That's All, She Wrote

Jacki Joyce celebrates the life of Angela Lansbury, the versatile actress most loved for her role as TV's favourite amateur sleuth.

- Photographs by Shutterstock.

CABOT COVE might be a tiny fishing village in Maine, yet murder there is rife.

And who better to solve all these murder mysteries than everyone's favourite "aunt", Jessica Fletcher!

Angela Lansbury's portrayal of the retired English teacher turned crime novelist is one that is familiar to us all, bringing entertainment into our homes from 1984 to 1996.

In total, there were 12 seasons of the popular detective show, followed by several made-for-TV films.

Jessica's vast knowledge of crime-solving (from researching her novels) helps her track down the perpetrators of strange deaths in her home town and beyond, often leaving the local sheriff red-faced.

But being a TV amateur sleuth is just a small part of Angela Lansbury's story.

During a career spanning 75 years, she found success not just on the small screen, but in films and on the stage.