It's a shame Hollywood didn't know what to do with her; she was a respected character actor, but not a star until Mame. But she's very impressive in State of the Union.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Everyone on the planet has the chance of dying in a random accident “in the not too distant future”, Steven. If people don’t want misinformation to spread, fine.
Another day, another dollar is the reality of my mentality. Otherwise, don't even bother.- TLC
My point was in response to all the people saying "don't scare me like that." We're sadly going to see a headline about her passing sooner rather than later, so people should not be shocked if one day that does indeed occur.
The fact that so many assumed this might be the case at the mere mention of her name in a headline surprised me given that she was recently announced to be part of a reading and is being discussed in an other thread here for her early movie career.
There's a key scene in "Downton Abbey" with Maggie Smith that deals with the topic of immortality
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and that moment is key into what many people of an advanced age are prepared for and even welcoming of. We will never be without her films or cast albums, or thankfully, a video released professionally of "Sweeney Todd", so her legacy will live forever. I am glad to have seen her in "Deuce", "A Little Night Music", "Blithe Spirit" and "The Best Man", and will certainly be sad on that inevitable day. But I'll go home and hiss at her in "Gaslight", "The Harvey Girls" and "The Manchurian Candidate", and sob for her in "The Picture of Dorian Gray". I'll applaud her in "The Pirates of Penzance" and root her on in episodes of "Murder By Death". I'll also do the same for the works of Dame Maggie Smith, Olivia de Havilland, Janis Paige, Kirk Douglas and other veteran actors still with us.
My point was in response to all the people saying "don't scare me like that." We're sadly going to see a headline about her passing sooner rather than later, so people should not be shocked if one day that does indeed occur.
No matter how fully prepared a loving and caring human being thinks they may be, a death is still a shock even when expected.
In response to Steven A2, I think this is absolutely no topic for discussion, and one should learn to at least pretend to have some tact if they appear to be missing it in the first place.
You could be likely to die in a car accident or falling down the stairs...
Mark Waltz said: "There's a key scene in "Downton Abbey" with Maggie Smith that deals with the topic of immortality
Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content
and that moment is key into what many people of an advanced age are prepared for and even welcoming of. We will never be without her films or cast albums, or thankfully, a video released professionally of "Sweeney Todd", so her legacy will live forever. I am glad to have seen her in "Deuce", "A Little Night Music", "Blithe Spirit" and "The Best Man", and will certainly be sad on that inevitable day. But I'll go home and hiss at her in "Gaslight", "The Harvey Girls" and "The Manchurian Candidate", and sob for her in "The Picture of Dorian Gray". I'll applaud her in "The Pirates of Penzance" and root her on in episodes of "Murder By Death". I'll also do the same for the works of Dame Maggie Smith, Olivia de Havilland, Janis Paige, Kirk Douglas and other veteran actors still with us."
You had me until Janis Paige, a dubious inclusion in the company of mega-stars / legends. Doesn't quite fit. Have to admit that I was never a fan...think she is the worst thing about The Pajama Game OCR, which I love to this day.
Couple of things to add, though.
-- I think he performance in TMC is the single best performance by a supporting actress in a film EVER. She was incredible. If you have never seen 'Something for Everyone', try to search it out. It was a well-reviewed flop movie, a black comedy, directed by Harold Prince(!). It may be the most outrageous role she ever had.
-- As much as I loved her, I was never a big fan of Murder, She Wrote. It wasn't good enough for her, even if it made her a wealthy woman and more famous than she had ever been. I guess it was of its time, but I stopped watching after the second or third season. Love for a performer only goes so far.
-- I am probably a lot older than you. I have seen her in every show she has done since Mame. That includes Prettybelle, which closed in Boston; A Small Family Business (Little?), which lasted a week after it opened, but was still thoroughly enjoyable because of her; and The King and I, probably my least favorite live performance of hers. She sang in her throat voice, and I just couldn't get used to it, although it was fine.
-- I think she gave three of the five best performances I have seen by an actress in a musical, in Mame, Gypsy, and Sweeney Todd (along with Barbara Harris in The Apple Tree and Glenn Close in Sunset Blvd).
Jarethan I think I could listen to you reminisce about Angela Lansbury performances all day..
Her drive and determination is miraculous. And though I’ve only been lucky enough to see her in Blithe Spirit and Driving Miss Daisy I’ll treasure both of those memories.