You know that incredibly annoying feeling when the answer is on the tip of your tongue? I stared and stared at this photo and thought, “I know who this is. I KNOW who this is!” And then, “Who the hell is this?!”
Thankfully, because I had nothing else to occupy me, I thought I would zoom in on the woman’s beautiful jewelry and the lace of her dress. I’m crazy about these details and these gorgeous B&W photos can occupy me for ages. I just get lost in them. As a new friend on Twitter @HP_Oliver said, “I figure if its important they’ll come and get me”.
After zooming in I realized to my surprise that there was an inscription to my great grandmother Ida Mayer Cummings and voila! its signed by a very young Angela Lansbury. What immediate relief I felt! Got it. Excellent, and now I can start my research as I do with each of these photos.
Well imagine my surprise when I click on her Wikipedia entry to see almost exactly the same photo only a different angle, and may I say, the less superior one. The one above is just magical. The one on Wikipedia looks a little too much like the photos you get at one of those portrait places in the mall.
Of course, Angela Lansbury CBE (born 16 October 1925) is a British actress and singer but is best summarized simply as a class act – she has won five Tony Awards, six Golden Globes, and has been nominated for numerous other industry awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on three occasions, and nineteen Emmy Awards.
Beyond impressive, not to mention a career spanning eight decades, although perhaps now not quite as busy.
As a long-time resident of Brentwood, California, in fact she became a naturalized US citizen in 1951, she was well known for her philanthropic support of her adopted community. In signing this pic to Ida, I can now assume that she was also a supporter of the Jewish Home for the Aged (JHA), for which my great grandmother was a devoted fundraiser for almost her entire life. She worked tirelessly to involve Hollywood’s amazing cadre of stars and through the JHA’s annual gala event, you could look across the room to a sea of America’s most loved actors and actresses.
Both amazing women – wonderfully passionate, giving and hard-working. I am proud to honor them both.
Angela Lansbury biography:
Balancing Act: The Authorized Biography Of Angela Lansbury
Copyright Alicia Mayer 2012.
The Film Colony ♛ 
Any family has only a few blurry photos of their ancestors to build your family history. You’re very lucky to have lots
Thank you Olivia – yes I do feel very blessed and I marvel at these photos every day. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Absolutely charming post.She was a gifted actress.
Thank you! So glad you liked it.
What a great pic. She was beautiful!
What a great pic! She was beautiful.
Thank you Valerie. She was indeed and appears to have been beautiful on the inside, as well as on the outside.
I forgot what a looker Angela was when she was young. She’s been an old lady most of my life, love seeing this pic, and you are right it is MUCH better than the wikipedia one.
Angela Lansbury is amazing. Adore her in Gaslight, The Harvey Girls and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Thanks for the great write-up! Your photograph of Angela is stunning!
Thank you Catherine! Angela Lansbury is the epitome of class.