Julie Harris, an award winning American actress, died yesterday at the age of 87. The Michigan-born award winner died at her Chatham, Massachusetts home after suffering from congestive heart failure. Her death was announced by her life-long friend Francesca James to the New York Times

Julie HarrisJulie Harris photographed in 2008 at the The Actors Company Theatre 15th Anniversary Gala in New York. 

Harris was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan in 1925. She was best known for her stage work and her frequent appearances on Broadway. She won five Tony awards for her performances as Mary Todd Lincoln in The Last of Mrs Lincoln; Joan of Arc in The Lark; Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst and for her performance in Forty Carats. These awards were granted during the 1970s, when Harris was juggling both stage and screen roles. Her last award was in 2005 she was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Tony award. 

Her film debut was in 1952 in I Am A Camera. The film was based on John Isherwood's The Berlin Stories which would later become the musical Cabaret, a production Harris would also star in as Sally Bowles. Her film credits include East of Eden, in which she starred opposite James Dean; The Member of the Wedding in an Oscar-nominated role; Gorillas in the Mist and Requiem for a Heavyweight

Harris continued working on stage until 2001, when she suffered a stroke. Admirably, despite having difficulty speaking at times, Harris continued to perform on screen. She played a stroke victim in 2006's The Way Back Home

Harris is survived by her son Peter. Contactmusic send their condolences to Julie Harris' family, friends and former colleagues. 

Julie Harris
Julie Harris in 2008 at the The Actors Company Theatre in New York.