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But no actor had it harder than Angela Lansbury, who was in the first Broadway revival after Merman patented the role.

Lansbury had little in common with Merman, so she had to take the character in a new direction, which critics, such as Walter Kerr, admired for the dramatic depth it unearthed.

Theatre audiences enjoyed the her versatility and good humour, and her 1961 Tony-winning Broadway role A Taste of Honey saw her play a troubled teenager, with Angela Lansbury as her mother.

Lansbury, who died in 2022, has the most nominations of any actor who never won an Emmy.

Paige replaced Angela Lansbury in the New York production of “Mame” in 1968 on Broadway and toured with the show in 1969.