Carlin Glynn Dies: Tony Winner For ‘The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas’ And Mother Of Mary Stuart Masterson Was 83

Carlin Glynn, the Tony-winning star of Broadway hit The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, died July 13 from complications of dementia and cancer. She was 83 and her death was confirmed by her daughter, actress Mary Stuart Masterson.

Masterson posted on Instagram about her mother.

“She was the most graceful clumsy person you would ever meet. Strong, smart, silly, intuitive, kind, generous, passionate, and a deep listener. She was devoted to my father and to the enormous circle of students and collaborators who were considered her chosen family.”

Born on February 19, 1940 in Cleveland, Glynn was raised in Houston. She moved to New York to study at The Actors Studio under Stella Adler and Wynn Handman before moving back to Houston, where she met local actor Peter Masterson while working with him.

They married and relocated to New York City so that Masterson could continue his acting career. Glynn left the business to raise the couple’s children.

By the mid-1970s, Peter Masterson morphed from acting to directing and producing. Inspired by an article, he began writing the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas in collaboration with the article’s writer and Texan songwriter Carol Hall.

Glynn was lured from retirement to play Miss Mona Stangley, the madame of the musical’s “Chicken Ranch.” By the time Best Little Whorehouse premiered at Off-Broadway’s Entermedia Theatre in 1978, Glynn’s high school friend Tommy Tune was co-choreographing and co-directing with Masterson. It moved to Broadway shortly after.

The production nabbed seven Tony nominations and two wins at the 1979 honors. One of those wins was for Glynn, taking Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for her work. she reprised her performance in the musical’s 1982 Broadway revival. Dolly Parton played Stangley in the 1982 movie adaptation opposite Burt Reynolds.

The Whorehouse success came shortly after Glynn returned to other acting with a role as Mae Barber in Three Days of the Condor in 1975. She also made appearances in Sixteen Candles and The Trip to Bountiful (directed by Peter Masterson).

Glynn was pre-deceased by Peter Masterson in 2018. She is survived by children Mary Stuart Masterson, Alexandra Masterson, and Peter Masterson, Jr. No memorial plans have been detailed.

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