Angela Lansbury, known to a generation of television fans for her iconic performance as Jessica Fletcher on 'Murder, She Wrote', has passed away at the age of 96.
The news was announced on Tuesday evening in a statement from her family, who stated she passed away in her home in Los Angeles.
Lansbury had a career that spawned decades, with an Oscar nomination in 1944 for the film 'Gaslight', originating the role of Ms. Lovett in 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street' on Broadway, her 80s superstardom with 'Murder, She Wrote' and a starring role in 1991's 'Beauty And The Beast'.
Lansbury was awarded with an honourary Oscar in 2014 for her contribution to cinema, and received an astounding twelve Emmy nominations for playing Jessica Fletcher (but never winning).
Born in 1925 to an Irish mother, Lansbury was always said to be proud of her Irish heritage, with Lansbury quoted as saying "I'm eternally grateful for the Irish side of me. That's where I got my sense of comedy and whimsy."
Tributes have been pouring in for the star on social media, with many pointing to her long and storied career.
'Seinfeld' star Jason Alexander dubbed her "one of the most versatile, talented, graceful, kind, witty, wise, classy ladies I’ve ever met," and playwright Harvey Fierstein posted a photo of himself with Lansbury referring to her as "my everything".
