Tony-Winning Actress Dead at 86
Janie Sell, a beloved Broadway actress who is best known for her role opposite The Andrews Sisters in the show Over Here!, has died at the age of 86.
Her friend, actor James Dybas, shared the news in an emotional Facebook post.
"It is with deep sadness that I let you know that our beloved JANIE SELL left the planet today (Tuesday June 9, 2026 at 6:30 p.m). Her family was with her at the Englewood Hospital when she peacefully made her transition. She'll always be in our hearts. May she rest in peace," Dybas wrote.
Sell won a Tony Award for her work in Over Here! in 1974. The show follows "two sisters who entertain by singing at the Stage Door Canteen during World War II, find a third singer, which allows them to form a trio. However, the third singer turns out to be a Nazi spy," according to the synopsis on Playbill.com.
In his 1974 review of the show, Clive Barnes wrote about Sell's performance in the New York Times, saying that she is "quite a knockout in her own right, and she blends very well with the Andrews Sisters, both physically and vocally."
She also appeared in 1968-69's George M! with Joel Gret, 1973-74's revival of Irene opposite Debbie Reynolds, 1978-79's I Love My Wife with The Smothers Brothers, 1976's revival of Pal Joey with Eleanor Parker, and 1977's Happy End with Christopher Lloyd.
Following her successful acting career, Sell decided to attend Hunter College and pivoted her focus to the business world. She worked as a personal assistant at Young & Rubicam Worldwide. However, the stage came calling once again, and she returned to Broadway in 1995 to serve as a standby for Carol Burnett in Moon Over Buffalo.
She is survived by her son, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 11:02 AM.