Marian Seldes, Tony Award-winning actress, dead at 86

NEW YORK, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The Broadway community is mourning the loss of the Tony Award-winning actress Marian Seldes, who died Monday at the age of 86.

The marquee lights of Broadway theaters will be dimmed in her memory Wednesday evening at exactly 7:45 p.m. for one minute.

"Marian Seldes' name is synonymous with theater. Her persona on the Broadway stage was as real as her genuine grace and kindness off stage," Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, said in a statement Tuesday. "Her lovely elegance and iconic talent will be deeply missed by her family, friends and fans."

Seldes enjoyed an acting career that spanned 60 years. She made her Broadway debut in 1947 in Medea, directed by John Gielgud and starring Judith Anderson in the title role. In 1967, she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in A Delicate Balance by Edward Albee. She entered the Guinness Book of World Records for her appearance in Ira Levin's Deathtrap, when she didn't miss a single performance of the play's run from 1978-82. Her last appearance on Broadway was in 2007 in Terrence McNally's Deuce.

She also authored two books: The Bright Lights, a memoir; and a novel, Time Together. She taught for many years at The Juilliard School and later as an adjunct professor at Fordham University.