Editing Angela Lansbury (section)

===''Mame'' and theatrical stardom: 1966–1969===

{{Quote box|width=25em|align=right|quote=I was a wife and a mother, and I was completely fulfilled. But my husband recognised the signals in me which said 'I've been doing enough gardening, I've cooked enough good dinners, I've sat around the house and mooned about what more interior decoration I can get my fingers into.' It's a curious thing with actors and actresses, but suddenly the alarm goes off. My husband is a very sensitive person to my moods and he recognised the fact that I had to get on with something. ''Mame'' came along out of the blue just at this time. Now isn't that a miracle?.|salign=right|source={{spaced ndash}} Angela Lansbury.{{sfnm|1a1=Bonanno|1y=1987|1p=78}}}}

In 1966, Lansbury took on the title role of Mame Dennis in the musical ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'', [[Jerry Herman]]'s musical adaptation of the 1955 novel ''[[Auntie Mame]]''. The director's first choice for the role had been [[Rosalind Russell]], who played Mame in [[Auntie Mame (film)|the 1958 non-musical film adaptation]], but she had declined. Lansbury actively sought the role in the hope that it would mark a change in her career. When she was chosen, it came as a surprise to theatre critics, who believed that the part would go to a better-known actress; Lansbury was 41 years old, and it was her first starring role.{{sfnm|1a1=Bonanno|1y=1987|1pp=77–79|2a1=Edelman|2a2=Kupferberg|2y=1996|2pp=128–132|3a1=Gottfried|3y=1999|3pp=149–159}} Mame Dennis was a glamorous character, with over 20 costume changes throughout the play, and Lansbury's role involved ten songs and dance routines for which she trained extensively.{{sfnm|1a1=Edelman|1a2=Kupferberg|1y=1996|1pp=133–134|2a1=Gottfried|2y=1999|2pp=161–163}} First appearing in [[Philadelphia]] and then [[Boston]], ''Mame'' opened at the [[Winter Garden Theatre]] on Broadway in May 1966.{{sfnm|1a1=Edelman|1a2=Kupferberg|1y=1996|1p=134|2a1=Gottfried|2y=1999|2pp=170–172}} ''Auntie Mame'' was already popular among the gay community,{{sfn|Gottfried|1999|p=151}} and ''Mame'' gained Lansbury a cult gay following, something that she later attributed to the fact that Mame Dennis was "every gay person's idea of glamour... Everything about Mame coincided with every young man's idea of beauty and glory and it was lovely."<ref name="gayicon">{{cite news |first=Lydia |last=Richardson |url=http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/139022/Im-Proud-To-Be-A-Gay-Icon-Angela-Lansbury-Opens-Up-In-New-Interview |title='I'm Proud To Be A Gay Icon!': Angela Lansbury Opens Up in New Interview |website=Entertainment Wise |date=January 25, 2014 |accessdate=January 3, 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704125109/http://archive.entertainmentwise.com/news/139022/Im-Proud-To-Be-A-Gay-Icon-Angela-Lansbury-Opens-Up-In-New-Interview |archivedate=July 4, 2015}}</ref>

Reviews of Lansbury's performance were overwhelmingly positive.{{sfn|Edelman|Kupferberg|1996|p=135}} In ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Stanley Kauffmann]] wrote: "Miss Lansbury is a singing-dancing actress, not a singer or dancer who also acts... In this marathon role she has wit, poise, warmth and a very taking [[wikt:coolth|coolth]]."<ref>[[Stanley Kauffmann|Kauffmann, Stanley]] (May 25, 1966). "Theatre: ''Mame'' Is Back with a Splash as Musical". ''[[The New York Times]]''. p. 41.</ref> The role resulted in Lansbury receiving her first [[Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical|Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical]].{{sfnm|1a1=Bonanno|1y=1987|1p=86|2a1=Edelman|2a2=Kupferberg|2y=1996|2p=136}}{{Sfn|Bonanno|1987|p=87}} Lansbury's later biographer Margaret Bonanno claimed that ''Mame'' made Lansbury a "superstar",{{sfn|Bonanno|1987|p=79}} with the actress herself commenting on her success: "Everyone loves you, everyone loves the success, and enjoys it as much as you do. And it lasts as long as you are on that stage and as long as you keep coming out of that stage door."{{sfn|Edelman|Kupferberg|1996|p=137}}

Off the stage, Lansbury made further television appearances, such as on [[Perry Como]]'s [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] Special in November 1966.{{sfn|Bonanno|1987|p=88}} She also engaged in high-profile charitable endeavours, for instance appearing as the guest of honour at the 1967 [[March of Dimes]] annual benefit luncheon.{{sfn|Bonanno|1987|p=88}} She was invited to star in a musical performance for the 1968 Academy Awards ceremony, and co-hosted that year's Tony Awards with former brother-in-law Peter Ustinov.{{sfn|Edelman|Kupferberg|1996|pp=138–139}} That year, [[Harvard University]]'s [[Hasty Pudding Club]] elected her "Woman of the Year".{{sfn|Edelman|Kupferberg|1996|p=139}} When the film adaptation of ''Mame'' was put into production, Lansbury hoped to be offered the part, but it instead went to [[Lucille Ball]], an established box-office success.{{sfnm|1a1=Bonanno|1y=1987|1pp=88, 110|2a1=Edelman|2a2=Kupferberg|2y=1996|2pp=140–141}} Lansbury considered this to be "one of my bitterest disappointments".{{sfn|Edelman|Kupferberg|1996|p=144}} Her personal life was further complicated when she learned that both of her children had become involved with the [[counterculture of the 1960s]] and had been using [[recreational drug]]s. As a result, Anthony had become [[Cocaine dependence|addicted to cocaine]] and [[Heroin dependence|heroin]].{{sfnm|1a1=Bonanno|1y=1987|1pp=83–84|2a1=Edelman|2a2=Kupferberg|2y=1996|2pp=165–166}}

Lansbury followed the success of ''Mame'' with a performance as Countess Aurelia, the 75-year-old Parisian eccentric in ''[[Dear World]]'', a musical adaptation of [[Jean Giraudoux]]'s ''[[The Madwoman of Chaillot]]''. The show opened at Broadway's [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]] in February 1969, but Lansbury found it a "pretty depressing" experience. Reviews of her performance were positive, and she was awarded her second Tony Award on the basis of it. Reviews of the show more generally were critical, however, and it ended after 132 performances.{{sfnm|1a1=Bonanno|1y=1987|1pp=91–95|2a1=Edelman|2a2=Kupferberg|2y=1996|2pp=148–151|3a1=Gottfried|3y=1999|3pp=191–195}} She followed this with an appearance in the title role of the musical ''[[Prettybelle]]'', based upon Jean Arnold's ''Prettybelle: A Lively Tale of Rape and Resurrection''. Set in the [[Deep South]], it dealt with issues of racism, with Lansbury playing a wealthy alcoholic who seeks sexual encounters with black men. The play opened in Boston, but received poor reviews and was cancelled before it reached Broadway.{{sfnm|1a1=Bonanno|1y=1987|1pp=104–106|2a1=Edelman|2a2=Kupferberg|2y=1996|2pp=151–152|3a1=Gottfried|3y=1999|3pp=202–204|4a1=Gilvey|4y=2005|4pp=208–11, 214–17}} Lansbury later described the play as "a complete and utter fiasco", admitting that in her opinion, her "performance was awful".{{sfn|Bonanno|1987|p=106}}