Pigford dies at 80

Jimmy Pigford, who was director of the Meridian Little Theatre for 50 years, has died at the age of 80. MLT officials say Pigford had suffered a fall on Jan. 29 and died Feb. 4 at Rush Hospital from complications of surgery. Pigford had announced he would retire this year. He began his work in theater and film in 1955 in Hollywood. He returned to Mississippi in 1960 and became MLT’s director in 1965.