Elaine Stritch

Elaine Stritch, whose force-of-nature personality made her a Broadway fixture for decades, was born in Detroit on Feb. 2, 1925. Trained at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School for Social Research in New York, Stritch made a Broadway splash in such musicals as "Pal Joey," "On Your Toes" and "Show Boat," and delivered an award-winning turn in "Bus Stop" in 1955.

In 1970, Stritch starred in Stephen Sondheim's "Company," in which she memorably belted "Ladies Who Lunch," the tune that became her signature. In 1972, she moved to London for 10 years, where she was the toast of the West End stage as well as a familiar face on such BBC hits as Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected" and "Jackanory."

In 2002, she won every major New York theater award for her one-woman show "Elaine Stritch at Liberty." Her screen credits include Small Time Crooks and Monster-in-Law, while her guest appearances on "Law & Order" and "30 Rock" earned her Emmys.

Filmography