Tony Winner Carole Shelley Has Died

Tony winner Carole Shelley died on August 31 at the age of 79.

A veteran of 20 Broadway shows, the London-born Shelley made her Broadway debut in 1965 as Gwendolyn Pigeon in Neil Simon's The Odd Couple. She reprised her performance in the 1968 film version, and appeared in the same role during the comedy's run as a television sitcom.

Shelley's prolific Broadway career also included originating the roles of Mrs. Kendal in Bernard Pomerance's The Elephant Man, for which she received a Tony Award, Ruth in Alan Ayckbourn's The Norman Conquests, Madame Morrible in Wicked, and Grandma in Billy Elliott. She received a Tony nomination for her work in that musical, and also received nominations for her performances in Stepping Out and Absurd Person Singular. Her final Broadway appearance was as Miss Shingle in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder.

Onscreen, Shelley appeared as Aunt Clara in Bewitched, starring Nicole Kidman and Kristin Chenoweth, and lent her voice to the Disney animated features The Aristocrats, Robin Hood, and Hercules.