Theater News

Playwright and Author Ira Levin Dies at 78

Ira Levin
Ira Levin

Ira Levin, who received a Tony Award nomination for writing the long-running mystery play Deathtrap, died of a heart attack on Monday, November 12 at the age of 78.

Levin first gained fame as a novelist, with the 1953 thriller A Kiss Before Dying. He would go on to write a slew of best sellers including Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, The Boys from Brazil, and Sliver, all of which became successful films. Deathtrap, which ran on Broadway from 1978 to 1982, was filmed in 1982 by Sidney Lumet, with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve in the leads.

Levin actually wrote eight Broadway plays, including the popular 1955 comedy No Time for Sergeants, along with such lesser-known vehicles as Critic’s Choice, General Seeger, and Doctor Cook’s Garden. His last Broadway outing, Break a Leg, closed on its opening night, April 29, 1979. In addition, Levin wrote the book and lyrics for the now-cult music Drat! The Cat starring Elliot Gould.

He is survived by his three sons, Jared, Adam, and Nicholas, and three grandsons.