin younger brothers, Edgar and Bruce Lansbury, who both worked in television and theatre production.
Angela Lansbury’s love life: The marriages and moments that shaped her
Angela Lansbury’s first marriage was to the Hollywood star Richard Cromwell in 1945, but it ended in divorce after nine months. Cromwell was later revealed to be gay, and Lansbury said they remained friends after their split.
In 1949, she married actor and producer Peter Shaw, whom she met in 1946. Because both had been divorced, the Church of England refused to marry them, so they wed at a Church of Scotland parish in London. Their marriage lasted over five decades until Shaw passed away in 2003.
Lansbury and Shaw had two children, Anthony Peter Shaw (born 1952) and Deirdre Ann Shaw (born 1953). Shaw also had a son, David, from a previous marriage, who became Lansbury’s stepson. The couple moved to Ireland in 1971 to live a quieter life with their family.
Source: Getty Images
After Shaw’s death, Lansbury never remarried. She often expressed deep love for her husband, and once admitted in a 1984 interview that she wished she had spent more time with her family.
Frankly, I wish I had spent more time with my family and less time making mediocre movies in those days.
What does Angela Lansbury’s daughter do?
Angela Lansbury’s daughter, Deirdre Ann Shaw (later Deirdre Battarra), took a different path from her famous mother. During the 1960s, she struggled with substance addiction and briefly became involved with Charles Manson’s cult before recovering and turning her life around.
Alongside her husband, chef Enzo Battarra, Deirdre opened an Italian restaurant in Santa Monica named Positano, later renamed Enzo & Angela – The Italian Restaurant. The eatery became known for its authentic Italian dishes and warm atmosphere until it closed in 2019.
Source: UGC
While her brother, Anthony Peter Shaw, built a career as an actor and director, Deirdre found her passion in the restaurant business. She became a respected restaurateur, and Lansbury often expressed pride in her daughter’s resilience.
Who was Angela Lansbury's best friend?
Angela Lansbury’s best friend was the American actress Bea Arthur, whom she met on Broadway in 1965. Their friendship endured for decades.
Lansbury affectionately referred to Bea Arthur as her “bosom buddy” and often praised her talent and humour. When Bea Arthur passed away, Lansbury described her as “a rare and unique performer and a dear, dear friend,” reflecting their lifelong bond and mutual admiration.
FAQs
- What was Angela Lansbury's net worth at her death? The legendary actress's net worth was about $70 million at the time of her death.
- How old was Angela Lansbury when she died? The accomplished singer was 96 years old when she passed away on 11 October 2022.
- How much money did Angela Lansbury make per episode? Angela Lansbury earned between $200,000 and $300,000 per episode of Murder, She Wrote.
- Who inherited Angela Lansbury's money? Her estate was reportedly left to her two children, Anthony and Deirdre, and her stepson, David, through family trusts.
- Did Angela Lansbury have any children of her own? Angela Lansbury had two biological children, Anthony Peter Shaw and Deirdre Ann Shaw.
- What was the connection between Angela Lansbury and Charles Manson? Angela Lansbury’s daughter, Deirdre, became involved with Charles Manson’s group in the 1960s, prompting the actress to take drastic action to protect her family.
- Did Angela Lansbury save her daughter? In the early 1970s, Angela Lansbury moved her family to Ireland to protect her daughter Deirdre from substance addiction and Charles Manson’s influence. She later called it “the best thing I ever did.”
Angela Lansbury’s net worth reflected decades of steady work across film, theatre, and television. Her financial success came from consistent dedication rather than sudden fame. She built a legacy defined by professionalism, versatility, and global respect that continues to influence actors today.
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