Phyllis Newman, Tony-Winning Broadway Legend, Dies at 86

Phyllis Newman, a Tony-winning actress who became equally known for raising millions of dollars for women struggling with health issues, died on September 15 at home in Manhattan, according to The New York Times. She was 86.

Newman made her Broadway debut in the cast of Wish You Were Here (1952), later standing by for Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringing (1956), a tuner penned by her future husband, Adolph Green, and his songwriting partner, Betty Comden. Soon after, Newman appeared in First Impressions (1959) and Moonbirds (1959).

A couple years later, Newman won acclaim and the Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for a standout turn as Martha Vail in Comden & Green's Subways Are for Sleeping (1961).

Later on in her career, Newman appeared on Broadway in Comden & Green's The Apple Tree (1966) and On the Town (1971), as well as The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1971), The Madwoman of Central Park West (1979) and Awake and Sing! (1984).

She made her final Broadway appearance as Blanche in Neil Simon's Broadway Bound (1986), a turn which earned her a Tony nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Play.

Newman was seen off-Broadway in I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road (1978), The Food Chain (1995), The Vagina Monologues (1999) and The Moment When (1999), the latter of which earned her a Drama Desk nomination as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play.

More than 30 years ago, when Newman was diagnosed with breast cancer, she founded the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative. The program of the Actors Fund went on to raise millions of dollars for women living with a variety of health challenges.

In 2009, Newman was honored with the Tonys' first Isabelle Stevenson Award for her humanitarian work as part of the initiative.

Newman and Green were married from 1960 until his death in 2002. She is survived by their children, lyricist/composer Amanda Green and theater critic Adam Green.