BIOGRAPHY: TRUMAN CAPOTE: THE TINY TERROR (TV)
Summary
One in this series of documentaries which examine the
professional and personal lives of a wide range of
individuals, both those in the public eye and those of
historic note. This documentary, narrated by Edward
Hermann, utilizes biographical narration; archival
footage; photographs; and interviews with family
members, friends, historians, and artists in an
examination of the life and career of author Truman
Capote. The program begins with a study of Capote's
early years, covering his birth and childhood in
Monroeville, Alabama; his early love of writing; and his
move to New York at the age of ten to join his mother
and her new husband. Capote's biographer, Gerald
Clarke, and high school classmate Phoebe Pierce
Vreeland talk about Capote's high school years and his
openness about his homosexuality. Then Edward Hermann
takes a look at the way that Capote's writing career
developed, specifically looking at Capote's job as a
copy boy at the New Yorker; the first publication of
Capote's short story "Miriam" in Mademoiselle in 1945;
Life magazine's feature article about Capote, which
noted that he was an up and coming young writer; and the
publication of his first novel, "Other Voices, Other
Rooms." At this point Hermann focuses on the 1940s,
when Capote emerged as the "wonder boy" of
contemporary American literature. Capote's friends Gray
Foy and Ned Roren discuss the relationship between
Capote and his lover, Jack Dunphy, which lasted over
thirty-five years. Next, Hermann looks at the
popularity Capote experienced as a "jet-setter," and
Capote's portrayal of party life in "Breakfast at
Tiffany's." The program then focuses on Capote's work
on his true-crime novel, "In Cold Blood," including:
Capote's investigation of the Kansas murders of Herbert
Clutter and Clutter's family; the arrest, trial, and
conviction of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock for the
murders; Capote's interviews with Smith and Hickock,
and Capote's growing fondness for them; Capote's
presence at Smith's and Hickock's hanging; and the
financial success of Capote's novel. Hermann looks back
on Capote's life in the late 1960s, including the
star-studded "Black and White Ball," which Capote threw
for Katherine Graham, the publisher of the Washington
Post; the scandal surrounding the release of parts of
Capote's unreleased novel, "Answered Prayers"; and his
rapid decline in popularity. In addition, the program
chronicles Capote's downfall, which occurred through the
1970s and early 1980s, including Capote's constant
appearance at "Studio 54," his addiction to alcohol and
cocaine, the failure of his relationship with Jack
Dunphy, Capote's arrest for drunk driving in 1976, and
his inebriety during his appearance on "The Stanley
Siegel Show." The program also covers Capote's death
from liver disease at the age of fifty-nine.
Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by The
Marc Haas and Helen Hotze Haas Foundations, 2000.
Details
- NETWORK: A&E
- DATE: November 30, 1996
- RUNNING TIME: 0:44:19
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:55009
- GENRE: Arts documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Alcoholism; Crime and criminals; Homosexuality; Writers; LGBT Collection
- SERIES RUN: A&E - TV series, 1987-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Michael Cascio … Executive Producer
- Susan E. Leventhal … Executive Producer
- Deirdre O'Hearn … Producer, Writer
- Allison Ross … Associate Producer
- Erin Lindsay … Researcher
- Edward Hermann … Narrator
- Truman Capote
- Joanne Carson
- Gerald Clarke
- Bonnie Clutter
- Herbert W. Clutter
- Jack Dunphy
- Gray Foy
- Katherine Graham
- C. Z. Guest
- Richard Hickock
- Harold Nye
- George Plimpton
- Ned Roren
- Alan Schwartz
- Stanley Siegel
- Perry Smith
- Phoebe Pierce Vreeland