Marilyn Cooper

Marilyn Cooper was an American actress whose career centered on the Broadway stage. Born in New York City, she said her great aunt, the vaudeville star Belle Baker, inspired her. Cooper's first Broadway job came in 1956, when she joined the chorus of Mr. Wonderful, and in 1957 she played Rosalia in the original Broadway staging of West Side Story. She went on to create Agnes in Gypsy, then in 1962 graduated to a leading part in I Can Get It for You Wholesale, and she later appeared in Hallelujah, Baby!, Mame, Two by Two, a revival of On the Town and Ballroom. In 1981 she created Jan Donovan in Woman of the Year, winning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award. She also worked in television, on shows including Alice, Cheers, Law & Order and The Nanny, and sang on several original Broadway cast recordings. She died in 2009.