Who hasn’t ever watched at least one episode of the famous series Murder, She Wrote? Broadcast across twelve full seasons, from 1984 to 1996, it follows the cases and adventures of the iconic Jessica Fletcher (portrayed by Angela Lansbury), who, as a mystery writer, ends up solving real-life murders that happen around her. But let’s pause for a moment: could you imagine this TV series without its beloved lead character?
Murder, She Wrote, here’s who turned down the role of Jessica Fletcher before Angela Lansbury
Indeed. Murder, She Wrote, in its original conception, was meant to feature a different protagonist in place of Angela Lansbury. The show’s creators, Dick Levinson and Bill Link, indeed, even before Lansbury was chosen, had in mind another actress, a legend of the 1970s sitcoms.
Peter S. Fischer, in an article written for the Christian Science Monitor, revealed that while they were trying to get the series off the ground, they had long contemplated the right person to embody the lead: “She had to be someone with charm, style, wit, warmth, extraordinary talent, and a face familiar to television audiences. Our first—and for a time, the only—source of inspiration was Jean Stapleton, who had enjoyed a decade of success as Edith Bunker on All in the Family.” Initially, Stapleton had even indicated her availability and seemed interested, provided she could balance it with her other commitments; however, when negotiations heated up, the actress changed her mind.
Thus, Fischer and the creators turned to the stage and screen star Angela Lansbury: “After a brief meeting in which Levinson, Link, and I fell madly in love with our new star, CBS allocated several million dollars, and within a few weeks we were on a set filming the first scene of ‘The Murder of Sherlock Holmes,’ the two-hour TV movie that served as the pilot episode for the series“. And now, in light of the series’ ultimate success, one could say: Stapleton’s decision to decline was the right move!
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