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Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, including the novella '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'' (1958) and the true crime novel ''
In Cold Blood ''In Cold Blood'' is a non-fiction novel by American author Truman Capote, first published in 1966. It details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas. Capote learned of the qua ...
'' (1966), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." His works have been adapted into more than 20 films and television dramas. Capote rose above a childhood troubled by divorce, a long absence from his mother, and multiple migrations. He had discovered his calling as a writer by the time he was eight years old, and he honed his writing ability throughout his childhood. He began his professional career writing short stories. The critical success of "
Miriam Miriam ( he, מִרְיָם ''Mīryām'', lit. 'Rebellion') is described in the Hebrew Bible as the daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She was a prophetess and first appears in the Book of Exodus. The Tor ...
" (1945) attracted the attention of
Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
publisher
Bennett Cerf Bennett Alfred Cerf (May 25, 1898 – August 27, 1971) was an American writer, publisher, and co-founder of the American publishing firm Random House. Cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearanc ...
and resulted in a contract to write the novel '' Other Voices, Other Rooms'' (1948). Capote earned the most fame with ''
In Cold Blood ''In Cold Blood'' is a non-fiction novel by American author Truman Capote, first published in 1966. It details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas. Capote learned of the qua ...
'' (1966), a journalistic work about the murder of a Kansas farm family in their home. Capote spent six years writing the book, aided by his lifelong friend
Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926February 19, 2016) was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird''. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. Lee has received numero ...
, who wrote ''
To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and was instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' has become ...
'' (1960).Barra, Allen
"Screenings: The Triumph of Capote," ''American Heritage'', June/July 2006.


Early life

He was born in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
, Louisiana, to Lillie Mae Faulk (1905–1954) and salesman Archulus Persons (1897–1981). His parents divorced when he was two, and he was sent to
Monroeville, Alabama Monroeville is the county seat of Monroe County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census its population was 5,951. Monroeville is known as the hometown of two prominent writers of the post-World War II period, Truman Capote and Harper Lee, w ...
, where, for the following four to five years, he was raised by his mother's relatives. He formed a fast bond with his mother's distant relative, Nanny Rumbley Faulk, whom Truman called "Sook". "Her face is remarkable – not unlike Lincoln's, craggy like that, and tinted by sun and wind", is how Capote described Sook in "
A Christmas Memory ''"A Christmas Memory"'' is a short story by Truman Capote. Originally published in '' Mademoiselle'' magazine in December 1956, it was reprinted in ''The Selected Writings of Truman Capote'' in 1963. It was issued in a stand-alone hardcover edit ...
" (1956). In Monroeville, Capote was a neighbor and friend of
Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926February 19, 2016) was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird''. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. Lee has received numero ...
, who would also go on to become an acclaimed author and a lifelong friend of Capote's. Lee's ''
To Kill A Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and was instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' has become ...
'' likely models
Dill Dill (''Anethum graveolens'') is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is the only species in the genus ''Anethum''. Dill is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring food. Growth ...
's characterization after Capote. As a lonely child, Capote taught himself to read and write before he entered his first year of school. Capote was often seen at age five carrying his dictionary and notepad, and began writing fiction at age 11. He was given the nickname "Bulldog" around this age. On Saturdays, he made trips from Monroeville to the nearby city of
Mobile Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ( ...
on the
Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...
, and at one point submitted a short story, "Old Mrs. Busybody", to a children's writing contest sponsored by the '' Mobile Press Register''. Capote received recognition for his early work from
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers is a nonprofit organization which manages the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a competition which recognizes talented young artists and writers from across the United States. Scholastic Art & Writin ...
in 1936. In 1932, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her second husband, José García Capote, a bookkeeper from
Union de Reyes, Cuba Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''U ...
, who adopted him as his son and renamed him Truman García Capote. Shortly afterward, José was convicted of
embezzlement Embezzlement is a crime that consists of withholding assets for the purpose of conversion of such assets, by one or more persons to whom the assets were entrusted, either to be held or to be used for specific purposes. Embezzlement is a type ...
, after which the family was forced to leave its home on
Park Avenue Park Avenue is a wide New York City boulevard which carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenu ...
. Of his early days, Capote related, "I was writing really sort of serious when I was about 11. I say seriously in the sense that like other kids go home and practice the violin or the piano or whatever, I used to go home from school every day, and I would write for about three hours. I was obsessed by it." In 1932, he attended the Trinity School in New York City. He then attended St. Joseph Military Academy. In 1939, the Capote family moved to
Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich (, ) is a New England town, town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the town had a total population of 63,518. The largest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast (Conne ...
, and Truman attended
Greenwich High School Greenwich High School is a four-year public high school in Greenwich, Connecticut, United States. The school is part of the Greenwich Public Schools system and serves roughly 2,700 students. It offers over 295 courses and a wide variety of co-cu ...
, where he wrote for both the school's literary journal, ''The Green Witch'', and the school newspaper. When they returned to New York City in 1941, he attended the Franklin School, an
Upper West Side The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper West ...
private school now known as the Dwight School, and graduated in 1942. That was the end of his formal education. While still attending Franklin in 1942, Capote began working as a copyboy in the art department at ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', a job he held for two years before being fired for angering poet
Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloq ...
. Years later, he reflected, "Not a very grand job, for all it really involved was sorting cartoons and clipping newspapers. Still, I was fortunate to have it, especially since I was determined never to set a studious foot inside a college classroom. I felt that either one was or wasn't a writer, and no combination of professors could influence the outcome. I still think I was correct, at least in my own case." He left his job to live with relatives in Alabama and began writing his first novel, ''
Summer Crossing ''Summer Crossing'' is the first novel written by American author Truman Capote. He started the novel in about 1943 and worked on it intermittently for several years before putting it aside. For over 50 years ''Summer Crossing'' was thought to be ...
''. He was called for
induction Induction, Inducible or Inductive may refer to: Biology and medicine * Labor induction (birth/pregnancy) * Induction chemotherapy, in medicine * Induced stem cells, stem cells derived from somatic, reproductive, pluripotent or other cell t ...
into the armed services during World War II, but he later told a friend that he was "turned down for everything, including the WACS." He later explained that he was found to be "too neurotic."


Friendship with Harper Lee

Capote based the character of Idabel in ''Other Voices, Other Rooms'' on his
Monroeville, Alabama Monroeville is the county seat of Monroe County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census its population was 5,951. Monroeville is known as the hometown of two prominent writers of the post-World War II period, Truman Capote and Harper Lee, w ...
, neighbor and best friend,
Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926February 19, 2016) was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird''. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. Lee has received numero ...
. Capote once acknowledged this: "Mr. and Mrs. Lee, Harper Lee's mother and father, lived very near. She was my best friend. Did you ever read her book, ''To Kill a Mockingbird''? I'm a character in that book, which takes place in the same small town in Alabama where we lived. Her father was a lawyer, and she and I used to go to trials all the time as children. We went to the trials instead of going to the movies." After Lee was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
in 1961 and Capote published ''
In Cold Blood ''In Cold Blood'' is a non-fiction novel by American author Truman Capote, first published in 1966. It details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas. Capote learned of the qua ...
'' in 1966, the authors became increasingly distant from each other.


Writing career


Short story phase

Capote began writing short stories from around the age of 8. In 2013, the Swiss publisher Peter Haag discovered 14 unpublished stories, written when Capote was a teenager, in the
New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
Archives. Random House published these in 2015, under the title ''The Early Stories of Truman Capote''. Between 1943 and 1946, Capote wrote a continual flow of short fiction, including "Miriam", "My Side of the Matter", and "Shut a Final Door" (for which he won the
O. Henry Award The O. Henry Award is an annual American award given to short stories of exceptional merit. The award is named after the American short-story writer O. Henry. The ''PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories'' is an annual collection of the year's twenty best ...
in 1948, at the age of 24). His stories were published in both literary quarterlies and well-known popular magazines, including ''
The Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'', ''
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...
'', ''
Harper's Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. (''Scientific American'' is older, b ...
'', '' Mademoiselle'', ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', ''
Prairie Schooner ''Prairie Schooner'' is a literary magazine published quarterly at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with the cooperation of UNL's English Department and the University of Nebraska Press. It is based in Lincoln, Nebraska and was first publish ...
'', and ''
Story Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Story, a narrative (an account of imaginary or real people and events) ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting * Story (American English), or storey (British ...
''. In June 1945, "Miriam" was published by '' Mademoiselle'' and went on to win a prize, Best First-Published Story, in 1946. In the spring of 1946, Capote was accepted at
Yaddo Yaddo is an artists' community located on a estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment.". On March  ...
, the artists and writers colony at
Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...
. (He later endorsed
Patricia Highsmith Patricia Highsmith (January 19, 1921 – February 4, 1995) was an American novelist and short story writer widely known for her psychological thrillers, including her series of five novels featuring the character Tom Ripley. She wrote 22 novel ...
as a Yaddo candidate, and she wrote '' Strangers on a Train'' while she was there.) During an interview for ''
The Paris Review ''The Paris Review'' is a quarterly English-language literary magazine established in Paris in 1953 by Harold L. Humes, Peter Matthiessen, and George Plimpton. In its first five years, ''The Paris Review'' published works by Jack Kerouac, Philip ...
'' in 1957, Capote said this of his short story technique: Random House, the publisher of his novel ''Other Voices, Other Rooms'' (see below), moved to capitalize on this novel's success with the publication of ''A Tree of Night and Other Stories'' in 1949. In addition to "Miriam", this collection also includes "Shut a Final Door", first published in ''
The Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' (August 1947). After ''A Tree of Night'', Capote published a collection of his travel writings, '' Local Color'' (1950), which included nine essays originally published in magazines between 1946 and 1950. "
A Christmas Memory ''"A Christmas Memory"'' is a short story by Truman Capote. Originally published in '' Mademoiselle'' magazine in December 1956, it was reprinted in ''The Selected Writings of Truman Capote'' in 1963. It was issued in a stand-alone hardcover edit ...
", a largely autobiographical story taking place in the 1930s, was published in '' Mademoiselle'' magazine in 1956. It was issued as a hard-cover stand alone edition in 1966 and has since been published in many editions and anthologies.


Posthumously published early novel

Some time in the 1940s, Capote wrote a novel set in New York City about the summer romance of a socialite and a parking lot attendant. Capote later claimed to have destroyed the manuscript of this novel; but 20 years after his death, in 2004, it came to light that the manuscript had been retrieved from the trash back in 1950 by a house sitter at an apartment formerly occupied by Capote. The novel was published in 2006 by
Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
under the title ''
Summer Crossing ''Summer Crossing'' is the first novel written by American author Truman Capote. He started the novel in about 1943 and worked on it intermittently for several years before putting it aside. For over 50 years ''Summer Crossing'' was thought to be ...
''. As of 2013, the film rights to ''Summer Crossing'' had been purchased by actress
Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019, she has featured multiple times on the ''Forbes'' Celebrity 100 list. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 100 ...
, who reportedly planned to direct the adaptation.


First novel, ''Other Voices, Other Rooms''

The critical success of one of his short stories, "Miriam" (1945), attracted the attention of the publisher
Bennett Cerf Bennett Alfred Cerf (May 25, 1898 – August 27, 1971) was an American writer, publisher, and co-founder of the American publishing firm Random House. Cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearanc ...
, resulting in a contract with Random House to write a novel. With an advance of $1,500, Capote returned to Monroeville and began '' Other Voices, Other Rooms'', continuing to work on the manuscript in New Orleans,
Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...
, and
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, eventually completing it in
Nantucket Nantucket () is an island about south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a combined county/town government that is part of the U.S. state of Massachuse ...
, Massachusetts. It was published in 1948. Capote described this symbolic tale as "a poetic explosion in highly suppressed emotion". The novel is a semi-autobiographical refraction of Capote's
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
childhood. Decades later, writing in ''The Dogs Bark'' (1973), he commented: :''Other Voices, Other Rooms'' was an attempt to exorcise demons, an unconscious, altogether intuitive attempt, for I was not aware, except for a few incidents and descriptions, of its being in any serious degree autobiographical. Rereading it now, I find such self-deception unpardonable. The story focuses on 13-year-old Joel Knox following the loss of his mother. Joel is sent from
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
to live with his father, who abandoned him at the time of his birth. Arriving at Skully's Landing, a vast, decaying mansion in rural Alabama, Joel meets his sullen stepmother Amy, debauched
transvestite Transvestism is the practice of dressing in a manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex. In some cultures, transvestism is practiced for religious, traditional, or ceremonial reasons. The term is considered outdated in Western c ...
Randolph, and defiant Idabel, a girl who becomes his friend. He also sees a spectral "queer lady" with "fat dribbling curls" watching him from a top window. Despite Joel's queries, the whereabouts of his father remain a mystery. When he finally is allowed to see his father, Joel is stunned to find he is a quadriplegic, having tumbled down a flight of stairs after being inadvertently shot by Randolph. Joel runs away with Idabel but catches pneumonia and eventually returns to the Landing, where he is nursed back to health by Randolph. The implication in the final paragraph is that the "queer lady" beckoning from the window is Randolph in his old
Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...
costume. Gerald Clarke, in ''Capote: A Biography'' (1988) described the conclusion: :Finally, when he goes to join the queer lady in the window, Joel accepts his destiny, which is to be homosexual, to always hear other voices and live in other rooms. Yet acceptance is not a surrender; it is a liberation. "I am me", he whoops. "I am Joel, we are the same people." So, in a sense, had Truman rejoiced when he made peace with his own identity.


Harold Halma photograph

''Other Voices, Other Rooms'' made ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' bestseller list and stayed there for nine weeks, selling more than 26,000 copies. The promotion and controversy surrounding this novel catapulted Capote to fame. A 1947 Harold Halma photograph used to promote the book showed a reclining Capote gazing fiercely into the camera. Gerald Clarke, in ''Capote: A Biography'' (1988), wrote, "The famous photograph: Harold Halma's picture on the dustjacket of ''Other Voices, Other Rooms'' (1948) caused as much comment and controversy as the prose inside. Truman claimed that the camera had caught him off guard, but in fact he had posed himself and was responsible for both the picture and the publicity." Much of the early attention to Capote centered on different interpretations of this photograph, which was viewed as a suggestive pose by some. According to Clarke, the photo created an "uproar" and gave Capote "not only the literary, but also the public personality he had always wanted". The photo made a huge impression on the 20-year-old
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
, who often talked about the picture and wrote fan letters to Capote. When Warhol moved to New York in 1949, he made numerous attempts to meet Capote, and Warhol's fascination with the author led to Warhol's first New York one-man show, ''Fifteen Drawings Based on the Writings of Truman Capote'' at the Hugo Gallery (June 16 – July 3, 1952). When the picture was reprinted along with reviews in magazines and newspapers, some readers were amused, but others were outraged and offended. The ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' reported that Capote looked "as if he were dreamily contemplating some outrage against conventional morality". The novelist
Merle Miller Merle Dale Miller (May 17, 1919 – June 10, 1986) was an American writer, novelist, and author who is perhaps best remembered for his best-selling biography of Harry S. Truman, and as a pioneer in the gay rights movement. Miller came out ...
issued a complaint about the picture at a publishing forum, and the photo of "Truman Remote" was satirized in the third issue of '' Mad'' (making Capote one of the first four celebrities to be spoofed in ''Mad''). The humorist
Max Shulman Maximilian Shulman (March 14, 1919 – August 28, 1988) was an American writer and humorist best known for his television and short story character Dobie Gillis, as well as for best-selling novels. Biography Early life and career Shulman was b ...
struck an identical pose for the dustjacket photo on his collection, ''Max Shulman's Large Economy Size'' (1948). The Broadway stage revue ''
New Faces ''New Faces'' is a British television talent show that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been hosted by Leslie Crowther, Derek Hobson and Marti Caine. It was produced for the ITV network by ATV, and later by Central. Original series: 1973 ...
'' (and the subsequent film version) featured a skit in which
Ronny Graham Ronny Graham (August 26, 1919 – July 4, 1999) was an American actor and theater director, composer, lyricist, and writer. Life and career Graham was born Ronald Montcrief Stringer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the second of five children born ...
parodied Capote, deliberately copying his pose in the Halma photo. Random House featured the Halma photo in its "This is Truman Capote" ads, and large blowups were displayed in bookstore windows. Walking on Fifth Avenue, Halma overheard two middle-aged women looking at a Capote blowup in the window of a bookstore. When one woman said, "I'm telling you: he's just young", the other woman responded, "And I'm telling you, if he isn't young, he's dangerous!" Capote delighted in retelling this anecdote.


Stage, screen, and magazine work

In the early 1950s, Capote took on Broadway and films, adapting his 1951 novella, ''
The Grass Harp ''The Grass Harp'' is a novel by Truman Capote published on October 1, 1951Clarke, Gerald. ''Capote: A Biography'' (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1988), page 224. It tells the story of an orphaned boy and two elderly ladies who observe life from a ...
'', into a 1952 play of the same name (later a 1971 musical and a 1995 film), followed by the musical '' House of Flowers'' (1954), which spawned the song "
A Sleepin' Bee "A Sleepin' Bee" is a popular song composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Arlen and Truman Capote. It was introduced in the musical '' House of Flowers'' (1954) and performed by Diahann Carroll. While ''House of Flowers'' was a flop, "A Sleepin' ...
". Capote co-wrote with
John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...
the screenplay for Huston's film '' Beat the Devil'' (1953). Traveling through the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
with a touring production of ''
Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', itse ...
'', he produced a series of articles for ''The New Yorker'' that became his first book-length work of nonfiction, '' The Muses Are Heard'' (1956). In this period he also wrote an autobiographical essay for ''Holiday Magazine''—one of his personal favorites—about his life in Brooklyn Heights in the late 1950s, entitled '' Brooklyn Heights: A Personal Memoir'' (1959). In November 2015, The Little Bookroom issued a new coffee-table edition of that work, which includes David Attie's previously-unpublished portraits of Capote as well as Attie's
street photography Street photography (also sometimes called candid photography) is photography conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places. Although there is a difference between street and ca ...
taken in connection with the essay, entitled ''Brooklyn: A Personal Memoir, With The Lost Photographs of David Attie''. This edition was well-reviewed in America and overseas, and was also a finalist for a 2016 Indie Book Award.


''Breakfast at Tiffany's''

'' Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories'' (1958) brought together the title novella and three shorter tales: " House of Flowers", "
A Diamond Guitar "A Diamond Guitar" is a short story by Truman Capote, first published in ''Harper's Bazaar'' in 1950; it is noted as one of his better quality early short stories. The title refers to the prize possession of the younger man, a rhinestone-studded g ...
" and "
A Christmas Memory ''"A Christmas Memory"'' is a short story by Truman Capote. Originally published in '' Mademoiselle'' magazine in December 1956, it was reprinted in ''The Selected Writings of Truman Capote'' in 1963. It was issued in a stand-alone hardcover edit ...
". The heroine of ''Breakfast at Tiffany's'', Holly Golightly, became one of Capote's best known creations, and the book's prose style prompted
Norman Mailer Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, activist, filmmaker and actor. In a career spanning over six decades, Mailer ...
to call Capote "the most perfect writer of my generation". The novella itself was originally supposed to be published in '' Harper's Bazaar's'' July 1958 issue, several months before its publication in book form by Random House. The publisher of Harper's Bazaar, the Hearst Corporation, began demanding changes to Capote's tart language, which he reluctantly made because he had liked the photos by David Attie and the design work by Harper's art director
Alexey Brodovitch Alexey Vyacheslavovich Brodovitch (also Brodovich; be, Аляксей Брадовіч, russian: Алексе́й Вячесла́вович Бродо́вич; 1898 – April 15, 1971) was a Russian-born American photographer, designer ...
that were to accompany the text. But despite his compliance, Hearst ordered Harper's not to run the novella anyway. Its language and subject matter were still deemed "not suitable", and there was concern that Tiffany's, a major advertiser, would react negatively. An outraged Capote resold the novella to ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' for its November 1958 issue; by his own account, he told ''Esquire'' he would only be interested in doing so if Attie's original series of photos was included, but to his disappointment, the magazine ran just a single full-page image of Attie's (another was later used as the cover of at least one paperback edition of the novella). The novella was published by Random House shortly afterwards. For Capote, ''Breakfast at Tiffany's'' was a turning point, as he explained to Roy Newquist (''Counterpoint'', 1964):


''In Cold Blood''

The "new book", ''
In Cold Blood ''In Cold Blood'' is a non-fiction novel by American author Truman Capote, first published in 1966. It details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas. Capote learned of the qua ...
: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences'' (1965), was inspired by a 300-word article that ran in the November 16, 1959, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. The story described the unexplained murder of the Clutter family in rural
Holcomb, Kansas Holcomb is a city in Finney County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,245. History Holcomb took its name from a local hog farmer. The city was a station and shipping point on the Atchison, Topeka ...
, and quoted the local sheriff as saying, "This is apparently the case of a psychopathic killer." Fascinated by this brief news item, Capote traveled with Harper Lee to Holcomb and visited the scene of the massacre. Over the course of the next few years, he became acquainted with everyone involved in the investigation and most of the residents of the small town and the area. Rather than taking notes during interviews, Capote committed conversations to memory and immediately wrote quotes as soon as an interview ended. He claimed his memory retention for verbatim conversations had been tested at "over 90%". Lee made inroads into the community by befriending the wives of those Capote wanted to interview. Capote recalled his years in Kansas when he spoke at the 1974
San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...
: ''In Cold Blood'' was published in 1966 by Random House after having been serialized in ''The New Yorker''. The "nonfiction novel", as Capote labeled it, brought him literary acclaim and became an international bestseller, but Capote would never complete another novel after it. A feud between Capote and British arts critic
Kenneth Tynan Kenneth Peacock Tynan (2 April 1927 – 26 July 1980) was an English theatre critic and writer. Making his initial impact as a critic at ''The Observer'', he praised Osborne's ''Look Back in Anger'' (1956), and encouraged the emerging wave of ...
erupted in the pages of ''The Observer'' after Tynan's review of ''In Cold Blood'' implied that Capote wanted an execution so the book would have an effective ending. Tynan wrote:


Veracity of ''In Cold Blood'' and other nonfiction

''In Cold Blood'' brought Capote much praise from the literary community, but there were some who questioned certain events as reported in the book. Writing in ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' in 1966, Phillip K. Tompkins noted factual discrepancies after he traveled to Kansas and spoke to some of the same people interviewed by Capote. In a telephone interview with Tompkins, Mrs. Meier denied that she heard
Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...
cry and that she held his hand as described by Capote. ''In Cold Blood'' indicates that Meier and Perry became close, yet she told Tompkins she spent little time with Perry and did not talk much with him. Tompkins concluded:
Capote has, in short, achieved a work of art. He has told exceedingly well a tale of high terror in his own way. But, despite the brilliance of his self-publicizing efforts, he has made both a tactical and a moral error that will hurt him in the short run. By insisting that "every word" of his book is true he has made himself vulnerable to those readers who are prepared to examine seriously such a sweeping claim.
True crime writer
Jack Olsen Jack Olsen (June 7, 1925 – July 16, 2002) was an American journalist and author known for his crime reporting. Olsen was senior editor-in-chief for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' in 1954. He was Midwest bureau chief for ''Time'' and a senior ...
also commented on the fabrications:
Alvin Dewey Alvin Adams Dewey (September 10, 1912 – November 6, 1987) was a special agent of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Early life Dewey was born in Murdock, Kansas, on September 10, 1912, to Alvin Adams Dewey Sr (6 September 1879 – 26 January ...
, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation detective portrayed in ''In Cold Blood'', later said that the last scene, in which he visits the Clutters' graves, was Capote's invention, while other Kansas residents whom Capote interviewed have claimed they or their relatives were mischaracterized or misquoted. Dewey and his wife Marie became friends of Capote during the time Capote spent in Kansas gathering research for his book. Dewey gave Capote access to the case files and other items related to the investigation and to the members of the Clutter family, including Nancy Clutter's diary. When the film version of the book was made in 1967, Capote arranged for Marie Dewey to receive $10,000 from
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
as a paid consultant to the making of the film. Another work described by Capote as "nonfiction" was later reported to have been largely fabricated. In a 1992 piece in the ''
Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
'', reporters Peter and Leni Gillman investigated the source of "Handcarved Coffins", the story in Capote's last work ''
Music for Chameleons ''Music for Chameleons'' (1980) is a collection of short fiction and non-fiction by the American author Truman Capote. Capote's first collection of new material in fourteen years, ''Music for Chameleons'' spent sixteen weeks on the ''New York T ...
'' subtitled "a nonfiction account of an American crime". They found no reported series of American murders in the same town which included all of the details Capote described – the sending of miniature coffins, a rattlesnake murder, a decapitation, etc. Instead, they found that a few of the details closely mirrored an unsolved case on which investigator Al Dewey had worked. Their conclusion was that Capote had invented the rest of the story, including his meetings with the suspected killer, Quinn.


Celebrity

Capote was openly
gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
. One of his first serious lovers was
Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...
literature professor
Newton Arvin Fredrick Newton Arvin (August 25, 1900 – March 21, 1963) was an American literary critic and academic. He achieved national recognition for his studies of individual nineteenth-century American authors. After teaching at Smith College in N ...
, who won the
National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The Nat ...
for his
Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American people, American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his bes ...
biography in 1951 and to whom Capote dedicated ''Other Voices, Other Rooms''. However, Capote spent the majority of his life until his death partnered to Jack Dunphy, a fellow writer. In his book, ''"Dear Genius ..." A Memoir of My Life with Truman Capote,'' Dunphy attempts both to explain the Capote he knew and loved within their relationship and the very success-driven and, eventually, drug- and alcohol-addicted person who existed outside of their relationship. It provides perhaps the most in-depth and intimate look at Capote's life, outside of his own works. Although Capote's and Dunphy's relationship lasted the majority of Capote's life, it seems that they both lived, at times, different lives. Their sometimes separate living quarters allowed autonomy within the relationship and, as Dunphy admitted, "spared imthe anguish of watching Capote drink and take drugs". Capote was well known for his distinctive, high-pitched voice and odd vocal mannerisms, his offbeat manner of dress, and his fabrications. He often claimed to know intimately people whom he had in fact never met, such as
Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragedy, ...
. He professed to have had numerous liaisons with men thought to be
heterosexual Heterosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior between people of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to ...
, including, he claimed,
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...
. He traveled in an eclectic array of social circles, hobnobbing with authors, critics, business tycoons,
philanthropists Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
, Hollywood and theatrical celebrities, royalty, and members of
high society High society, sometimes simply society, is the behavior and lifestyle of people with the highest levels of wealth and social status. It includes their related affiliations, social events and practices. Upscale social clubs were open to men based ...
, both in the U.S. and abroad. Part of his public persona was a longstanding rivalry with writer
Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...
. Their rivalry prompted
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...
to complain: "You would think they were running neck-and-neck for some fabulous gold prize." Apart from his favorite authors (
Willa Cather Willa Sibert Cather (; born Wilella Sibert Cather; December 7, 1873 – April 24, 1947) was an American writer known for her novels of life on the Great Plains, including ''O Pioneers!'', '' The Song of the Lark'', and ''My Ántonia''. In 1923, ...
,
Isak Dinesen Baroness Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke (born Dinesen; 17 April 1885 – 7 September 1962) was a Danish author who wrote works in Danish and English. She is also known under her pen names Isak Dinesen, used in English-speaking countrie ...
, and
Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who wrote the monumental novel ''In Search of Lost Time'' (''À la recherche du temps perdu''; with the previous Eng ...
), Capote had faint praise for other writers. However, one who did receive his favorable endorsement was journalist Lacey Fosburgh, author of '' Closing Time: The True Story of the Goodbar Murder'' (1977). He also claimed an admiration for Andy Warhol's ''
The Philosophy of Andy Warhol ''The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B & Back Again)'' is a 1975 book by the American artist Andy Warhol. It was first published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. The book is an assemblage of vignettes about love, beauty, fame, work, sex, time ...
: From A to B & Back Again''. Although Capote never embraced the
gay rights movement Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movements are social movements that advocate for LGBT people in society. Some focus on equal rights, such as the ongoing movement for same-sex marriage, while others focus on liberation, as in the ...
, his own openness about homosexuality and his encouragement for openness in others made him an important player in the realm of gay rights. In his piece "Capote and the Trillings: Homophobia and Literary Culture at Midcentury," Jeff Solomon details an encounter between Capote and Lionel and
Diana Trilling Diana Trilling (née Rubin; July 21, 1905 – October 23, 1996) was an American literary critic and author, one of a group of left-wing writers known as the New York Intellectuals. Background Born Diana Rubin, she married the literary and c ...
– two New York intellectuals and literary critics – in which Capote questioned the motives of Lionel, who had recently published a book on
E. M. Forster Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970) was an English author, best known for his novels, particularly ''A Room with a View'' (1908), ''Howards End'' (1910), and ''A Passage to India'' (1924). He also wrote numerous short stori ...
but had ignored the author's homosexuality. Solomon argues:


Years following ''In Cold Blood''

Now more sought after than ever, Capote wrote occasional brief articles for magazines, and also entrenched himself more deeply in the world of the
jet set In journalism, jet set is a term for an international social group of wealthy people who travel the world to participate in social activities unavailable to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "café society", came from the lifestyle of tra ...
.
Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...
once observed, "Truman Capote has tried, with some success, to get into a world that I have tried, with some success, to get out of." In the late 1960s, he became friendly with
Lee Radziwill Caroline Lee Bouvier ( ), later Canfield, Radziwiłł (), and Ross (March 3, 1933 – February 15, 2019), usually known as Princess Lee Radziwill, was an American socialite, public-relations executive, and interior decorator. She was the y ...
, the sister of
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...
. Radziwill was an aspiring actress and had been panned for her performance in a production of '' The Philadelphia Story'' in Chicago. Capote was commissioned to write the teleplay for a 1967 television production starring Radziwill: an adaptation of the classic
Otto Preminger Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...
film '' Laura'' (1944). The adaptation, and Radziwill's performance in particular, received indifferent reviews and poor ratings; arguably, it was Capote's first major professional setback. Radziwill supplanted the older
Babe Paley Barbara "Babe" Cushing Mortimer Paley (July 5, 1915 – July 6, 1978) was an American socialite, whose second husband William S. Paley was the founder of CBS. Known by the nickname "Babe" for most of her life, she was named to the International ...
as Capote's primary female companion in public throughout the better part of the 1970s. On November 28, 1966, in honor of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' publisher
Katharine Graham Katharine Meyer Graham (June 16, 1917 – July 17, 2001) was an American newspaper publisher. She led her family's newspaper, ''The Washington Post'', from 1963 to 1991. Graham presided over the paper as it reported on the Watergate scandal, whi ...
, Capote hosted a now-legendary masked ball, called the
Black and White Ball The Black and White Ball was a masquerade ball held on November 28, 1966, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Hosted by author Truman Capote, the ball was in honor of ''The Washington Post'' publisher Katharine Graham. Impulse Truman Capote deci ...
, in the Grand Ballroom of New York City's
Plaza Hotel The Plaza Hotel (also known as The Plaza) is a luxury hotel and condominium apartment building in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is located on the western side of Grand Army Plaza, after which it is named, just west of Fifth Avenue, a ...
. It was considered the social event of not only that season but of many to follow, with ''The New York Times'' and other publications giving it considerable coverage. Capote dangled the prized invitations for months, snubbing early supporters like fellow Southern writer
Carson McCullers Carson McCullers (February 19, 1917 – September 29, 1967) was an American novelist, short-story writer, playwright, essayist, and poet. Her first novel, ''The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter'' (1940), explores the spiritual isolation of misfits ...
as he determined who was "in" and who was "out". Despite the assertion earlier in life that one "lost an IQ point for every year spent on the West Coast", he purchased a home in
Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land ...
and began to indulge in a more aimless life and heavy drinking. This resulted in bitter quarreling with Dunphy, with whom he had shared a nonexclusive relationship since the 1950s. Their partnership changed form and continued as a nonsexual one, and they were separated during much of the 1970s. Capote never finished another novel after ''In Cold Blood.'' The dearth of new prose and other failures, including a rejected screenplay for
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
's 1974 adaptation of ''
The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts First-person narrative, first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious mil ...
'', were counteracted by Capote's frequenting of the talk show circuit. In 1972, Capote accompanied
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
on their first American tour since 1969 as a correspondent for ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''. He ultimately refused to write the article, so the magazine recouped its interests by publishing in April 1973 an interview of the author conducted by Andy Warhol. A collection of previously published essays and reportage, ''The Dogs Bark: Public People and Private Places'', appeared later that year. In July 1973, Capote met John O'Shea, the middle-aged vice president of a
Marine Midland Bank Marine Midland Bank was an American bank formerly headquartered in Buffalo, New York, with several hundred branches throughout the state of New York. In 1998, branches extended to Pennsylvania. It was acquired by HSBC in 1980, and changed its na ...
branch on Long Island, while visiting a New York bathhouse. The married father of three did not identify as homosexual or bisexual, perceiving his visits as being a "kind of masturbation". However, O'Shea found Capote's fortune alluring and harbored aspirations to become a professional writer. After consummating their relationship in Palm Springs, the two engaged in an ongoing war of jealousy and manipulation for the remainder of the decade. Longtime friends were appalled when O'Shea, who was officially employed as Capote's manager, attempted to take total control of the author's literary and business interests.


''Answered Prayers''

Through his jet set social life Capote had been gathering observations for a tell-all novel, ''Answered Prayers'' (eventually to be published as '' Answered Prayers: The Unfinished Novel''). The book, which had been in the planning stages since 1958, was intended to be the American equivalent of
Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who wrote the monumental novel ''In Search of Lost Time'' (''À la recherche du temps perdu''; with the previous Eng ...
's ''
In Search of Lost Time ''In Search of Lost Time'' (french: À la recherche du temps perdu), first translated into English as ''Remembrance of Things Past'', and sometimes referred to in French as ''La Recherche'' (''The Search''), is a novel in seven volumes by French ...
'' and a culmination of the "nonfiction novel" format. Initially scheduled for publication in 1968, the novel was eventually delayed, at Capote's insistence, to 1972. Because of the delay, he was forced to return money received for the film rights to
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
. Capote spoke about the novel in interviews, but continued to postpone the delivery date. Capote permitted ''Esquire'' to publish four chapters of the unfinished novel in 1975 and 1976. The first to appear, "Mojave", ran as a self-contained short story and was favorably received, but the second, "La Côte Basque 1965", based in part on the dysfunctional personal lives of Capote's friends
William S. Paley William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 – October 26, 1990) was an American businessman, primarily involved in the media, and best known as the chief executive who built the Columbia Broadcasting System ( CBS) from a small radio network into ...
and Babe Paley, generated controversy. Although the issue featuring "La Côte Basque" sold out immediately upon publication, its much-discussed betrayal of confidences alienated Capote from his established base of middle-aged, wealthy female friends, who feared the intimate and often sordid details of their ostensibly glamorous lives would be exposed to the public. Another two chapters – "Unspoiled Monsters" and "Kate McCloud" – appeared subsequently. The essays were intended to form the long opening section of the novel. They displayed a marked shift in narrative voice, introduced a more elaborate plot structure, and together formed a novella-length mosaic of fictionalized memoir and gossip. "Unspoiled Monsters", which by itself was almost as long as ''Breakfast at Tiffany's'', contained a thinly veiled satire of
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...
, whose friendship with Capote had become strained.


"La Côte Basque 1965"

"La Côte Basque 1965" was published as an individual chapter in ''Esquire'' magazine in November 1975. The catty beginning to his still-unfinished novel, ''Answered Prayers'', marks the catalyst of the social suicide of Truman Capote. Many of Capote's circle of high-society female friends, whom he nicknamed his "swans", were featured in the text, some under pseudonyms and others by their real names. The chapter is said to have revealed the dirty secrets of these women, and therefore aired the "dirty laundry" of New York City's elite. The fallout from "La Côte Basque 1965" saw Truman Capote ostracized from New York society, and from many of his former friends. The chapter from ''Answered Prayers'', "La Côte Basque" begins with Jonesy, the main character said to be based on a mixture of Truman Capote himself and the serial killer victim Herbert Clutter (on whom ''In Cold Blood'' was based), meets up with a Lady Ina Coolbirth on a New York City street. This woman, who is described as "an American married to a British chemicals tycoon and a lot of woman in every way", is widely rumoured to be based on New York socialite
Slim Keith Nancy "Slim" Keith, Lady Keith (born Mary Raye Gross; July 15, 1917 – April 6, 1990) was an American socialite and fashion icon during the 1950s and 1960s, exemplifying the American jet set. She and her friend Babe Paley were the thinly veiled ...
. Lady Ina Coolbirth invites Jonesy to lunch at
La Côte Basque La Côte Basque was a New York City restaurant. It opened in the late 1950s and operated until it closed on March 7, 2004. In business for 45 years, upon its closing ''The New York Times'' called it a "former high-society temple of French cuisine ...
. A gossipy tale of New York's elite ensues. The characters of
Gloria Vanderbilt Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (February 20, 1924 – June 17, 2019) was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite. During the 1930s, she was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial in which her mother ...
and Carol Matthau are encountered first, the two women gossiping about
Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth  ...
,
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
and the rest of the British royal family. An awkward moment then occurs when Gloria Vanderbilt has a run-in with her first husband and fails to recognize him. It is only at Mrs. Matthau's reminder that Gloria realizes who he is. Both women brush the incident aside and chalk it up to ancient history. The characters of
Lee Radziwill Caroline Lee Bouvier ( ), later Canfield, Radziwiłł (), and Ross (March 3, 1933 – February 15, 2019), usually known as Princess Lee Radziwill, was an American socialite, public-relations executive, and interior decorator. She was the y ...
and
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...
are then encountered when they walk into the restaurant together. Sisters, they draw the attention of the room although they speak only to each other. Lady Coolbirth takes the liberty of describing Lee as "marvelously made, like a Tanagra figurine" and Jacqueline as "photogenic" yet "unrefined, exaggerated". The character of Ann Hopkins is then introduced when she surreptitiously walks into the restaurant and sits down with a pastor. Ann Hopkins is likened to
Ann Woodward Ann Eden Woodward (born Evangeline Lucille Crowell; December 12, 1915 – October 10, 1975) was an American socialite, showgirl, model, and radio actress. In 1940, while working as a nightclub dancer and radio actress, she was voted "The Most Bea ...
. Ina Coolbirth relates the story of how Mrs. Hopkins ended up murdering her husband. When he threatened to divorce her, she began cultivating a rumour that a burglar was harassing their neighbourhood. The official police report says that while she and her husband were sleeping in separate bedrooms, Mrs. Hopkins heard someone enter her bedroom. In her panic, she grabbed her gun and shot the intruder; unbeknownst to her the intruder was in fact her husband, David Hopkins (or
William Woodward, Jr. William Woodward Jr. (June 12, 1920 – October 31, 1955) was the heir to the Hanover National Bank fortune (later Manufacturer's Hanover), the Belair Estate and stud farm and legacy, and a leading figure in racing circles before he was s ...
). Ina Coolbirth suggests however, that Mr. Hopkins was in fact shot in the shower; such is the wealth and power of the Hopkins' family that any charges or whispers of murder simply floated away at the inquest. It is rumoured that Ann Woodward was warned prematurely of the publication and content of Capote's "La Côte Basque", and proceeded to kill herself with cyanide as a result. An incident regarding the character of Sidney Dillon (or
William S. Paley William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 – October 26, 1990) was an American businessman, primarily involved in the media, and best known as the chief executive who built the Columbia Broadcasting System ( CBS) from a small radio network into ...
) is then discussed between Jonesy and Mrs. Coolbirth. Sidney Dillon is said to have told Ina Coolbirth this story because they have a history as former lovers. One evening while Cleo Dillon (
Babe Paley Barbara "Babe" Cushing Mortimer Paley (July 5, 1915 – July 6, 1978) was an American socialite, whose second husband William S. Paley was the founder of CBS. Known by the nickname "Babe" for most of her life, she was named to the International ...
) was out of the city, in Boston, Sidney Dillon attended an event by himself at which he was seated next to the wife of a prominent New York Governor. The two began to flirt and eventually went home together. While Ina suggests that Sidney Dillon loves his wife, it is his inexhaustible need for acceptance by haute New York society that motivates him to be unfaithful. Sidney Dillon and the woman sleep together, and afterwards Mr. Dillon discovers a very large blood stain on the sheets, which represents her mockery of him. Mr. Dillon then spends the rest of the night and early morning washing the sheet by hand, with scalding water in an attempt to conceal his unfaithfulness from his wife who is due to arrive home the same morning. In the end, Dillon falls asleep on a damp sheet and wakes up to a note from his wife telling him she had arrived while he was sleeping, did not want to wake him, and that she would see him at home. The aftermath of the publication of "La Côte Basque" is said to have pushed Truman Capote to new levels of drug abuse and alcoholism, mainly because he claimed to have not anticipated the backlash it would cause in his personal life.


Last years

In the late 1970s, Capote was in and out of drug rehabilitation clinics, and news of his various breakdowns frequently reached the public. In 1978, talk show host Stanley Siegel did an on-air interview with Capote, who, in an extraordinarily intoxicated state, confessed that he had been awake for 48 hours and when questioned by Siegel, "What's going to happen unless you lick this problem of drugs and alcohol?", Capote responded: "The obvious answer is that eventually, I mean, I'll kill myself ... without meaning to." The live broadcast made national headlines. One year later, when he felt betrayed by
Lee Radziwill Caroline Lee Bouvier ( ), later Canfield, Radziwiłł (), and Ross (March 3, 1933 – February 15, 2019), usually known as Princess Lee Radziwill, was an American socialite, public-relations executive, and interior decorator. She was the y ...
in a feud with perpetual nemesis
Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...
, Capote arranged a return visit to Stanley Siegel's show, this time to deliver a bizarrely comic performance revealing an incident wherein Vidal was thrown out of the Kennedy White House due to intoxication (later refuted in detail by Vidal in his memoir ''Palimpsest''). Capote also went into salacious details regarding the personal life of Lee Radziwill and her sister,
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...
. Andy Warhol, who had looked up to the writer as a mentor in his early days in New York and often partied with Capote at
Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and a former disco nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Operated by the Roundabout Theatre Company, Studio 54 has 1,006 seats on two levels. The theater was ...
, agreed to paint Capote's portrait as "a personal gift" in exchange for Capote's contributing short pieces to Warhol's ''
Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" ...
'' magazine every month for a year in the form of a column, ''Conversations with Capote.'' Initially the pieces were to consist of tape-recorded conversations, but soon Capote eschewed the tape recorder in favor of semi-fictionalized "conversational portraits". These pieces formed the basis for the bestselling ''
Music for Chameleons ''Music for Chameleons'' (1980) is a collection of short fiction and non-fiction by the American author Truman Capote. Capote's first collection of new material in fourteen years, ''Music for Chameleons'' spent sixteen weeks on the ''New York T ...
'' (1980). Capote underwent a
facelift A facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy (from the Ancient Greek () "wrinkle", and () "excision", the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful facial appearance. There are mul ...
, lost weight and experimented with hair transplants. Despite this, Capote was unable to overcome his reliance upon drugs and liquor and had grown bored with New York by the beginning of the 1980s. After the revocation of his driver's license (the result of speeding near his
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
residence) and a hallucinatory seizure in 1980 that required hospitalization, Capote became fairly reclusive. These hallucinations continued unabated and medical scans eventually revealed that his brain mass had perceptibly shrunk. On the rare occasions when he was lucid, he continued to promote ''Answered Prayers'' as being nearly complete and was reportedly planning a reprise of the Black and White Ball to be held either in Los Angeles or a more exotic locale in South America. On a few occasions, he was still able to write. In 1982, a new short story, "One Christmas," appeared in the December issue of ''
Ladies' Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In 18 ...
''; the following year it became, like its predecessors ''A Christmas Memory'' and ''The Thanksgiving Visitor,'' a holiday gift book. In 1983, "Remembering Tennessee," an essay in tribute to
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...
, who had died in February of that year, appeared in ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'' magazine.


Death

Capote died in
Bel Air, Los Angeles Bel Air (or Bel-Air) is a residential neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. Founded in 1923, it is the home of the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden and the American Jewish Universit ...
, on August 25, 1984. According to the coroner's report, the cause of death was "liver disease complicated by
phlebitis Phlebitis (or Venitis) is inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs. It most commonly occurs in superficial veins. Phlebitis often occurs in conjunction with thrombosis and is then called thrombophlebitis or superficial thrombophlebitis. Unlike ...
and multiple drug intoxication". He died at the home of his old friend Joanne Carson, ex-wife of late-night TV host
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
, on whose program Capote had been a frequent guest.
Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...
responded to news of Capote's death by calling it "a wise career move". Capote was cremated and his remains were reportedly divided between Carson and Jack Dunphy (although Dunphy maintained that he received all the ashes). Carson said she kept the ashes in an urn in the room where he died. Those ashes were reported stolen during a Halloween party in 1988 along with $200,000 in jewels but were then returned six days later, having been found in a coiled-up garden hose on the back steps of Carson's Bel Air home. The ashes were reportedly stolen again when taken to a production of '' Tru'' but the thief was caught before leaving the theatre. Carson bought a crypt at
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue. The cemetery was ...
in Los Angeles. In 2013 the producers offered to fly Carson and the ashes to New York for a Broadway production of '' Breakfast at Tiffany's''. Carson declined the offer. Dunphy died in 1992, and in 1994, both his and Capote's ashes were reportedly scattered at Crooked Pond, between
Bridgehampton, New York Bridgehampton is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) on the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,756 at the 2010 census. Bridgehampton is in the town of Southampton, on Long Island. Shortly after ...
, and
Sag Harbor, New York Sag Harbor is an incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, in the towns of Southampton and East Hampton on eastern Long Island. The village developed as a working port on Gardiner's Bay. The population was 2,772 at the ...
on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
, close to
Sagaponack, New York Sagaponack is a village in the Town of Southampton in Suffolk County, on the East End of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population of the village was 313 at the 2010 census. Sagaponack is also the name of a popular seafood re ...
, where the two had maintained a property with individual houses for many years. Crooked Pond was chosen because money from the estate of Dunphy and Capote was donated to the
Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US. Founded in 1951, The Natu ...
, which in turn used it to buy 20 acres around Crooked Pond in an area called "Long Pond Greenbelt". A stone marker indicates the spot where their mingled ashes were thrown into the pond. In 2016, some of Capote's ashes previously owned by Joanne Carson were auctioned by
Julien's Auctions Type Private Industry Art, Auctions Founded 2003; 20 years ago Headquarters 13007 S. Western Avenue, Gardena, CA 90249 Key people • Darren Julien (Founder, CEO, President) • Martin J. Nolan (Executive Director, CFO) Website www.juliensauctio ...
. Capote also maintained the property in
Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land ...
, a condominium in Switzerland that was mostly occupied by Dunphy seasonally, and a primary residence at 860 United Nations Plaza in New York City. Capote's will provided that after Dunphy's death, a literary trust would be established, sustained by revenues from Capote's works, to fund various literary prizes, fellowships and scholarships, including the Truman Capote Award for Literary Criticism in Memory of Newton Arvin, commemorating not only Capote but also his friend
Newton Arvin Fredrick Newton Arvin (August 25, 1900 – March 21, 1963) was an American literary critic and academic. He achieved national recognition for his studies of individual nineteenth-century American authors. After teaching at Smith College in N ...
, the
Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...
professor and critic who lost his job after his homosexuality was revealed. As such, the
Truman Capote Literary Trust The Truman Capote Literary Trust is an American charitable trust established in 1994 by Truman Capote's literary executor, Alan U. Schwartz, pursuant to Capote's will. Origin Capote died in 1984 and his will established a lifetime annuity for his ...
was established in 1994, two years after Dunphy's death.


Permanent hometown exhibit

Capote's childhood is the focus of a permanent exhibit in Monroeville, Alabama's Old Courthouse Museum, covering his life in Monroeville with his Faulk cousins and how those early years are reflected in his writing. The exhibit brings together photos, letters and memorabilia to paint a portrait of Capote's early life in Monroeville. Jennings Faulk Carter donated the collection to the Museum in 2005. The collection comprises 12 handwritten letters (1940s–60s) from Capote to his favorite aunt, Mary Ida Carter (Jennings' mother). Many of the items in the collection belonged to his mother and Virginia Hurd Faulk, Carter's cousin with whom Capote lived as a child. The exhibit features many references to Sook, but two items in particular are always favorites of visitors: Sook's "Coat of Many Colors" and Truman's baby blanket. Truman's first cousin recalls that as children, he and Truman never had trouble finding Sook in the darkened house on South Alabama Avenue because they simply looked for the bright colors of her coat. Truman's baby blanket is a "
granny square A granny square is a piece of square fabric produced in crochet by working in rounds from the center outward. Granny squares are traditionally handmade as crochet cannot be manufactured by machine. They resemble coarse lace. Although there is ...
" blanket Sook made for him. The blanket became one of Truman's most cherished possessions, and friends say he was seldom without it – even when traveling. In fact, he took the blanket with him when he flew from New York to Los Angeles to be with Joanne Carson on August 23, 1984. According to Joanne Carson, when he died at her home on August 25, his last words were, "It's me, it's Buddy," followed by, "I'm cold." Buddy was Sook's name for him.


Capote on film

*In 1961, Capote's novel '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'' (1958), about a flamboyant New York party girl named Holly Golightly, was filmed by director
Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio s ...
and starred
Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, t ...
in what many consider her defining role, though Capote never approved of the many changes to the story, made to appeal to mass audiences. *Capote's childhood experiences are captured in the memoir ''A Christmas Memory'' (1956), which he adapted for television and narrated. Directed by
Frank Perry Frank Joseph Perry Jr. (August 21, 1930 – August 29, 1995) was an American stage director and filmmaker. His 1962 independent film '' David and Lisa'' earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay (writte ...
, it aired on December 21, 1966, on ''
ABC Stage 67 ''ABC Stage 67'' is the umbrella title for a series of 26 weekly American television shows that included dramas, variety shows, documentaries and original musicals. It premiered on ABC on September 14, 1966, with Murray Schisgal's ''The Love ...
'', and featured
Geraldine Page Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924June 13, 1987) was an American actress. With a career which spanned four decades across film, stage, and television, Page was the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Acade ...
in an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
-winning performance. *When
Richard Brooks Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, Oscars in his career, he was best known for ''Blackboard Jungle'' (1955), ''Cat on a ...
directed ''
In Cold Blood ''In Cold Blood'' is a non-fiction novel by American author Truman Capote, first published in 1966. It details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas. Capote learned of the qua ...
'', the 1967 adaptation of the novel, with
Robert Blake Robert Blake may refer to: Sportspeople * Bob Blake (American football) (1885–1962), American football player * Robbie Blake (born 1976), English footballer * Bob Blake (ice hockey) (1914–2008), American ice hockey player * Rob Blake (born 19 ...
and Scott Wilson, he filmed at the actual Clutter house and other Holcomb, Kansas, locations. *Capote narrated his ''The Thanksgiving Visitor'' (1967), a sequel to ''A Christmas Memory'', filmed by Frank Perry in
Pike Road, Alabama Pike Road is a town in Montgomery County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,439, up from 5,406 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Montgomery metropolitan area. Pike Road was founded in 1815. Pike Road was in ...
. Geraldine Page again won an Emmy for her performance in this hour-long
teleplay A teleplay is a screenplay or script used in the production of a scripted television program or series. In general usage, the term is most commonly seen in reference to a standalone production, such as a television film, a television play, or an ...
. *The ''
ABC Stage 67 ''ABC Stage 67'' is the umbrella title for a series of 26 weekly American television shows that included dramas, variety shows, documentaries and original musicals. It premiered on ABC on September 14, 1966, with Murray Schisgal's ''The Love ...
'' teleplay was later incorporated into Perry's 1969 anthology film ''
Trilogy A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...
'' (aka ''Truman Capote's Trilogy''), which also includes adaptations of "Miriam" and "Among the Paths to Eden". *
Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...
's murder mystery spoof ''
Murder by Death ''Murder by Death'' is a 1976 American comedy mystery film directed by Robert Moore and written by Neil Simon. The film stars Eileen Brennan, Truman Capote, James Coco, Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, Elsa Lanchester, David Niven, Peter Sellers, M ...
'' (1976) provided Capote's main role as an actor, portraying reclusive millionaire Lionel Twain who invites the world's leading detectives together to a dinner party to have them solve a murder. The performance brought him a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nomination (Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture). Early in the film, it is alleged that Twain has ten fingers but no pinkies. In truth, Capote's pinkie fingers were unusually large. In the film, Capote's character is highly critical of detective fiction from the likes of
Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
and Dashiell Hammett. *Woody Allen's ''Annie Hall'' (1977) includes a scene in which Alvy (Allen) and Annie (Diane Keaton) are observing passersby in the park. Alvy comments, "Oh, there's the winner of the Truman Capote Look-Alike Contest". The passerby is actually Truman Capote (who appeared in the film uncredited). *''Other Voices, Other Rooms'' (1995) stars David Speck in the lead role of Joel Sansom. Reviewing this atmospheric Southern Gothic film in ''The New York Times'', Stephen Holden wrote:
One of the things the movie does best is transport you back in time and into nature. In the early scenes as Joel leaves his aunt's home to travel across the South by rickety bus and horse and carriage, you feel the strangeness, wonder and anxiety of a child abandoning everything that's familiar to go to a place so remote he has to ask directions along the way. The landscape over which he travels is so rich and fertile that you can almost smell the earth and sky. Later on, when Joel tussles with Idabell (Aubrey Dollar), a tomboyish neighbor who becomes his best friend (a character inspired by the author Harper Lee), the movie has a special force and clarity in its evocation of the physical immediacy of being a child playing outdoors.
*In 1995, Capote's novella ''The Grass Harp'' (1951), which he later turned into a 1952 play, was made into a film version with a screenplay by Stirling Silliphant and directed by Charles Matthau, Walter Matthau's son. This story is somewhat autobiographical of Capote's childhood in Alabama. *Anthony Edwards (actor), Anthony Edwards and Eric Roberts headed the cast of the In Cold Blood (miniseries), 1996 ''In Cold Blood'' miniseries, directed by Jonathan Kaplan. *The TV movie ''Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory'' (1997), with Patty Duke and Piper Laurie, was a remake of the 1966 television show, directed by Glenn Jordan. * In 2002, director Mark Medoff brought to film Capote's short story "Children on Their Birthdays", another look back at a small-town Alabama childhood.


Documentaries

*''With Love from Truman'' (1966), a 29-minute documentary by Albert and David Maysles, David and Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, shows a ''Newsweek'' reporter interviewing Capote at his beachfront home in Long Island. Capote talks about ''In Cold Blood'', his relationship with the murderers, and his coverage of the trial. He is also seen taking Alvin Dewey and his wife around New York City for the first time. Originally titled ''A Visit with Truman Capote'', this film was commissioned by National Educational Television and shown on the NET network. *''Truman Capote: The Tiny Terror'' (original airdate December 17, 1997) is a documentary that aired as part of A&E's ''Biography (TV series), Biography'' series, followed by a 2005 DVD release. *''The Capote Tapes'' (2019), directed by Ebs Burnough. Using "never-before-heard" audio archives and interviews with Capote and his associates, the film centers around Capote's unfinished novel, ''Answered Prayers''.


Portrayals of Capote


Theater

*In 1990, Robert Morse received both a Tony Award, Tony and a Drama Desk Award for his portrayal of Capote in the one-man show '' Tru''. *In 1994, actor-writer Bob Kingdom created the one-man theatre piece ''The Truman Capote Talk Show'', in which he played Capote looking back over his life. Originally performed at the Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Studio Theatre, Hammersmith, London, the show has toured widely within the UK and internationally. *In 1996, Louis Negin appeared in a Toronto production of ''Tru''.


Film

* In ''54 (film), 54'' (1998), with Louis Negin in the role of Capote, a reference is made to Capote just having had a face lift, and the song "Knock on Wood" is dedicated to him. * In ''Isn't She Great'' (2000), Sam Street is seen briefly as Capote. The film is a biographical comedy-drama about Jacqueline Susann. * In ''The Audrey Hepburn Story'' (2000), Michael J. Burg played Capote; and again in ''The Hoax'' (2006) (in deleted scenes). * In ''Capote (film), Capote'' (2005), Capote was played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The biopic is the dramatic feature debut of director Bennett Miller. Spanning the years Capote spent researching and writing ''In Cold Blood'', the film depicts Capote's conflict between his compassion for his subjects and self-absorbed obsession with finishing the book. ''Capote'' garnered much critical acclaim when it was released (September 30, 2005, in the US and February 24, 2006, in the UK). Dan Futterman's screenplay was based on the book ''Capote: A Biography'' by Gerald Clarke (1988). ''Capote'' received five Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Hoffman's performance earned him many awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actor, Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts, BAFTA Award, a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Independent Spirit Award. * ''Infamous (2006 film), Infamous'' (2006), directed by Douglas McGrath and starring Toby Jones as Capote and Sandra Bullock as
Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926February 19, 2016) was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird''. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. Lee has received numero ...
, is an adaptation of George Plimpton's ''Truman Capote: In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career'' (1997). On the DVD commentary track, McGrath admits to the occasional scene being compiled and drawn together by using the truth and blended with his own "imagination" of how the actual story evolved.


Television

* In 1992, Robert Morse recreated his role as Capote in the play ''Tru'' for the PBS series ''American Playhouse'' and won an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
for his performance. * Michael J. Burg appeared as Capote in an episode of ABC-TV's short-lived series ''Life on Mars (American TV series), Life on Mars'' (2009).


Literature

* ''The Swans of Fifth Avenue: A Novel'' (2016) by Melanie Benjamin (author), Melanie Benjamin tells the story of the evolution of Capote's friendship with
Babe Paley Barbara "Babe" Cushing Mortimer Paley (July 5, 1915 – July 6, 1978) was an American socialite, whose second husband William S. Paley was the founder of CBS. Known by the nickname "Babe" for most of her life, she was named to the International ...
and the New York "swans", and his fallout from high society after the publication of "La Côte Basque 1965".


Discography

* '' House of Flowers'' (1954) Columbia 2320. (LP) Broadway production. Saint Subber presents Truman Capote and Harold Arlen's ''House of Flowers'', starring Pearl Bailey. Directed by Peter Brook with musical numbers by Herbert Ross. Columbia 12" LP, Stereo-OS-2320. Electronically reprocessed for stereo. * ''Children on Their Birthdays'' (1955) Columbia Literary Series ML 4761 12" LP. Reading by Capote. * ''House of Flowers'' (1955) Columbia Masterworks 12508. (LP) Read by the Author. * ''A Christmas Memory'' (1959) United Artists UAL 9001. (LP) Truman Capote reading his ''A Christmas Memory''. * ''In Cold Blood'' (1966) RCA Victor Red Seal monophonic VDM-110. (LP) Truman Capote reads scenes from ''In Cold Blood''. * ''The Thanksgiving Visitor'' (1967) United Artists UAS 6682. (LP) Truman Capote reading his ''The Thanksgiving Visitor''. * ''Capote'' (2006) RCA, Film Soundtrack. Includes complete 1966 RCA recording Truman Capote reads scenes from ''In Cold Blood'' * ''In Cold Blood'' (2006) Random House unabridged on 12 CDs. Read by Scott Brick.


Works


References

Notes Bibliography * Clarke, Gerald (1988) ''Capote: A Biography''. Simon and Schuster. Bestselling and critically acclaimed biography. Basis for the 2005 film ''Capote''. * Colacello, Bob (1990) ''Holy Terror: Andy Warhol Close Up''. HarperCollins. Contains many anecdotes regarding Capote's association with Warhol, and an entire chapter on Capote's relationship with ''Interview'' magazine and how it led to the writing of ''Music For Chameleons''. * Garson, Helen S. ''Truman Capote: A Study of the Short Fiction''. Boston; Twayne, 1992. * Grobel, Lawrence (1985) "Conversations with Capote. NAL. * * Inge, M. Thomas (1987) ''Truman Capote Conversations''. University Press of Mississippi. Interviews with Capote by Gerald Clarke, David Frost, Eric Norden, George Plimpton, Gloria Steinem, Jerry Tallmer, Eugene Walter,
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
, Jann Wenner and others. * * Laing, Olivia (2015).
On the threshold: the early stories of Truman Capote
, in New Statesman, November 6, 2015. * Lamparski, Richard (2006) ''Manhattan Diary''. BearManor Media. * This first novel by Lish tells the story of a serial killer who wants Truman Capote to write his biography. In the letter the killer writes to Capote the details of his life, and reveals his ''modus operandi''. * Johnson, Thomas S., (1974) "The Horror in the Mansion: Gothic Fiction in the works of Truman Capote." Ann Arbor, Mich.: Dissertation Abstracts. * Plimpton, George (1997) ''Truman Capote, In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances, and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career''. Published by Nan A. Talese (imprint of Doubleday (publisher), Doubleday). Collection of first-hand observations about the author. Basis for the film ''Infamous'' (2006). * Schwartz, Alan U. 2006. Afterword. In Truman Capote, ''Summer Crossing''. Modern Library. * Eugene Walter, Walter, Eugene, as told to Katherine Clark, foreword by George Plimpton (2001) ''Milking the Moon: A Southerner's Story of Life on This Planet''. Crown. Actor-novelist-raconteur Walter, who first met Capote when they were children, recalled several anecdotes about Capote as an adult and as a child (when he was known as Bulldog Persons). Archival sources
Truman Capote papers, circa 1924–1984
(16 linear feet) are housed at the
New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

Truman Capote papers, 1947–1965
(3.2 linear feet) are housed at the Library of Congress


External links

* * * * * *
Corrected manuscript of Capote’s MUSIC FOR CHAMELEONS at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Truman Capote (1997 TV Documentary)

Truman Capote reading "A Christmas Memory"

FBI file on Truman Capote

Image of Truman Capote acting in a comedy skit with Sonny and Cher for their television program in Los Angeles, California, 1973.
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Materials about Truman Capote in the John Malcolm Brinnin papers
held b
Special Collections, University of Delaware LibraryMaterials about Truman Capote in the Robert A. Wilson collection
held b
Special Collections, University of Delaware Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Capote, Truman Truman Capote, 1924 births 1984 deaths 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American journalists 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American memoirists 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American screenwriters 20th-century American short story writers Alcohol-related deaths in California American LGBT novelists American adoptees American gay actors American gay writers American male dramatists and playwrights American male journalists American male non-fiction writers American male novelists American male screenwriters American male short story writers Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Drug-related deaths in California Edgar Award winners Greenwich High School alumni Journalists from Alabama LGBT dramatists and playwrights LGBT journalists from the United States LGBT people from Alabama LGBT people from Louisiana LGBT screenwriters Non-fiction crime writers Novelists from Louisiana Novelists from New York (state) O. Henry Award winners People from Monroeville, Alabama People from Sagaponack, New York Postmodern writers Screenwriters from California Screenwriters from New York (state) Writers from Los Angeles Writers from New Orleans Writers from New York City Writers from Palm Springs, California Writers of American Southern literature Writers of Gothic fiction Writers with disabilities Yaddo alumni Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters