James McKenzie, 75; Longtime Head of ACT, Westport Playhouse

James B. McKenzie, 75, a former executive producer of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and the Westport Country Playhouse, in Westport, Conn., died Feb. 20 of cancer and pneumonia at a hospital in Norwalk, Conn.

Born in Appleton, Wis., McKenzie was educated at the University of Iowa and Columbia University. During World War II, he served as a radioman in the Navy.

He joined the Westport theater in 1959, and served as executive producer for 41 years. In 1969, he joined the ACT and was chief administrator there until 1985. For several of those years, he also served as board treasurer.