How Angela Lansbury ‘saved’ her family from Charles Manson: before the late Murder, She Wrote star became the richest woman on TV, she moved to Ireland to get away from the infamous cult
- Lansbury, known for roles in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Blue Hawaii with Elvis Presley and The Manchurian Candidate, passed away on October 11 at age 96
- She moved her family to Ireland when she found out about her daughter Deirdre’s interest in Manson, before his cult murders that included Roman Polanski’s wife, Sharon Tate
The British-Irish-American actress died peacefully in her sleep on October 11 at age 96, just five days away from her 97th birthday, according to a family statement. Lansbury will forever be remembered for her commanding yet graceful presence in Hollywood film history.
But at one point, she turned away from the fame – and the money that came with it – after her daughter fell under the spell of cult leader and mass murderer Charles Manson. It was sweet old Lansbury who found out about her daughter’s involvement with the group and made the decision to leave Hollywood for Ireland.
Here’s how the actress turned her life upside down for her family.
How was Angela Lansbury’s daughter connected to the Charles Manson cult?
In an interview with British media in 2014, the actress opened up about leaving Hollywood for a quieter life after she and her husband Peter Shaw discovered that their daughter, Deirdre, now 69, had become involved with the group being led by convicted murderer and cult leader Charles Manson.
Lansbury said that Deirdre was one of the “many youngsters who knew him and they were fascinated”. She explained her daughter’s relationship with him, describing Manson as being “an extraordinary character” who was “charismatic in many ways”.
