Angela Lansbury interview with Larry King--1988

first tonight a veteran actress of stage and screen the star of Bedknobs and Broomsticks the mirror Crack'd d and death on the Nile and of course the venturi and candidate and now she's adopted a modern Miss Marple for television her success is marked a return to the classic murder mystery where the search for the whodunit is littered with clues and blocked by red herrings her phenomenal energy is well known she's harnessed it in her new and latest project and a kind of exercise video Angela Lansbury's positive moves and it's a great pleasure to welcome to Larry King Live someone who was on our list top 10 list finally to get Angela Lansbury on his program I thank you very much for coming you miss the theater yes I sure do you said you love doing shows live well that's what I miss I miss the excitement and the nervousness of doing a live show I'm a little bit today I feel a little bit as if I was on stage but the curtain opens at 8:10 and you got to be there right yes begin at the beginning and go to the end mm-hmm that's right and you're in control I think that's what's interesting and that one lovely about the theater is you're in control once the curtain goes up unless somebody comes out with a hook you're in charge and you you thinkorswim by your own talent how did you get Murder She Wrote how did those two entities come together you end it well it it was just a question I think of timing as much as anything you know Larry I had said that I was ready to think about doing television you know having come from the theater having to come from Sweeney Todd I didn't want a tour anymore for a while so I said I'm ready to go so this script was sent to me along with two others and out of the three of them I decided that this one had all the qualities that I felt would help me to make it in television and thank goodness I was right and Murder She Wrote turned out to be an incredible success far beyond our wildest dreams I must tell you that five years it will be five years next spring that sounds so smooth now first well do they give the script any other actors to read yes they did they gave it to Jean Stapleton and she at that time did not want to do another series she was offered before you know yes absolutely she turned this down she turned it down for all the right reasons you know just as I would probably turn down a series next year you know for all the right reasons she'd just come off a highly successful one and I had never done one so it was perfect for me but it wasn't the right time for her obviously it did work what did you see in it they told you it would work I saw qualities in this woman that I felt that I had never played as a character in the theater or in a movie they were human real qualities of a real person and I loved that I really went for it hook line and sinker and I think that's what the audience likes about her jessica is very real she's also a busybody if you know I mean she gets on your nerves sometimes but I hope she doesn't get something oh well she does the audience is noise I'm talk about the police coming oh yes yes absolutely yo she's like a bird dog you know she's always after the clues and she she never takes no for an answer when she has a suspicion that an injustice is being done or she's protecting somebody from the law which is unjustly accusing her nothing will stop her until she gets there man for them and it isn't her guy you know what I mean another great thing I chose the music you like it that great title thing you know oh sure you hear it through the house you know you're also no violence no we have a little edgy you know well no not really no because Jessica doesn't drive this has helped enormous Lee you see to control any earth we might have to get a little move on no everything is this is a script that requires actual a lot of verbiage every week yes it's a very intricately devised story you know yeah but as Peter Fisher are our wonderful illustrious executive producer and said there are about five plots and you rework them you rework them if you think about it and I think the audience knows that that doesn't bother them because we give them different sets of clues and red herrings are all every week can you say no we won't do this yes we'll do that well not really no but I've never had occasion to be put in that position but if I read something in a script that was given to me by Peter that I felt I was beyond me as the character to do I would say so and he he would go with he would go along with me okay a Valerie Harper things couldn't happen to you oh no nothing like that it's a happy set then oh very happy I think our company is one of the happiest around I know that let's go back to so many bases to let's go back a little you opened in name which one you were Tony which was an incredible production people were surprised because they had not seen you do musical company correct that was it was a double shock I mean if you had it certainly had not been on a major scale not on a major scale how did that role come to you well because in fact I had done another musical comedy which was anyone can whistle Stephen Sondheim's first musical which he wrote he wrote an endearing soul sure anyone can whistle Lee Remick and Harry Guardino and I were and hit all non mistake anyway that was the film right she had done she had done Auntie Mame and she had done Auntie Mame in the theater too she done them both and she really was named but she wasn't named she was Auntie Mame so when the musical was written by Jerry Herman and Lawrence and Lee they called it name they weren't we're gonna call it something else and I really prevailed upon them I said you've got to call it just name because that's a great day you know it rings bells for people and it had a marvelous of flavor to it so anyway Jerry Harmon saw me and anyone can whistle so he knew I could sing and in those days we didn't use microphones you know and the body mics or anything we had to sing over the orchestra and that was really tough for me I never forget the first year first night I'm in Philadelphia this was a nickname may 24th 1965 were in Philadelphia and I got a terrible throat do you know how you do sometimes in the spring and I remember mrs. last vocal aids darling wife coming down with a wonderful alexia that she gave me to open up my throat so I could sing because I you know my understudy didn't know the lines and if this stuff was made out of goodness knows what bark of sunk or something the Billy Eckstine had invented it was real terrific stop it was we're so strong that you took it yet well my throat opened up on our sang like a bird moment did you know right away that that was gonna make it I mean yes yes I did another I have a sixth sense about certain things that I do and I knew man was gonna do it and I think I knew that Murder She Wrote was going to - who was the first little boy in Maine Frankie Michaels was his muse that was a great cast with a lovely lovely little tight position and Jerry Herman can write songs that you're singing coming out of the theater sure absolutely our guest is Angela Lansbury angela has a video out we're gonna really we're gonna do we're gonna see portions of it and we're gonna take your phone calls don't go where I'll find out who you are and track you down we'll be right back there's an America the re-release of Manchurian Candidate are you surprised by that you know it's plays in selected theaters there are lines all the time it's a major video sale well it is 25 years old 25 years old it's sort of marvelous in a way you know Larry because people who saw it then I'll sing it again and refreshing their memory of it and their enjoyment of it thinker and then there's a whole new audience of people who never saw it and I really feel they're being led in on something great a kid's so Angela Lansbury fans see Islamic and evil and I mean tell me yes you know to live that part down I hope they won't hold it against me is you know the way they did when I first people didn't like you no no no tell me about Angela Lansbury's positive moves well positive moves came out of the fact that let's say over a period of three or four years very millions of people have seen Murder She Wrote right they've also watched Angela Lansbury evolve from a rather comfortable woman who apparently had a weight under control they saw me gain about 15 pounds way and then they saw me lose it right they saw this the succession of events that led up to the tape so I got a tremendous amount of mail from women after all a large percentage of my audience are women not not the whole audience by any manner of means because there's a great many men among them I'm happy to say but a large percentage of women and they're women of my age they wanted to know how I did it how I lost the weight how I keep my energy and my apparent usefulness in check-ins if in full view and so I decided I wanted to share how I did it because I really do have very very strong feelings about women you know of a certain age and how we can maintain our health and it doesn't song now you're seeing portions of it there is now you are you narrating over this on the tape explaining what you are doing they're actually in this piece I'm not this is my home this is my deck deck right off the pool area yeah I think I told you before I started this what I was doing I think it takes a lot of guts to do that move don't you on camera yes also you need the weight loss it's remarkable she lost it yeah in all the right places in fact Anjali I hate to say this no I don't hate to say this I will say it there was something sensual about this well you're not the only person who said that I didn't set out to do that but it just seems that when you move in a slow and easy way it tends to well to remind people that women of my age can have a sensuality and it's quite natural and normal and go for it as this as these exercises medically approved for people they are absolutely yes indeed in fact the beginning of the tape tells you that they have been all of them have been okayed and medical practice it would be terribly rude I don't think I can say it on national television most people know how old I am anyway you know look at this this is yeah that's rolling around on your living room Rock and the whole point of this is the reason I did it in my own home was to show that you don't have to go somewhere I mean anybody who's got a patch of rug can certainly do these exercises and the bedrooms or the living room floor anywhere else and it's just the anger I think it's because it just happens to be a heck of a good exercise because you're pushing your spine down into the ground and then you're arching your back and you're lifting with your tummy muscles you see and you're a terrific exercise makes you think doesn't it you diet with it no I don't that I'm absolutely given up dieting I will refuse to diet what I really have a regimen where I eat certain foods in in certain order I don't I don't mix it all up together this mode is the thing that did it for ya oh absolutely our guest this Angela Lansbury in that video is available where videos are available Angela Lansbury's positive moves is its name Murder She Wrote is in its fifth season with the newest the new show start when the new shows thought on the 23rd of October of course that's if I have to tell you a secret CBS Sunday night trust maybe a Sunday night 8:00 p.m. CBS is very thankful about the show and entire course upset but CBS is thing will come right back and take your phone calls for Angela Lansbury then Donna mills and Henry Winkler tomorrow night this Larry King Live uncle way in dear world and hotel paradise and she stars in Murder She Wrote which is only seen in 30 countries and has been ever since its start one of the highest-rated shows in television week in and week out she'll says her own video Angela Lansbury's positive moves and she's in as we said Manchurian Candidate which is one of the hot in movies in America ready to go to your phone calls Donna mills still to come Gulf Shores Alabama hello yes hi Larry miss Lansbury this is such an honor to speak with you I just almost in tears I've kept up with your life through books I have I saw Sweeney Todd I in fact listen to this probably once a month at least the soundtrack I I just admire you so much I'd like to know if you're planning any more Broadway musicals well that's that's a hard question to answer am i one I mine is always on Broadway because I love working in the musical theater and in this in the legitimate theater but at the moment there is nothing in the immediate future that is going to take me to Broadway if you saw something that flipped you you'd have trouble staying away I can tell you that oh absolutely Sweeney Todd fun it was neighbors of a cops enormous ly hard work oh it was an athletic workout talking of Olympics it was the Olympic of musicals believe me it was it was a hit was it not it was called a semi finally I would a tremendous artistic hit and the critics just raved about it and finally it built an enormous audience that we used to go and see it over and over again they would come you know 9/10 times people come to see the show Los Angeles with Angela Lansbury hello yeah hello this one's very I'm a big fan of yours and in fact the privilege to be able to speak with you I wanted to say that I love the movie Gaslight and your performance in particular I thought it was very outstanding and very original you know how nice of you to remember it my question is if you could would be kind enough to give me any recollection at all that might come to your head about your your movie blue Hawaii and when you worked without was press play I'm interested in what you might how he was to work with what you might remember about him good question well I was very fortunate to work with Elvis and it was during that years after he came out of the army he was very healthy and he was a very delightful young southern boy in those days just imbued with this incredible talent I had a lovely time with him we were on Kauai the island in the Hawaiian Islands and we shot the movie there and I had a very good time Jackie got the Jackie Gleason Tony once it beyond the Bologna he was one of the nicest guys you don't want every couldn't say a bad word about him no absolutely not no that was absolutely true I hope that answers your question I think you've ever thought you were in that don't Glenda that was some good days we did things some for money right oh yes indeed needed up badly Glendale California with Angela Lansbury hello hi hi my question is what is the most strangest and hilarious things someone has done to meet you and if so how do you deal with fans that are on the unusual side do you have unusual fans yes yes I have had some interesting uh I mean you can relate not really I think I would go back to the days of the theatre possibly to illustrate the kind of thing that one does run into you know I had one fan who used to follow me around New York City and she she knew where I was every minute she'd fall in my car she got to know my my driver and I didn't realize it actually but she literally was at the stage door every night and I mean the restaurant she be on so she'd be outside yes well she she it had to be taken care of for a little while and then she got over it she just had the most monumental kind of crush and yes and that she became well and then I heard from her and she was married and she had a baby and she was okay it must be to the receiver of that craze tell me that mother upsetting very upsetting it's a very abnormal kind of fixation sometimes that young women you get on actresses and actors and suddenly that person seems to fill their whole life in a very abnormal way how do you deal with mass celebrity done which you now had you always had a specialist Labradors you were the kind of person that ten years ago people take I know her right no I know I don't tell me yeah but now of course that's all a different ballgame well when you're in everybody's living room as you know you know every week for free for four years suddenly yes you'll become you become what should we say what is the word for it you become a celebrity I suppose and that's a very difficult status no celebrate yes you become celebrated and that's that's a difficult crown to wear because it means that you're on every minute everywhere to everybody in the restaurant they're all looking at you kind of yes and you're aware they are yes I mean can you really in very often to be perfectly honest with you I I am really quite a homebody for that reason because at least at home I can kick my shoes off and you know and and feel totally totally free going on his fun I love to go out and I miss it a lot I really do so that taken - it's a fullest extent was the personally almost inclusiveness I understand it know again and Hughes and all of those people you know Buffalo New York hello I'm wondering about the future of Murder She Wrote what happens when Jessica Fletcher runs out of nieces and nephews good question my little earpiece is running out of just keep doing keep trying okay to answer your question Jessica not only has it Nattie's Aneesa she also has a lot of pupils I'm sure you she's really taught a lot of people and if she didn't teach them she news that knew their brothers and sisters did she's really like Agatha Christie in that respect I'm into it one more year and that's it yes definite no Bill Cosby I'll do an extra I don't believe so not of this city believe see just like a political today as of today as of today now and see no California hello hello miss Lansbury on this legitimate stage you you achieve the stardom unequal and now in television certainly so because of the shows you've had to compete against you are now as Larry said a star and you're recognized but you've had a long career in movies do you feel that you didn't get the recognition in movies for the talent and the stardom you rightfully deserve I'm gonna hang up and listen to your cousin fair question very very good question yes it is a good question I think I had a fair shake the the the thing is that I never played a really great leading role in a movie and if I have any ambition left and I do a lot I'd love to do that okay when made great movies some of the critics said the celebration of name is an attack at Hollywood Hollywood didn't you in fact they never used your crap men sure in Canada is probably your best film right yes I think it probably is yeah okay you weren't featured in that yes but Hollywood missed on you didn't they yeah they never knew what to do with me they really I was an unknown quantity to them I never fit it into any slot I didn't I just didn't still you know what I'm saying I just wasn't the girl next door I wasn't there I wasn't that and did you really know what to do with me no matter we're gonna take a break and I'll do the magic during the break okay we both of us may not be back yes I guess there's Angela Lansbury mystery she wrote we're going to pause and come back Donna mills will be with us in a couple of moments don't go away on CNN's evening news final preparations today as NASA gives the go-ahead for tomorrow morning's discovery launch tonight 10:00 Eastern on CNN [Music] is Khan on Friday we're back in Washington next Monday our guest is Angela Lansbury wash three guests tomorrow night Henry Winkler Jackie Stallone Cornelia gasps James Caan on Friday we're back in Washington next Monday our guest is Angela Lansbury a little wild donna mills and we got a Storm Lake Iowa hello Thank You Angela what was it like playing alongside great Florence Harvey and Frank Sinatra in The Manchurian Candidate and how do you think Frank would have done had he accepted the part of the son and you're in the movie I think he he he would have been totally miscast I think he realized that he never hesitated for a moment when he decided to play the major yeah he does it I was in very fast company but a Frank was Sam when he was here that that Laurence Harvey was a very underrated act and a terrific guy and if you watched his moves do you like working with absolutely true oh he was a consummate actor he was very theatrical but he also knew how to characterize and to and to reduce his performance for the screen yeah because he was a stage actor some stage actors have difficulty do they do Chicago hello yep you're on thank you go ahead yes Larry yeah it's nice talking to Angela it's wonderful speaking to you I've enjoyed you four years and I sincerely hope that Murder She Wrote will continue for yours and you will continue to play on this show and not give it up after the next drink very nice by the way you can see it every day on the USA cable starting lastly the 3rd of October it's next Monday yeah you have a question yes I would like to know if she remembers playing in the picture of dorian gray and i love her when she sang little yellow bird and i'm wondering how you feel about her hatfield today and do you see him as a friend or an acquaintance indeed I do he's a friend he's much more than an acquaintance he's a very close friend we look 9 miles apart in Ireland for me years I'll tell you an interesting little anecdote I had a letter the other day from a man who was on a an aircraft carrier during the war in the South Pacific it was the Ticonderoga and on the Ticonderoga they had a print of the picture Dorian Gray and they clipped out me singing little yellow birds and all the guys apart from the crews they would watch this clip they all know it backwards they're having a reunion in about a month's time and they asked me if I would send them the words of little yellow bird so I did I sort of started my music which was from the piano stool and I have and I send it to them and they're going to write new lyrics to commemorate 40 year anniversary of these men who are on the Ticonderoga ya San Leandro California hello like working with the great Judy Garland and the Harvey girls and did you ever see her in concert she was still living I did see her in concert yes indeed I did absolutely at the palace but I loved working with her there was and what an education it was to work with her I might add because I was young enough to and you know I was like a sponge in those days I picked up a lot of wonderful stuff from Judy no two men used to say that every time you thought Judy was was gonna leave that door she was Auto sinking ha ha boy tonight we're not gonna make it she was incredible he came through she was a total Pro you know and that was the one thing she that her talent was the one thing that always saw her through until the very end Rose you like working with it oh yeah well we had terrible days when we would wait on the set until you know 2:00 in the afternoon for Judy to show up but not too many days of that San Antonio hello hello miss Lansbury I love the steel ball however there's only one name and that's you you think about the movie why won't you end the movie and have you ever been to San Antonio thank you well a three-part question I never saw the movie so I don't feel one thing about and I've never been to San Antonio I couldn't bear to go to see the movie did you or did they ever talk to you about doing themself oh they did talk to me yes in fact it it looked wonderful for a few weeks and I had high hopes but I had to cover my disappointment when we do these things if it was not a big success was it I don't really know to be put on good line Florida hello howdy miss Lansbury pleasure to talk with you thank you and you are the best thing that's happened to the Tony Awards in years huh I want to ask you about the grammatical errors on Murder She Wrote that bothers me and my English teacher mother Principal upon them and I was going to write a letter but good to talk with you about it anybody when Jessica says I can't help but think I can't help but feel when it should be I can't help thinking or I can't help feeling I thought Jessica wouldn't bake these errors well I don't think may I interrupt yeah I don't think they're arrow so much as colloquialisms I think that they come they probably come from a misunderstood use of the English idiom but British idiom I can't help but think that is a colloquial way of saying I can't help thinking you know a writer yeah hello then it's not oh yeah oh it's done on purpose it's just a little little word trick that they do make Jessica a little odd last call for Angela Lansbury New York City hello hi I just want to say we are one of the producers of the tribute to Katharine Hepburn and this year in March which Angela Lansbury was so kind and wonderful to do a videotape with that Bob O'Neil and Peter shor her wonderful husband we're involved and we just want to publicly say thank you very much because you are just a wonderful wonderful human being very generous and nice thank you thank you so much are you as happy as you look I think I am thank you it's been wonderful I really enjoyed be the first of many visits I hope so Angela Lansbury I'm great story Donna mills is next don't go away

Channel: John Flanagan

Views: 12,000

Rating: 4.9605913 out of 5

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Id: fn5Snco9tzM

Length: 27min 40sec (1660 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 08 2020