Actress Myra Carter, winner of the 1994 Drama Desk, Obie, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards for her acclaimed performance in Edward Albee's Three Tall Women, passed away Jan. 9 at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. A long-time resident of New York City’s West Village, Ms. Carter was 86 years old.

Born in Chicago in 1929, Ms. Carter was raised in Greenock, Scotland, was a member of the Royal Air Force, and made her professional stage debut in Glasgow at the age of 18. After a number of years performing in repertory theatre in England, Ms. Carter moved to the United States in the mid '50s. Her first Broadway experience was as the understudy for Marian Seldes in 1955's The Chalk Garden; years later, Ms. Carter and Ms. Seldes would share the stage in the aforementioned Three Tall Women.

Her other Broadway credits included Major Barbara, Maybe Tuesday, Georgy and Garden District (which includes the plays Suddenly Last Summer and Something Unspoken).

In a wide-ranging career that spanned film, television and theatre, Ms. Carter was best known for her stage work, especially with Edward Albee. In addition to originating the lead role in Albee's Three Tall Women, she appeared in a number of other Albee productions, including the premiere of All Over and revivals of A Delicate Balance and The Lady from Dubuque.

Ms. Carter's additional Off-Broadway and regional stage credits included critically acclaimed appearances at McCarter Theatre Center, Vineyard Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Seattle Repertory and many more. Her television and film credits include Boris Karloff's "Thriller," "Love Letter," "8mm," "Frasier" and "The Nanny."

The actress described herself in a 1994 New York Times interview as "a good old-fashioned bohemian who has always wanted to be free."

Ms. Carter is survived by her nieces Jan Brothers and Tracy Schneider; her great-nieces Aeriel Wilner, Amy Schneider, Abby Schneider and Alex Schneider; and her great-nephew Andre Brothers, all of Missouri.