Angela began her training as an actress at the Webber-Douglas School for Dramatic Arts, but had to leave the school as a result of the outbreak of the Second World War, when she and her family moved to America.

In 1944 she landed a leading role in ‘Gaslight’, starring with Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer and Joseph Cotton. This film earned her first Oscar nomination.

The next year, 1945, Angela received another Oscar nomination for ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’.

A variety of hit films followed including; ‘The Manchurian Candidate’ (1963), ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ (1972) and ‘Death on the Nile’ (1978).

In 1957, Angela had her first stage experience on Broadway in ‘Hotel Paradiso’, at Henry Miller’s Theatre. Her performance was very well received and Angela went on to star in a number of Broadway shows, winning four Tony Awards for her performances in ‘Mame’, ‘Dear World’, ‘Gypsy’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’.

In 1984, Angela had her first taste of TV and it is perhaps here, as Jessica Fletcher in ‘Murder, She Wrote’, that she is best known. Angela starred in this programme from 1984 till 1996, completing 264 episodes.

Angela was briefly married to actor Richard Cromwell for

1 months. However, her second marriage, to Peter Shaw, was a long and happy one. They married in 1949 and were together until Peter’s death in