Dorothy Loudon, 70, Broadway star

Ms. Loudon, who lived in New York, had been battling cancer, said her manager and longtime friend, Lionel Larner.

The three-time Tony nominee landed her most famous role as the result of a chance encounter with an old friend, director Mike Nichols, who had taken over as producer of the show. He offered her the role of Miss Hannigan, the nemesis of the show's orphaned star. She was an instant success, winning the Tony, a Drama Desk Award, and the Outer Critics' Circle Award.

She later said she initially didn't want the role. "There's an old saying -- `Never be in a show with kids, dogs, or an Irish tenor' -- and this show had all three," she once said.