Dame Judi adds her Tony award to the Oscar she received earlier this year for best supporting actress in the film Shakespeare in Love. "The winning bit is not the best, the nominating bit is the best," she said.
"There is no such thing as doing a performance on your own, unless you are doing a one-woman show," she added.
The play - giving Dame Judi her first New York role in 40 years - broke Broadway records for advance box office sales. It had transferred to Broadway from London's West End.
Her rivals were Zoe Wanamaker for Electra, Stockard Channing for The Lion In Winter and Marian Seldes for Ring Around The Moon.
The Tony winners in 21 categories were chosen by more than 800 voters, including members of the theatrical profession and theatre journalists.
The Tonys are named after Antoinette Perry, founder of the American Theatre Wing - a theatre service organisation.
From a snail to 'M'
The 64-year-old star of stage and screen is one of Britain's most respected and prolific actresses.
Her versatility is evident from her successes in TV sitcoms and on the big-screen.
Dame Judi's acting career began at junior school where she landed her first lead role - playing a snail.
In 1996 she became the first person to win two Olivier awards in the same year - winning Best Actress for Absolute Hell and Best Actress in a Musical for A Little Night Music.
Dame Judi appeared with her husband, actor Michael Williams, in the TV comedy A Fine Romance.
She won a Golden Globe award for her portrayal of Queen Victoria in the film Mrs Brown. Other film appearances have included A Room With A View, Henry V and A Handful Of Dust.
But one of Dame Judi's highest profile big-screen roles is as the first female M, in the James Bond films Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies and forthcoming The World Is Not Enough.
thanks to Amanda for directing me to this article.