Picture this: you're grocery shopping in Los Angeles with two of the most iconic actresses of all time, Bea Arthur and Angela Lansbury. That’s exactly what happened to Dan Watt, Bea Arthur's former personal assistant, and it's a memory he’ll never forget. “I had no idea Bea was meeting Angela that day,” Dan recalls to Closer. “As I trailed behind them, they were chatting casually, grabbing groceries, and I was silently begging them to break into song right there in the aisle. Can you imagine? It would’ve been Broadway magic in the produce section!”
But this wasn’t just a random encounter. Bea Arthur and Angela Lansbury’s friendship dates back to 1966, when they both starred in the Broadway musical Mame. Angela played the vivacious title character, Mame Dennis, while Bea took on the role of Vera Charles, Mame's sassy, hard-drinking best friend. “Angela was a true class act,” Bea once said fondly. “When I first met her, I thought I was meeting this refined, classically trained actress. But oh boy, was I wrong! She had a mouth like a longshoreman and loved nothing more than telling dirty limericks. She was hilarious!”
Their bond only grew stronger over the years. Angela fondly referred to Bea as her “bosom buddy,” a term inspired by the song they performed together in Mame. “Bea was one of the funniest people I’ve ever met,” Angela reminisced. “She had this incredible wit and an originality that was unmatched. There’s truly no one else like her in the world.”
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From Broadway to Hollywood: A Friendship That Began on Stage
Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur may have shared the Broadway stage, but their journeys to get there couldn’t have been more different. Angela, born into an upper-middle-class family in London, described herself as a “complete movie maniac” from a young age. Inspired by her actress mother, she dreamed of following in her footsteps. When World War II broke out, Angela emigrated to the United States, where she began her formal drama training. By the age of 19, she was already making waves in Hollywood, earning her first Oscar nomination for her role in the 1944 film Gaslight.
On the other hand, Bea Arthur’s path to stardom was anything but traditional. Born and raised in Brooklyn and Maryland, Bea finished high school and joined the Marines during World War II, serving as a typist and truck dispatcher. After being honorably discharged, she initially pursued a career as a medical technician but soon found her true calling in drama. Bea’s journey to Broadway was marked by hard work, determination, and a unique voice that would eventually define her career.
Despite their different backgrounds, Bea and Angela’s paths crossed when they both auditioned for roles in Mame. Bea, whose husband Gene Saks was directing the show, ended up playing the role of Vera Charles, while Angela took on the lead. It was a match made in Broadway heaven. Both actresses went on to win Tony Awards that year, cementing their status as two of the most talented performers of their generation.
After their time on Broadway, both women found success on television in the 1980s. Angela became a household name with Murder, She Wrote, while Bea starred in The Golden Girls. Interestingly, though, they never appeared on each other’s hit shows. Perhaps they preferred to keep their friendship private, away from the glare of the spotlight. “We’ve always been comfortable with each other,” Angela said. “Bea was my greatest support, and I was hers. We didn’t need the world to know how special our friendship was.”
