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To the Manor Born star passes away

<p>The family of Angela Thorne has paid tribute to the veteran actress who passed away on June 16 at age 84.</p> <p>Thorne is best known for her role in the British sitcom, <em>To the Manor Born.</em> The actress is also the mother of the actor Rupert Penry-Jones.</p> <p>Rupert Penry-Jones said in a statement, "The actress Angela Thorne died peacefully at her home on the 16th of June. She was 84 years old.</p> <p>"She was the beloved wife of Peter Penry-Jones and is survived by her two sons Rupert and Laurie Penry-Jones and her grandchildren, Florence, Peter, Giorgio and Delilah. We will all miss her very much.”</p> <p>Thorne played Marjory Frobisher in the BBC sitcom, <em>To the Manor Born</em>, with other Hollywood greats Penelope Keith and Richard DeVere from 1978 to 1981.</p> <p>She was nominated for an Oliver Award for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in <em>Anyone for Denis?</em></p> <p>The actress also voiced the Queen of England in the 1989 film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s <em>The BFG</em>.</p> <p>However, it was her role as Marjory Frobisher that gripped fans.</p> <p>Thorne reprised the role twice, one for a 10-episode radio series in 1997 and once more in 2007 for a one-episode Christmas special on TV.</p> <p>Fans of the actress are remembering her on Twitter as a “sitcom legend”.</p> <p>"RIP Angela Thorne, ACT past Chair of 15 years' service, wise champion of actor-parents' needs, and devoted to the elderly actors at @DenvilleHall. It was a joy and a privilege to work with you," a trust that worked with Thorne wrote.</p> <p>"Ah, Angela Thorne has died. Proper sitcom legend. Farrington of the FO was much underpraised," a fan wrote.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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“Rest, great soul”: Dame Angela Lansbury exits to the "theatre in the sky"

<p dir="ltr">Dame Angela Lansbury, known for her roles on TV, stage and film, has died aged 96 just days before her birthday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her family broke the news in a statement on Tuesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles at 1.30am today, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, just five days shy of her 97th birthday,” they said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Murder, She Wrote </em>star was one of the most decorated actors in stage history, winning five Tony Awards for her performances on Broadway and a lifetime achievement award.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lansbury scored one for her best-known work on Broadway, where she starred as the piemaker Nellie Lovett in <em>Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street</em>, winning the Tony for best musical actress in 1979.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her other three Tony awards for best actress in a musical were for her roles in <em>Mame </em>(1966), <em>Dear World</em> (1969) and <em>Gypsy </em>(1975).</p> <p dir="ltr">She earned Academy Award nominations for her work in film as a supporting actress in <em>Gaslight </em>(1945), <em>The Picture of Dorian Gray</em> (1946), and again in 1962 for <em>The Manchurian Candidate</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The star displayed her singing talents off-Broadway when she voiced the character of Mrs Potts in the 1991 animated movie <em>Beauty and the Beast</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">For the film’s 25th anniversary in 2016, Lansbury took to the stage in New York and brought the house down with a rendition of the movie’s titular tune.</p> <p dir="ltr">But her widespread fame came when she took on the role of a mystery writer and amateur sleuth in <em>Murder, She Wrote</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Running for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996, the series was loosely based on Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories and followed Jessica Fletcher, a widowed mystery writer living in the village of Cabot Cove, Maine.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lansbury earned 12 Emmy award nominations for <em>Murder, She Wrote</em>, making her the record-holder for the most Emmy nominations for lead actress in a drama series.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the show became a hit, Lansbury said she found the first season exhausting.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I was shocked when I learned that had to work 12-15 hours a day, relentlessly, day in, day out," she recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I had to lay down the law at one point and say, 'Look, I can't do these shows in seven days; it will have to be eight days.’”</p> <p dir="ltr">But, she was pleased that her role as Fletcher had become an inspiration for older women.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Women in motion pictures have always had a difficult time being role models for other women," she observed.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They've always been considered glamorous in their jobs."</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b20cdf8-7fff-ae6e-6c24-ba9d2ae25ea2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After the news broke of her passing, tributes have poured in across social media as fans and Hollywood stars remember the legendary actress.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Angela Lansbury, who graced the stage for decades winning five Tony awards and brought the sleuthing Jessica Fletcher into our living rooms for a dozen years, has passed. A tale old as time, our beloved Mrs. Potts will sing lullabies to us now from the stars. Rest, great soul.</p> <p>— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1579922852761198592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d0eee1f4-7fff-cefb-67a5-22743d890760">“Angela Lansbury, who graced the stage for decades winning five Tony awards and brought the sleuthing Jessica Fletcher into our living rooms for a dozen years, has passed. A tale as old as time, our beloved Mrs Potts will sing lullabies to us now from the stars. Rest, great soul,” George Takei tweeted.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dame Angela Lansbury has fallen asleep and gone to the ‘theatre in the Sky.’ She epitomised grace and exhibited a gifted natural talent. One of the world’s greatest actors. I had the privilege of meeting her.</p> <p>— David_Suchet (@David_Suchet) <a href="https://twitter.com/David_Suchet/status/1579961581672497155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cce3176b-7fff-f3b0-01a5-3260a870716b">“Dame Angela Lansbury has fallen asleep and gone to the ‘theatre in the Sky’. She epitomised grace and exhibited a gifted natural talent. One of the world’s greatest actors. I had the privilege of meeting her,” <em>Poirot </em>star David Suchet wrote.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tale as old as time<br />True as it can be</p> <p>In memory of Angela Lansbury, we offer this cosmic rose plucked by our Spitzer Space Telescope. <a href="https://t.co/V1N0QynRDJ">https://t.co/V1N0QynRDJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/zPduniVBsl">pic.twitter.com/zPduniVBsl</a></p> <p>— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1579939011606769664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Even NASA paid tribute to Lansbury, offering a “cosmic rose” to the star.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-858f8d34-7fff-0867-0ae5-305543c3556c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Lansbury is survived by her two children, Diedre Angela Shaw, 69, and Anthony Pullen Shaw, 70.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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"That's rude": Tina Arena's explosive comment to Angela Bishop

<p>Australian music icon Tina Arena has slammed the lack off support given to the entertainment industry throughout the pandemic in a passionate plea on <em>Studio 10</em>. </p> <p>The singer, who will be featured in the upcoming <em>Young Talent Time</em> 50th anniversary special, blasted the "double standard" of the government cancelling music shows across the country, but sporting events still being allowed to go ahead. </p> <p>“I also hate the differentiation between sport and arts in Australia. As the artistic community, we will draw the line in the sand now and say, ‘No more of your double standards now,’” she continued.</p> <p>“Sport is a great thing, but life is not just about sport, life is about art and culture … I would encourage the artistic community to come forward, and I’d encourage anybody else to start thinking straight now.”</p> <p>Entertainment reporter Angela Bishop agreed with Tina, noting how much events has been cancelled on short notice, but "<span>never the footy match”.</span></p> <p><span>Tina was visibly outraged, </span>saying "That's a categoric disrespect."</p> <p>Tina Arena is one of millions of Melbourne natives who have been coping with seemingly endless lockdowns, <span>which is due to have had the most days under lockdown of any city in the world on October 4th. </span><br /><span></span></p> <p><span>“I’ve really struggled, and I’m comfortable in saying that. I’ve had a very difficult time, like many people. I’m profoundly against being locked up – the injustice is too much,” Arena said.</span></p> <p><span>Continuing on the injustice of the music industry, Tina noted how little financial support the arts have received during the pandemic. </span></p> <p><span>“I’m sorry, that’s rude, disrespectful, and shouldn’t be at all allowed to play out." </span></p> <p><span>"Never, ever silence an artist – we play an important role in the social fibre of any country. It’s freedom of expression, and I’ll fight for it until the day I die.”</span></p> <p><span>Angela Bishop noted that one of Tina's few stage performances in recent years was the February 2020 Firefight </span>concert to raise money for those affected by the bushfires. </p> <p><span>“It seems people have forgotten about the arts community when </span>they’re <span>in need,” Angela suggested, to which Arena agreed.</span></p> <p>“If anything goes wrong, the artistic community has always lifted their sleeves up."</p> <p>"We’ve gone in there and done what we needed to do. We’re very happy to play that role to help people – it’s what we do,” said Arena.</p> <p>“Now we’re in trouble, is someone helping us? No. It’s amazing how people just fly away and disappear..."</p> <p>“You know what? DONE. We’re done, and now we’re saying it. Just stop this ridiculous, preposterous behaviour. It’s got to stop,” she said.</p> <p>Tina's impassioned speech struck a chord with viewers ion Studio 10, as many agreed that more should be done to support Australian artists. </p> <p>One fan tweeted, "I'm ready for Tina Arena to be PM."</p> <p>Another said, "Tina articulating how we all feel. We are an incredibly resilient community but we are beyond exhausted."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Studio 10</em></p>

Music

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Incredibly rare photo of Prince Philip from 1938

<p><span>A photo taken of Prince Philip long before he married into the British royal family has emerged, and it has come from an unlikely source.</span><br /><br /><span>Cara and Poppy Delevingne shared a candid snapshot of the Duke of Edinburgh, from when he was just 17 and sat on the beach with their grandmother Angela Delevingne.</span><br /><br /><span>The British sisters, who are both models and actresses, told fans that the photo had been taken in Venice in 1938.</span><br /><br /><span>"My cousins remember her saying 'That after meeting him, she thought he'd make someone a very good husband one day.' How right she was," she wrote.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNkI5oogCsN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNkI5oogCsN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Poppy Delevingne (@poppydelevingne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The duo are seen sitting together on a beach lounge, and in a rare moment for the late royal, he is seen dressed casually in sandshoes and what appears to be a polo shirt.</span><br /><br /><span>The photo was reportedly taken by Angela's husband Edward not long after their wedding.</span><br /><br /><span>The newlyweds had been holidaying in Italy when they encountered the future Duke of Edinburgh.</span><br /><br /><span>The moment was also captured just a year before Philip met his future wife, Princess Elizabeth, at the Royal Naval College.</span><br /><br /><span>It would be several more years before their relationship turned into more however.</span><br /><br /><span>Her Majesty and her beloved husband married in 1947, and celebrated their 73rd anniversary in November 2020.</span></p>

Beauty & Style

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60-year-old Paralympian dies during solo crossing of Pacific

<p><span>Angela Madsen, whose remarkable life took in a spell in the Marines, a string of gold medals and record setting rowing journeys, has passed away as she attempted a solo journey from California to Hawaii.</span></p> <p><span>The 60-year-old’s death was confirmed by her wife, Deb Madsen, in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “With extreme sadness,” she wrote, “I must announce that Angela Madsen will not complete her solo row to Hawaii.”</span></p> <p><span>Speaking to the Long Beach Press-Telegram, Deb said the last she heard from her wife was when she was on route from Los Angeles to Honolulu in a 20-foot row boat, by text on Saturday. Angela had said she was going to enter the water to complete some maintenance. Deb had become concerned when she didn’t hear from Angela.</span></p> <p><span>Shortly after, the US Coast Guard located her body.</span></p> <p><span>“The [spotter] plane saw Angela in the water, apparently deceased, tethered to RowofLife, but was unable to relay that information due to poor satellite coverage,” Deb wrote on the Facebook page. The body has now been recovered.</span></p> <p><span>Soraya Simi, who was making a documentary about the crossing, said she was shocked by the news.</span><br /><span>“This is the single heaviest moment of my life,” Simi said in a statement to the Southern California News Group. “I am so sorry and so sad to write this. I know so many of you were cheering her on and wanted her to succeed.”</span></p> <p><span>Madsen led a life to remember. After her brother told her she wouldn’t make it in the military, she joined the Marines. But ended up in a wheelchair after injuring her back playing for the Marines basketball team.</span></p> <p><span>But despite the turn her life took, Madsen took up rowing and won several gold medals at the world rowing championships. She went on to row across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and also circumnavigated Great Britain in her boat.</span></p> <p><span>Madsen’s athletics talents were not limited to rowing – she also won a bronze medal in shot put at the 2012 Paralympics in London.</span></p> <p><span>She also set up a program for disabled rowers in California. “I wanted to create an opportunity for people with disabilities to row,” she said. “It’s one of the most inclusive activities people can do. We row three days a week and do it year-round. It’s completely free for people with disabilities.”</span></p> <p><span>Simi said Madsen understood the danger involved in the 2,500 mile journey. “This was a clear risk going in since day one, and Angela was aware of that more than anyone else,” Simi said. “She was willing to die at sea doing the thing she loved most.”</span></p>

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Meet the "flunky" who performs a very unusual service for The Queen

<p>Being the Queen of the United Kingdom comes with a few more perks than your average joe. </p> <p>In addition to two birthday celebrations a year, a vault of beautiful tiaras and an endless hoard of staff waiting on her hand and foot, the British monarch has someone to assist her in a fairly strange task. </p> <p>The Queen’s personal assistant and senior dresser, Angela Kelly has said she breaks in the sovereign’s shoes so she doesn’t have to. </p> <p>"As has been reported a lot in the press, a flunky wears in Her Majesty's shoes to ensure that they are comfortable and that she is always good to go. And yes, I am that flunky," Kelly wrote in her memoir titled<span> </span>The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe,<span> </span>as reported by<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2019102779688/the-queen-right-hand-woman-angela-kelly-new-book-exclusive" target="_blank">Hello</a>.</p> <p>"The Queen has very little time to herself and not time to wear in her own shoes, and as we share the same shoe size it makes the most sense this way."</p> <p>Queen Elizabeth granted Kelly, who served as her close confidant for 25 years, to write not only about royal fashion, but their relationship together. </p> <p>This is the first time a current member of the royal household has been given special permission to write such intimate details, as per the book’s publisher Harper Collins. </p> <p>"It gives a rare insight into the demands of the job of supporting the Monarch, and we gain privileged insight into a successful working relationship, characterized by humor, creativity, hard work, and a mutual commitment to service and duty," Samantha Cohen, the former assistant private secretary to the Queen said. </p> <p>"Angela is a talented and inspiring woman, who has captured the highlights of her long career with The Queen for us all to share."</p> <p>Kelly’s book will delve into the replication of the royal family’s Christening gown, the Queen’s 2012 Olympics clip with James Bond and what happened when Michelle Obama came to London in 2009. </p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Queen Elizabeth's "flunky" and close confidant. </p>

Beauty & Style

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“Extraordinary permission”: Queen Elizabeth allows close friend to write tell-all book

<p>The Queen’s personal dresser and confidant Angela Kelly has been given “extraordinary permission” from the Queen herself to write a tell-all book that details their working relationship.</p> <p>Kelly has been employed by Her Majesty since 1994 and is the first member of the royal household to be given permission to write about their experiences on the job, according to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queen-elizabeth-dresser-angela-kelly-given-permission-to-write-book/72ecda56-bfa1-42e1-9e7d-44737ca321e8" target="_blank">Nine Honey</a></em>.</p> <p>The monarch has "personally given Angela her blessing to share their unparalleled bond with the world", says a spokesperson for the publisher, HarperCollins.</p> <p>Kelly, 51, started at the palace as the Queen’s senior dresser before rising to Her Majesty’s Personal Advisor and Curator, which includes jewellery, insignias and wardrobe as well as in-house designer.</p> <p>She is the first person in history to hold such a job title and shares a uniquely close working relationship with the Queen.</p> <p><em>The Other Side of the Coin</em> will include never-before-seen photographs from Kelly's private collection as well as anecdotes of their time spent together.</p> <p>"Angela Kelly is the first serving member of the Royal Household to have been given this extraordinary permission," the publisher says.</p> <p>Kelly likened her relationship with the Queen as “two typical women” who “discuss clothes, make-up and jewellery” in a 2007 interview with<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1571986/The-Queen-and-I-by-Her-Majestys-PA.html" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a></em>.</p> <p>"I don't know why the Queen seems fond of me - because I don't give her an easy time," Kelly said. "I do think she values my opinion, but she is the one who is in control. I do worry about her and care about her. But we also have a lot of fun together."</p> <p>Australian palace aid Samantha Cohen, assistant Private Secretary to the Queen between 2011-2018, says the book "gives a rare glimpse into the demands of the job of supporting the Monarch, and we gain privileged insight into a successful working relationship, characterised by humour, creativity, hard work, and a mutual commitment to service and duty".</p> <p>"Angela is a talented and inspiring woman, who has captured the highlights of her long career with The Queen for us all to share."</p>

Books

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Angela Lansbury joins cast of star-studded Mary Poppins sequel

<p>Veteran actress Angela Lansbury is set to join the already-star-studded cast of the upcoming <em>Mary Poppins</em> sequel, titled <em>Mary Poppins Returns</em>. The 91-year-old will appear as the Balloon Lady alongside such stars as <a href="/news/news/2016/06/mary-poppins-returns-disney-cast-emily-blunt/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Emily Blunt</span></strong></a>, Julie Walters, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth and <a href="/news/news/2016/12/dick-van-dyke-is-in-the-new-mary-poppins/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Dick Van Dyke</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>Her character, while absent in the original movie, made an appearance in the book series written by P. L. Travers and “wreaks helium havoc in the park during one of Mary Poppins’ outing with the Banks children.”</p> <p>Lansbury has had an extensive career in film, TV and the theatre, spanning nearly 75 years. She has earned five Tony Awards, six Golden Globes, an Olivier Award, a Grammy Award and an Honorary Oscar. She is perhaps best known for her role in the long-running American crime drama <em>Murder, She Wrote</em>, which aired between 1984 and 1996.</p> <p>The latest film, which is set 20 years after the events of the 1964 classic, will follow Mary Poppins as she revisits the Banks family, who have been left reeling after a tragedy.</p> <p><em>Mary Poppins Returns</em> is set for release on Christmas Day next year. Tell us in the comments below, are you excited to revisit Poppins and the Banks family?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/12/dick-van-dyke-is-in-the-new-mary-poppins/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Dick Van Dyke just made new Mary Poppins a must-see</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/09/jane-banks-from-mary-poppins-today/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>What Jane Banks from “Mary Poppins” looks like today</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/09/angela-lansbury-performs-beauty-and-the-beast/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Angela Lansbury performs Beauty and the Beast</em></span></strong></a></p>

Movies

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Angela Lansbury performs Beauty and the Beast

<p>Angela Lansbury has had an incredible acting career, but for Disney fans there’s one role that stands out above all others – Mrs Potts in the animated classic <em>Beauty and the Beast</em>.</p> <p>To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the film a screening was arranged in New York over the weekend, but organisers had a considerable ace up their sleeve.</p> <p>90-year-old Lansbury surprised those in attendance with a performance of the tender love song <em>Beauty and the Beast</em>. The tune received the Academy Award for Best Original Song, Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and Grammy for Song Written for a Motion Picture, but even after 25 years no one sings it better than the original Mrs Potts.</p> <p>To see the full performance, watch the video above.</p> <p>What a touching performance. Do you have a favourite Angela Lansbury moment? What’s your favourite animated Disney film? Let us know in the comments section.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/09/best-movies-based-on-kids-books/"><strong>Hollywood’s 15 best movies based on kids’ books</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/08/your-old-disney-vhs-tapes-could-be-worth-thousands/"><strong>Your old Disney VHS tapes could be worth over $10,000</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/08/julie-andrews-response-to-mary-poppins-casting/"><strong>Julie Andrews’ charming response to the new Mary Poppins casting</strong></a></em></span></p>

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