Angela Lansbury enjoyed a “wonderful” 53-year marriage with her three children after her gay first husband wrote a message and left without warning.
Angela Lansbury married Richard Cromwell expecting eternal happiness. The couple divorced after a year because the actor was gay. But, the actress found another spouse and married happily. The details:
Angela Lansbury, an Irish-British and American actress and singer, is most recognised for her decades-long career. She resides in the US at 96.
She became famous in 1984 when she played Jessica Fletcher in “Murder, She Wrote,” despite starting her acting career in 1940.
After
In 2014, eight decades after her father’s death, she stated it most shaped her life. Lansbury said the terrible tragedy had the greatest influence on her. She was grieving her lack of school interest.
But, Lansbury had to compose herself. She became an actress and was nominated for an Academy Award by 1946, supporting her mother and brothers. Lansbury said that her father’s death caused her to develop quickly, which was the one good thing.
Lansbury was young yet unwise and inexperienced. She quickly married a 15-year-old man since she really needed a father figure at such a young age.
Her longing for a father figure ended her marriage, but it taught her why younger women married older men. Lansbury admitted,
I get younger women marrying older men. She didn’t have a father, therefore she’s looking for one now.”
She married American actor Richard Cromwell at 19. Lansbury believed he was trendy and attractive, but their marriage only lasted a year. Regrettably, it was. When Lansbury arrived home from work on the day Cromwell broke her heart, her husband left a letter that read:
“Sorry. I’m speechless.”
Lansbury’s life collapsed when a publicist revealed Cromwell’s homosexuality. As she could do nothing, her marriage ended quickly.
Lansbury was upset when Cromwell left, but they remained friends until his 1960 death. The actress also revealed she does not regret marrying Cromwell quickly. She said:
It did not damage me. I wasn’t expecting the conclusion. I regret my youthful error. No regrets.
After breaking up with Cromwell, Lansbury fell in love with her agent and manager, Peter Shaw. Shaw died of heart illness in 2003 after 53 years of marriage, which began in 1949.
The actress’s spouse’s death devastated her. Lansbury says she and the manager had a lovely marriage, which many married couples don’t.
Lansbury said the actress loved Shaw and that they were partners in everything. Maybe most crucially, the “Murder, She Wrote” actress acknowledged that they were absolutely dedicated to each other.
Lansbury became Shaw’s son David’s doting mother after their marriage. Anthony was born in 1952 and Deidre in 1953. Anthony was their first.
After having children, Lansbury struggled to manage work and motherhood. She knew her children were most important.
So, the actress put her family—especially her children—first. But Shaw supported her when job took her away from her family.
Lansbury has stated that she regrets spending time away from her children and that she should not have done so. She said:
It was a stupid move. You must be with your kids now.”
Lansbury recalls how her father put his family first and gave them his whole attention. The actress stated:
As family was his priority, my grandfather had no hobbies.
Despite Lansbury and Shaw’s attempts, their children proceeded down the wrong path. In the 1960s, the couple discovered that Anthony and Deidre had bad friends and used narcotics despite being underage.
Before discovering the truth, the actress and her husband were in the dark. They knew their children needed help, even though they had never used drugs.
Lansbury advocated transferring Anthony and Deidre to Ireland to safeguard them from other harmful influences. Shaw accepted and moved. The couple’s decision changed their children’s conduct.
Lansbury’s children are successful professionals beyond 60. Corymore Productions’ oldest son, David, became president. He negotiated a major development deal with Universal Television in 1996.
Anthony, the second, was a lifelong entertainer. The 1977 films “A Bridge Too Far” and “The Spy Who Loved Me” featured him. He directed and produced 68 episodes of “Murder, She Wrote” and succeeded.
After retiring from directing, he focuses on family. Anthony and Lee Spear Webster have three children—Peter, Katherine, and Ian—and a loving marriage.
Deidre’s career differed from her brothers’. She and her chef husband opened Enzo and Angela, an Italian restaurant in Los Angeles. Twenty years have passed since they started cooking together.
Lansbury is proud of her children and considers her family her greatest joy. She enjoyed parenthood, grand motherhood, and great-grand motherhood. She also enjoyed great-grand motherhood.