Elaine Stritch, Great Dame of Broadway

Actress Elaine Stritch c. 1956
Actress Elaine Stritch c. 1956NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
By TIME Staff
Actress Elaine Stritch c. 1956
Actress Elaine Stritch c. 1956NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Ed Sullivan talks with Elaine Stritch on TOAST OF THE TOWN on November 14, 1954.
Ed Sullivan talks with Elaine Stritch on TOAST OF THE TOWN on November 14, 1954. CBS/Getty Images
Elaine Stritch, Ray Bolger
Elaine Stritch, Ray BolgerNBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
THE PERFECT FURLOUGH, Troy Donahue, Les Tremayne, Linda Cristal, Keenan Wynn, Janet Leigh, Tony Curtis, Elaine Stritch, King Donovan in 1958.
THE PERFECT FURLOUGH, Troy Donahue, Les Tremayne, Linda Cristal, Keenan Wynn, Janet Leigh, Tony Curtis, Elaine Stritch, King Donovan in 1958.Everett Collection
Grover Dale and Elaine Stritch of the cast of Sail Away on November 27, 1961.
Grover Dale and Elaine Stritch of the cast of Sail Away on November 27, 1961.Bettmann/Corbis
Elaine Stritch on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Elaine Stritch on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.NBC/Getty Images
Elaine Stritch talks to patrons while serving drinks at Elaine's (no relation) where she works as a barmaid on August 12, 1964. Miss Stritch chose to spend the summer working in a bar even though she could have had her pick of summer theater tours.
Elaine Stritch talks to patrons while serving drinks at Elaine's (no relation) where she works as a barmaid on August 12, 1964. Miss Stritch chose to spend the summer working in a bar even though she could have had her pick of summer theater tours.Bettmann/Corbis
Elaine Stritch poses for a portrait at the Tunnel night club in the mid 1990s in New York City.
Elaine Stritch poses for a portrait at the Tunnel night club in the mid 1990s in New York City.Catherine McGann—Getty Images
Elaine Stritch performs at the Kennedy Center Honors on October 29, 1994.
Elaine Stritch performs at the Kennedy Center Honors on October 29, 1994. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
Elaine Stritch with her Emmy for "Outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program," for "Elaine Stritch: At Liberty," in the press room at the 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 19, 2004.
Elaine Stritch with her Emmy for "Outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program," for "Elaine Stritch: At Liberty," in the press room at the 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 19, 2004.Lucy Nicholson—Reuters/Corbis
Elaine Stritch performing in the New York Philharmonic Gala Evening at Avery Fisher Hall New York City on March 15, 2010.
Elaine Stritch performing in the New York Philharmonic Gala Evening at Avery Fisher Hall New York City on March 15, 2010.Walter McBride—Retna Ltd./Corbis
Bradley Dean, Katherine McNamara, Alexander Hanson, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, Kevin David Thomas, Karen Murphy, and Hunter Ryan Herdlicka in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Tony Award-winning masterpiece A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, directed by Tony Award-winner Trevor Nunn. Walter Kerr Theatre in New York City on July 13, 2010.
Bradley Dean, Katherine McNamara, Alexander Hanson, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, Kevin David Thomas, Karen Murphy, and Hunter Ryan Herdlicka in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Tony Award-winning masterpiece A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, directed by Tony Award-winner Trevor Nunn. Walter Kerr Theatre in New York City on July 13, 2010.Walter McBride—Retna Ltd./Corbis
Elaine Stritch performs during a White House music series concert saluting Broadway in the East Room at the White House in Washington on July 19, 2010.
Elaine Stritch performs during a White House music series concert saluting Broadway in the East Room at the White House in Washington on July 19, 2010. Kevin Dietsch—UPI/Corbis
George Grizzard as George Albright, Elaine Stritch as Martha Albright, Jane Curtin as Dr. Mary Albright and John Lithgow as Dr. Dick Solomon in 3rd Rock From The Sun.
George Grizzard as George Albright, Elaine Stritch as Martha Albright, Jane Curtin as Dr. Mary Albright and John Lithgow as Dr. Dick Solomon in 3rd Rock From The Sun.NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy and Elaine Stritch as Colleen Donaghy in 30 Rock.
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy and Elaine Stritch as Colleen Donaghy in 30 Rock.NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
USA: 'Elaine Stritch at the Carlyle: Movin' Over And Out' - Performance
Elaine Stritch performing 'Movin' Over And Out' her final engagement ever at the Cafe Carlyle in New York City on April 2, 2013.Walter McBride—Retna Ltd./Corbis

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