William Marchant; Playwright, Novelist, Screenwriter

William Marchant, 72, best known for his hit Broadway comedy “The Desk Set.” The 1955 play, starring Shirley Booth as a librarian threatened by an efficiency expert attempting to introduce computers, was made into a film in 1957 starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Marchant wrote frequently about his friendship with Noel Coward, including a memoir, “Noel Coward Remembered.” Marchant’s work included screenplays such as “Triple Cross,” two novels, “Firebird” and “Gondolier,” and other Broadway plays, including “To Be Continued,” featuring Grace Kelly in a minor role. A native of Allentown, Pa., Marchant attended Temple University and Yale’s School of Drama and served in the Army during World War II. On Nov. 5, but only announced by friends this week, in Paramus, N.J.