Angela Lansbury to Host Memorial for Bea Arthur

By Andrew Gans
September 1, 2009

Five-time Tony Award winner Angela Lansbury, who co-starred with Beatrice Arthur in Mame, will host a memorial for friends and family of the late Tony and Emmy Award winner Sept. 14 at Broadway's Majestic Theatre.

Directed by Mark Waldrop, Celebrating Bea Arthur will feature remembrances and performances from the late actress' family and friends, including Adrienne Barbeau ("Maude" co-star), Zoe Caldwell, Billy Goldenberg (Arthur's longtime accompanist), Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof lyricist), Charlie Hauck ("Maude" head writer), Norman Lear ("Maude" producer), Clinton Leupp, Anne Meara, Rosie O'Donnell, Chita Rivera, Daryl Roth (Bea Arthur on Broadway producer), Jerry Stiller and Rue McClanahan ("The Golden Girls").

The afternoon event will begin at 1 PM; seating is open to the general public on a first-come, first-served admission basis.

Ms. Arthur passed away on April 25, 2009, at age 86.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Ali Forney Center, one of Ms. Arthur's beloved charities (www.aliforneycenter.org).

To read Playbill.com's obituary about Ms. Arthur, click here.

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Lansbury won her five Tonys for Blithe Spirit (2009), Mame (1966), Dear World (1969), Gypsy (1975) and Sweeney Todd (1979). She was nominated as Best Leading Actress in a Play in 2007 for Deuce.