Legendary actress Angela Lansbury dies at 96



Iconic actress Angela Lansbury, a legend both on screen and on stage, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 96, mere days before she would have marked her 97th birthday.

"The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles at 1:30 AM today, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, just five days shy of her 97th birthday," Lansbury's family said in a statement. "A private family ceremony will be held at a date to be determined."

She is survived by three children, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and her brother Edgar Lansbury, according to the family's statement.

\u201cStatement from Angela Lansbury\u2019s family:\n\n(via @NBCNews) #RIP \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffc\u201d
— Carl Quintanilla (@Carl Quintanilla) 1665516744

Lansbury's lengthy career spanned decades and covered television, movies, and Broadway.

She played the spunky murder-solving mystery writer Jessica Fletcher in the long-running television series "Murder, She Wrote," which included a dozen seasons that ran from 1984 to 1996 — following the TV series, there were also several "Murder, She Wrote" television movies.

"What appealed to me about Jessica Fletcher," Lansbury said in 1985, ''is that I could do what I do best and have little chance to play - a sincere, down-to-earth woman. Mostly, I've played very spectacular b******. Jessica has extreme sincerity, compassion, extraordinary intuition. I'm not like her. My imagination runs riot. I'm not a pragmatist. Jessica is.''

Lansbury voiced the character of Mrs. Potts in Disney's 1991 animated classic "Beauty and the Beast."

She was nominated for supporting actress Oscars for her roles in the 1944 film "Gaslight," the 1945 film "The Picture of Dorian Gray," and the 1962 film "The Manchurian Candidate."

The actress won five Tony Awards.

Lansbury, who was born in London in 1925, was made a dame in 2014. "It is a very proud day for me to be recognised by the country of my birth, and to meet the Queen under these circumstances is a rare and lovely occasion," the actress reportedly said. The queen just recently passed away in September 2022.

Lansbury told the Associated Press in 2008 that she did not want to act in roles as "old, decrepit women," noting, "I want women my age to be represented the way they are, which is vital, productive members of society."

"I'm astonished at the amount of stuff I managed to pack into the years that I have been in the business," she said, according to the outlet.

Tributes from celebrities flow after actor James Caan passes away at the age of 82



Actor James Caan passed away on Wednesday, according to a message posted to his Twitter account on Thursday.

"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time," the tweet reads.

\u201cIt is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.\n\nThe family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.\n\nEnd of tweet\u201d
— James Caan (@James Caan) 1657213321

Caan, who died at the age of 82-years-old, was known for roles in films such as "The Godfather," "Misery," and the popular Christmas movie "Elf."

Many celebrities have issued statements about the late actor.

"James Caan. Loved him very much," Adam Sandler tweeted. "Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love."

\u201cJames Caan. Loved him very much. Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love.\u201d
— Adam Sandler (@Adam Sandler) 1657217943

"Jimmy was my fictional brother and my lifelong friend," Al Pacino noted in an emailed statement, according to the Associated Press. "It's hard to believe that he won't be in the world anymore because he was so alive and daring. A great actor, a brilliant director and my dear friend. I loved him, gonna miss him."

"I'm so sorry to hear about Jimmy. He was so talented," Barbra Streisand tweeted.

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry to hear about Jimmy. He was so talented. #JamesCaan\u201d
— Barbra Streisand (@Barbra Streisand) 1657218396

"Very sad to hear the news that James Caan has died," Gary Sinise tweeted. "Heartbroken for his family & his friends. Wonderful to know him & call him a pal. Jimmy was so supportive of Gary Sinise Foundation & my work w/ our veterans. He will be missed. Thank you my friend. Rest In Peace. God bless you."

"Jimmy was someone who stretched through my life longer and closer than any motion picture figure I've ever known," Francis Ford Coppola remarked in a statement, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "From those earlier times working together on The Rain People and throughout all the milestones of my life, his films and the many great roles he played will never be forgotten. He will always be my old friend from Sunnyside, my collaborator and one of the funniest people I’ve ever known."

Comedian Gilbert Gottfried passes away at 67 years old



Comedian Gilbert Gottfried, a man who had a distinctive speaking voice, has passed away at the age of 67 years old.

"We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loudly as possible in Gilbert's honor," a statement from Gottfried's family said.

NBC News reported that Gottfried's publicist Glenn Schwartz indicated that the comedian had passed away Tuesday of recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to Myotonic Dystrophy type II.

According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, "Myotonic dystrophy type 2 ... is an inherited muscular dystrophy that affects the muscles and other body systems (e.g., heart, eyes, and pancreas)." And according to the Mayo Clinic, "Ventricular tachycardia is a heart rhythm problem (arrhythmia) caused by irregular electrical signals in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles)."

Gottfried voiced the character of the parrot Iago in Disney's "Aladdin" movies, and elsewhere, such as in the "Aladdin" television series.

The comedian, who had originally voiced the Aflac duck, was dropped by the insurance company in 2011 over jokes he had posted on Twitter.

He had also appeared on a season of "The Celebrity Apprentice," a television show that featured Donald Trump before the businessman mounted a successful presidential bid.

Jason Alexander, known for his role on the television show "Seinfeld," tweeted, "Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift. I did not know him well but I loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. #ripGilbertGottfried"

Conan O'Brien tweeted, "I saw Gilbert perform in 1985 and when he entered to applause he said, 'Thank you, thank you very much.' He then continued to say 'thank you' repeatedly for ten full minutes. It was the nerviest, funniest thing I had seen. So sorry to lose this sweet and delightfully funny man."

"RIP Gilbert. Opening for Gilbert Gottfried at Carolines and Princeton Catch was one of the great thrills of my early stand up life. He could leave you gasping for breath…just indescribably unusually hilarious…Damn," Jon Stewart tweeted.