Balancing Act: The Authorized Biography of Angela Lansbury
According to drama critic and celebrity biographer Gottfried (George Burns and the Hundred-Year Dash, LJ 2/1/96), Angela Lansbury's greatest regret is that she never starred in a motion picture. But she has had many wonderful character parts in films and starred on Broadway and in the hit TV show Murder She Wrote. Her personal life has also been successful, with a long marriage, children, and a domestic life she loves. As the title indicates, though, her life has been a "balancing act" that has taken its toll. Lansbury's voice is heard throughout. She grew up in England but escaped to the United States during World War II. Her mother was an actress, and Angela followed in her footsteps, gaining early success with roles in The Picture of Dorian Gray and Gaslight. True stardom eluded her until she created the role of Mame on Broadway. Authorized biographies are often puff pieces, but this is a candid examination of an extraordinary life. The tone has a certain British reserve, but then so does Lansbury herself. Highly recommended.?Rosellen Brewer, Monterey Bay Area Cooperative Lib. System, CACopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.