Tony Winner Angela Lansbury is Never Retiring & Wants to Talk 'Nonsense About Television' with Maggie Smith

She charms the husk right off of the corn! Angela Lansbury is preparing to envoke the spirit again in a West End revival of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit, reprising her Tony-winning role of Madame Arcati, and recently spoke with the Evening Standard about her return to the London stage and retirement.

The five-time Tony winner, who is performing for the first time in the West End in 40 years, revealed that Blithe Spirit  "might be" her last time treading the boards. However the Murder She Wrote star is not considering retiring from acting all together—“I would miss it very much." Lansbury also revealed the "trepidation" she was feeling about living up to expectations: "I feel very awed by the reception that I've had so far. I've got to deliver the goods." It's not all work no play for the legend, however. She's hoping to catch up with "old chum" Downton Abbey's Maggie Smith "to talk nonsense with her about television."

Lansbury last appeared on Broadway in The Best Man. In addition to Blithe Spirit, she has won Tony Awards for Sweeney Todd, Gypsy, Mame and Dear World. She garnered Oscar nominations for her performances in Gaslight, The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Manchurian Candidate. She played Jessica Fletcher on Murder She Wrote for 12 seasons.