American novelist Truman Capote was born Sept. 30, 1924, in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., but after his parents separated, he was sent to live with relatives in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. He spent much of his early life there, which left a significant influence on his writing.
He was best friends with his neighbor, Harper Lee — the author of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The two were extremely close as kids, and they later influenced each other’s love for writing. Capote later asked Lee to help him with research for his true crime nonfiction novel, “In Cold Blood,” and she played a major role in interviewing people in Kansas during the writing process. Later on, Capote moved to New York City with his absent mother and stepfather.
When Truman Capote published his first novel, “Other Voices, Other Rooms,” in 1948, it didn’t just introduce him as a new writer — it brought him fame.
Capote was only in his early twenties, and the book was partly autobiographical, drawing heavily from his childhood in the South, especially his time in Monroeville. Like the main character, Joel, Capote had a complicated relationship with his parents and often felt isolated; these themes are reflected in the novel’s style and tone. The biggest reason the book gained so much attention was the controversy it caused, as it included subtle themes of identity and sexuality.
Despite mixed reactions, the novel established him as a literary voice to be reckoned with. It also helped shape his public image: not just as a writer, but as someone with a theatrical, confident and unconventional personality.
What truly made him mainstream was his book, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1958). This book showed his versatility and ability to create writing throughout all different types of genres, such as literary fiction, romance, social satire and psychological thrillers. The story became even more famous after the 1961 film adaptation starring Audrey Hepburn. It’s important to note that the movie softened some of the darker and more complicated aspects of the character portrayed by Hepburn, which were originally written by Capote.
When Capote first read about the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, he and Lee traveled there before the killers were even found. That’s important — he wasn’t working with a full story that would completely unfold, yet he wanted to capture how everything was going to unfold. Once he got to Holcomb, Capote spent years interviewing townspeople, neighbors, lawyers, friends, extended family and more.
The most unusual (and controversial) part of his research was his relationship with the two killers, especially Perry Smith. Capote would visit Smith and Richard Hickock repeatedly in prison to the point that he built a personal, almost emotional connection with Smith and gained their trust so they would share detailed confessions and personal histories. He combined all of this information and research into what he called a “nonfiction novel.”
With his fame from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “In Cold Blood,” Capote had created a name for himself with his writing but also his personality. He was eccentric, unique, witty and a storyteller. He became an essential figure in Manhattan’s social scene, especially among women in high power.
These women included Babe Paley, who is often considered his favorite, an elegant, reserved and deeply trusted friend. Next is Slim Keith, stylish and sharp-tongued, part of Hollywood and New York City elite circles. Lee Radziwill, sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, was also a swan of his, and so was C.Z. Guest, who was known for her classic American beauty and equestrian lifestyle. Gloria Guinness was also among his swans and was admired for her sophistication and style. Lastly, Ann Woodward, a more controversial figure with a scandalous past and Marella Agnelli, who was a part of European aristocracy and fashion circles.
His swans were essential to his power and popularity. Not only was he a talented writer with successful books and movie adaptations, but he was also close friends with numerous high-power women who ruled Manhattan.
A pivotal moment in Capote’s success was when he hosted the infamous Black and White Ball on Nov. 28, 1966, at the Plaza Hotel in the Grand Ballroom. It was officially held in honor of Katharine Graham and helped reinforce Capote’s shift from writer to full-blown icon. The guest list was extremely selective — with around 500 people — and invitations were highly coveted, making attendance a major celebrity status symbol. If you were invited, you were considered important by the one and only Capote.
The dress code consisted of men wearing black tie while women wore black or white gowns, and everyone had to wear a mask. Some of the notable attendees included Frank Sinatra, Mia Farrow, Andy Warhol and Lee Radziwill. The special part of this particular evening was how Capote used his societal power to bring together all different types of people who wouldn’t normally mingle. The Black and White Ball cemented Capote’s reputation as a cultural force — but it also marked the peak of his social influence, before his later fallout with many of these same elites.
This is where his life takes a bold turn. In 1975, Capote published a chapter of his later unfinished novel “Answered Prayers” in Esquire titled “La Côte Basque, 1965.” Capote wrote this as a work of fiction, obviously based on real-life occurrences. Readers could easily identify the famous figures behind many of his characters. He single-handedly exposed multiple of his swans scandals, affairs, secrets and regrets to all who read Esquire.
Some readers even believed a character in the chapter was based on Ann Woodward and that he referenced how she “accidentally” shot and killed her husband. Woodward claimed it was an accident and that she believed her husband was an intruder, causing her to fire in a state of panic. A grand jury later ruled it an accident, so she was not charged with a crime, yet Capote felt inclined to write about her “accident.” His chapter caused severe public scrutiny of Woodward to the point that she committed suicide. Many link her death to the fallout surrounding Capote’s writing and the exposure of all the high-society secrets.
Many of Capote’s closest swans, including Babe Paley, cut him off completely. He was completely exiled from the high-society world he had worked his entire life to enter. His identity had become not only tied to his writing but also to his elite circle of women. After this self-inflicted fallout, Capote’s long-standing struggles with alcohol and drugs worsened significantly. He became erratic, appearing on multiple talk shows severely intoxicated, and never finished “Answered Prayers.” He spent much of his later life isolated, moving between friends’ homes and battling both physical and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Truman Capote died on Aug. 25, 1984, primarily from liver disease from his long-term alcohol abuse. Although at the time of his death, there were multiple drugs in his system that contributed to his decline.
