Janie Sell, a Tony Award winner, has died following a brief illness, according to published reports. She was 86.
Sell was born on October 1, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan. She made her Broadway debut in 1968, playing a supporting role in George M!, the George M. Cohan biomusical starring Joel Grey and Bernadette Peters. In 1973, she understudied the titular role in a revival of Irene. Sell won a Tony Award in 1974 for her performance as Mitzi in Over Here!
Following her Tony win, Sell was seen in the musicals Pal Joey, I Love My Wife and Happy End. Her final Broadway credit was standing by for the roles of Ethel and Charlotte Hay in Moon Over Buffalo in 1995. Following her career on stage, Sell enrolled at Hunter College and graduated with honors and a degree in psychology. She then transitioned to working as a receptionist, and later as a personal assistant, at Young & Rubicam Worldwide. Sell is survived by her son, Jason Fries.