Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Remembering the Legendary Angela Lansbury, COZI TV Airing Tribute Marathon; Disney Channel Orders Season 7 of Bunk'd

Angela Lansbury

Actress and singer Angela Lansbury, who starred as fictional writer and sleuth Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote, has died. She died in her sleep at her home in Los Angeles, California, on the morning of October 11. Ms. Lansbury was 96.

Lansbury's early television guest appearances included Robert Montgomery Presents, The Revlon Mirror Theater, The Ford Television Theatre, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Lux Video Theatre, The George Gobel Show, Four Star Playhouse, The Star and the Story, Celebrity Playhouse, Studio 57, Climax!, Playhouse 90, The Eleventh Hour, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and The Trials of O'Brien.

Angela Lansbury

Lansbury starred as Jessica Fletcher on the 1984-1996 CBS detective drama Murder, She Wrote. Jessica Fletcher is a retired school teacher from the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine, who became a successful detective novelist after her husband's death, also solving murders encountered during her travels. Murder, She Wrote became one of the longest-running and most popular detective drama series in television history. The series ran for twelve seasons and 264 episodes. She appeared in a crossover episode with Magnum, P.I. in 1986. CBS aired four television movies from 1997 to 2003.

Angela Lansbury and Tom Bosley

She holds the record for the most Emmy nominations for outstanding lead actress in a drama series with twelve, one for each season. She never won, which is also a record. She won four Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series – Drama 1984, 1986, 1989 in 1991. Lansbury worked as executive producer for the final four seasons. Recurring and occasional cast members included Tom Bosley (1984-1988), Michael Horton (1985-1990), William Windom (1985-1996), Richard Paul (1986-1991), Ron Masak (1989-1996), Keith Mitchell (1990-1991), James Sloyan (1990-1991), Ken Swofford (1990-1991), Hallie Todd (1990-1991) and Louis Herthum (1991-1996).

Lansbury made an appearance as a mother named Eleanor Duvall in a season six episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2005. She also appeared as Eleanor Duvall in Law & Order: Trial by Jury in 2005. She played Lady Berrington in a 2002 episode of Touched by an Angel. In December 2017, she performed in her final television role as Aunt March in the BBC miniseries Little Women.

She received three Academy Awards nominations for her work in Gaslight (1944), The Picture of Dorian Gray (1955) and The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Some of her other film credits included The Harvey Girls (1946), State of the Union (1948), The Court Jester (1956), The Long, Hot Summer (1958), Blue Hawaii (1961) and Death on the Nile (1978).

Lansbury was in classic children's films such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), The Last Unicorn (1982), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Anastasia (1997), Fantasia 2000 (2000), Nanny McPhee (2005), The Grinch (2018) and Mary Poppins Returns (2018).

She was known for her work on stage in musicals. She was a five-time Tony winner for her work in Mame (1966), Dear World (1969), Gypsy (1975), Sweeney Todd (1979) and Blithe Spirit (2009). She received the award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre at the 75th Tony Awards in 2022.

Lansbury was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on September 15, 1998.

She is survived by her children, Anthony, Deirdre, and David, as well as three grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury.

Angela Lansbury

Ms. Lansbury was a legendary actress in films, on stage and on television. Jessica Fletcher was a loved character. She played her to perfection. Interestingly enough, Jean Stapleton was originally offered the role, but she declined it. In 1983, Lansbury had to choose between a Norman Lear sitcom opposite Charles Durning or Murder, She Wrote. Her agents had advised her to accept the sitcom role, but she clearly made the right choice with the detective drama. We thank her for the entertainment that she brought us during her long career, which spanned eight decades. She will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our Murder, She Wrote message board. View photos in our galleries.

Angela Lansbury Tribute Marathon

COZI TV announced that beginning today (Wednesday, Oct. 12), it will preempt its regular programming for a four-day "Angela Lansbury Tribute Marathon" to honor the beloved television, film, and stage star, who died on Tuesday at the age of 96. The special programming, which will be presented daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET through Saturday, Oct. 15, will feature every episode from the first two seasons of Lansbury’s iconic series Murder, She Wrote. The marathon will also include select episodes from the hit drama's third season and will conclude with Season 12 series finale.


Bunk'd

Disney Branded Television announced that a seventh season of the beloved hit comedy series Bunk'd has been given a greenlight. The seventh season renewal makes the hit series the longest-running live-action Disney Channel series. Bunk'd continues to perform for the channel as one of the top 10 live-action series among kids 6-11 years old. Series regulars Miranda May (Lou), Trevor Tordjman (Parker), Mallory James Mahoney (Destiny), Israel Johnson (Noah), Shiloh Verrico (Winnie), Luke Busey (Jake) and Alfred Lewis (Bill) are all set to return. Erin Dunlap will remain as executive producer and showrunner of the series in addition to May, who will continue her season six appointed role as executive producer while also directing select episodes.

Season six of Bunk'd: Learning the Ropes will air a holiday-themed episode on Friday, Dec. 2, with new weekly episodes returning in January 2023. Set in Dusty Tush, Wyoming, Lou, Parker, Destiny and Noah have been working double time to get the new Kikiwaka Ranch up and running, learning new ranch skills, acquainting themselves to the townsfolk and welcoming their new campers. It's been a bumpy start, but campers Bill, Winnie and Jake have loved their time at summer camp. In addition to perfecting his cowboy skills, Bill is discovering his fellow campers may be just as fun to hang out with as herding cattle. Winnie is learning to reign in her thrill-seeking needs, and Jake is realizing how exciting real-life can be away from video games. Meanwhile, counselors and campers band together to hunt for a mysterious treasure that is said to be hidden somewhere on the ranch.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, October 4

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 29)

Friday, October 3

  • Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Watch Tom on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Regina is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Will Ferrell (The Office) - Will makes a special appearance on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Bobby Cannavale (Angie Tribeca/Will & Grace) - Bobby appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) and Bowen Yang (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Matt and Bowen are Day Drinking on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Helen Hong (The Thundermans/The Unicorn) and Jay Mohr (Gary Unmarried/Action/Camp Wilder) - Helen and Jay are guests on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Louis C.K. (Louie/Lucky Louie) - Real Time with Bill Maher has an one-on-one interview with Louis at 10pm on HBO.
  • Phoebe Robinson (Everything's Trash) - Phoebe talks about I Don’t Want to Work Anymore on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Tony Shalhoub (We Are Men/Stark Raving Mad/Wings) - Tony swings by the studio to talk Tony Shalhoub: Breaking Bread on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Co-host Tony Dokoupil sits down with Phil on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Star Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil and David Burtka are sharing some mocktail and light bite recipes from their new book Both Sides of the Glass on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025
09/29 - Netflix Renews Haunted Hotel for Season 2; Christmas Comedy Series Sicilia Express
09/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 29, 2025)
09/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Cast Comes Together for First Table Read for Reboot; Monopoly Game Show Moving Ahead
09/26 - Netflix Adds to Cast for Running Point Season 2; Stiller & Meara Apple TV+ Documentary
09/25 - Adam Pally HBO Comedy Special; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns with Huge Ratings
09/24 - Weigel's Newest Diginet WEST Launches Monday, September 29; New Baywatch Coming to Fox in 2026-27
09/23 - DMV Trailer for CBS; Mo Amer Returns to Netflix
09/22 - SNL Season 51 Guests for First Episodes; Prime Video's Bat-Fam Series
09/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 22, 2025)
09/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Paper to Get Linear Run on NBC; Saturday Night Live Announces New Hosts
09/19 - NBC Schedules The Paper and Stumble in November; Remembering Patricia (Pat) Crowley of Please Don't Eat the Daisies
09/18 - UPtv Acquires The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Camp Rock 3 Coming Soon to Disney
09/17 - FETV Acquires The Munsters Effective September 29; Apple TV+ The Morning Show Renewed for Season 5
09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29
09/09 - HBO Comedy The Chair Company; Trailer for Disney's Vampirina: Teenage Vampire
09/08 - The Paper Renewed for Season 2, NYC Event on Tuesday; Final Season of Bel-Air
09/07 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 8, 2025)
09/06 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Shifting Gears Picked Up for Three Additional Episodes; The Paper Renewed for Season Two
09/05 - Crutch Premieres November 3 on Paramount+; Trailer for Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
09/04 - Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2025 Schedule; Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Cast