Angela Lansbury passing away yesterday at age 96 has led to many tributes to the legendary actress on Twitter. Mixed in with those tributes, though, is a revelation to some about the 1991 Disney film Beauty and the Beast.

Lansbury, of course, was the voice of the lovely and charming teapot aptly named Mrs. Potts in the hit film. Among the tributes to her were clips from the recording sessions for the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack. These clips led to many just now realizing Jerry Orbach, Detective Lennie Briscoe from Law & Order, voiced Lumiere, the French candlestick.

Yes, long before Law & Order, Orbach made a name for himself as a stage actor in a variety of on and off-Broadway productions. Among his many credits, he originated the role of Billy Flynn in Chicago and won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1969 for his performance as Chuck Baxter in Promises, Promises.

Scroll below to see some of the best reactions to this revelation.

• @bdonedone

  I was today years old when I learned that Jerry Orbach played Lumiere in BatB. Crazy versatility by that guy. From his IMDB, he played a hardass NYPD detective, a talking French candle, and literally everything else in between. https://t.co/Vg5uAgu5kH

  — Professor Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus (@bdonedone) October 12, 2022

• @berg0887

  Angela Lansbury dies and suddenly the whole world realizes that Jerry Orbach is Lumiere!

  — Jason (@berg0887) October 12, 2022

• @NeferreB

  RIP Angela Lansbury, but if there is someone available to explain how I missed Jerry Orbach was Lumiere for 31 years after watching every L&O he was in thrice minimum, I'm free.

  — Nebrooks (@NeferreB) October 12, 2022

• @nbencesolutions

  https://twitter.com/nbencesolutions/status/1580006416462778374

• @bodybypho

  I like to think Angela Lansbury and Jerry Orbach are in heaven together right now, singing songs and solving crimes.

  — bodybypho (@bodybypho) October 12, 2022

• @RapSheet

  I was today years old when I learned Jerry Orbach was the voice of Lumiere 🤯. Did people know this?? https://t.co/EgcaPgkvK4

  — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 12, 2022

• @DiabeticJew

  People not knowing that Jerry Orbach was Lumiere obviously never looked at Lumiere... pic.twitter.com/0d5Kbg5vve

  — Reds 'Sporto' Bergamo (@DiabeticJew) October 12, 2022

• @Rowaenthe

  I'm shocked at people being shocked to find out that Jerry Orbach played Lumiere to Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Potts in Beauty & the Beast. "The Law and Order guy can sing?!?" they exclaim dubiously.
  
  YES, THE TONY AWARD-WINNING 'LAW AND ORDER GUY'.
  
  OY

  — Angela Rynan Durrell (@Rowaenthe) October 11, 2022

• @jamesholod

  so many young people in the quote tweets saying they didn’t know Jerry Orbach voiced Lumiere and i’m choosing to blame Betsy DeVos for the education crisis

  — james (@jamesholod) October 11, 2022

• @MusicWriter561

  To those who only know him from L & O, Jerry Orbach had a career on Broadway and was an excellent singer. Beside being the voice of Lumiere in "Beauty and the Beast" he sang "Try to Remember" in the original cast of The Fantastics. Two greats. RIP Angela Lansbury & Jerry Orbach. https://t.co/QZvz1sFS7K

  — Phil Rubin Wrote The Donald Trump Blues (@MusicWriter561) October 12, 2022

• @LaceyBanis

  https://twitter.com/LaceyBanis/status/1580105414477156352

• @keegan_tweets

  Two theatre kids who made it big on Broadway before becoming legendary TV detectives having the time of their lives recording Beauty and the Beast.
  
  Angela Landsbury and Jerry Orbach had amazing careers. https://t.co/SuJR2BC2ux

  — Keegan - Smartest Boy Urbanist™️ (@keegan_tweets) October 12, 2022

• @kmgjab1221

  Funny how it took Angela Lansbury dying for people to realize the amazing Jerry Orbach played Lumiere in "Beauty and the Beast" (David Ogden Stiers was Cogsworth , and Lansbury was Mrs. Potts) pic.twitter.com/RgLNx0LJ6z

  — Kathy and Jim (@kmgjab1221) October 12, 2022

• @pinklemonade73

  People are just learning that the glorious Jerry Orbach was Lumiere and I'm so happy to see him get the love he deserves again by a new generation of people.

  — Lauren (@pinklemonade73) October 12, 2022

• @HeyMistyJ

  I am amazed at the number of people who not only didn't know Jerry Orbach was in "Beauty and The Beast", but didn't know he sang - and was on Broadway.
  
  Here's another one for ya: he was Baby's dad in "Dirty Dancing", y'all.
  
  Nobody puts Lumiere in a corner.

  — MJ 🍷 (@HeyMistyJ) October 12, 2022

Get The WDHA Setlist Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

The latest Rock news, intel on local events and concerts, plus exclusive contests, games, and more delivered right to your inbox.

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.