Angela Lansbury’s Children: Who Are Her 3 Kids?
British actor Angela Lansbury will forever be remembered for her incredible contributions to TV and film. The Murder, She Wrote actor had two notable marriages, and during her second marriage, she had two kids. Here’s what to know about Angela Lansbury’s biological children and the third kid she welcomed into her family.
Angela Lansbury had 2 children with her 2nd husband, Peter Shaw
Angela Lansbury was married twice — first to Richard Cromwell, and then to Peter Shaw. Lansbury and Cromwell’s marriage only lasted one year, but her marriage to Peter lasted over five decades. Sadly, Peter died of heart failure in 2003, and she described her relationship with him as the greatest she could ever imagine.
Angela Lansbury had two children early in her marriage to Peter Shaw — Anthony and Deidre Shaw. Anthony was born in 1952, and Deidre was born in 1953. “We made all decisions jointly and we helped and supported each other constantly,” Lansbury said of her relationship with Peter to the Daily Mail. “My career was important to me but our children, Anthony and Deidre, always came first.”
Lansbury did her best to raise her kids while also maintaining her acting career. But she explained she had regrets about rushing back to work. “But in those days all women who could afford it had somebody to help take care of their children,” she noted. “As soon as I had the babies I went on a diet and I was back in business. I do regret that. It was a big mistake. You have to be with your children.”
Angela Lansbury’s children got into hard drugs at a young age
Angela Lansbury’s two children, Diedre and Anthony, were heavily involved with drugs in their teens. “It started with cannabis but moved on to heroin,” Lansbury explained to the Daily Mail. “There were factions up in the hills above Malibu that were dedicated to deadly pursuits. It pains me to say it but, at one stage, Deidre was in with a crowd led by Charles Manson. She was one of many youngsters who knew him — and they were fascinated.”
By the ’60s, Lansbury and Peter Shaw had to make a decision regarding their kids’ health, which involved a major move. Lansbury decided the best place for her kids would be County Cork, Ireland. “I was drawn to Ireland because it was the birthplace of my mother and it was also somewhere my children wouldn’t be exposed to any more bad influences,” she explained.
Lansbury then noted she was “lucky” to have spotted the drug issues early on with her kids. “In the end, we found a doctor who prescribed methadone, a heroin substitute, which helped with the withdrawal symptoms as Anthony and Deidre were weaned off hard drugs,” she continued. “We were so very, very lucky we spotted what was happening just in time.”
She welcomed Peter Shaw’s son, David Shaw, into the family
Aside from Angela Lansbury’s biological children, she had another son. David Shaw was Peter Shaw’s son from another relationship, and Angela welcomes him with open arms. David spoke to Closer Weekly about joining the family and feeling welcomed.
“She’s a great lady,” he explained to the publication in 2019. “I came in and she didn’t have to have me. It was an incredible thing to do. She always put family first.”
David then became the president of Corymore Productions, a company started by his father.
As for Lansbury’s other two kids, Anthony directed and produced 68 episodes of Murder, She Wrote. He’s now retired and married with three children. Diedre and her husband opened a restaurant in Los Angeles.
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