Playwright Larry L. King Passes Away at 83

According to published reports, playwright Larry L. King passed away yesterday in his Washington retirement home after a long battle with emphysema. He was 83 years old.

King wrote the book to The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre on June 19, 1978 and ran for 1,584 performances.

The production was directed by Peter Masterson and Tommy Tune and choreographed by Tune and Thommie Walsh. The opening cast included Carlin Glynn, Henderson Forsythe, Joan Ellis, Delores Hall, and Pamela Blair. Glynn was replaced by Fannie Flagg and Anita Morris later in the run. Alexis Smith starred as Miss Mona in the National Company, which toured major cities for more than a year, ending with a seven-month run in Los Angeles.