Truman Capote, born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 30, 1924, was a famous American writer of short stories, novels, plays, and non-fiction. Capote is most remembered for In Cold Blood, a “non-fiction novel” based on the murder of the Clutter family on November 15, 1959.
Harold Halma photo of Truman Capote on back of Other Voices, Other Rooms
Born Truman Streckfus Persons, Capote grew up in Monroeville, Alabama.He was an avid reader and writer even before he entered first grade.After graduating from high school, he received a job writing for The New Yorker.His most famous works are In Cold Blood, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Other Voices, Other Rooms.In Capote’s later life, he had multiple drug problems which led to the revoking of his license, hallucinations from a shrunken brain, and ultimately his death on August 26, 1984.
Richard "Dick" Hickock
Left: Perry Smith Right: Richard "Dick" Hickock
Richard Hickock, born June 6, 1931 in Kansas City, was one of the two murderers of four members of the Clutter family. Richard was raised in a normal family with loving parents. After graduating from high school, Richard had three children with his wife, Carol Bryan, and one with Margaret Edna. Dick had become somewhat of a thief after high school, and he was sent to Lansing Prison for writing bad checks. There, he met Floyd Wells, who told Dick about the Clutters. Wells told Richard that he believed that Mr. Clutter kept a safe with $10,000 in his house. Richard subsequently hatched a plan to travel to Kansas, rob the safe, and "leave not witnesses." In Lansing Prison, Dick also met Perry Smith, his future partner for the murders. Together, they would travel to Kansas and murder four members of the Clutter family, Mr. Herbert Clutter, Mrs. Bonnie Clutter, 16 year old Nancy Clutter, and 15 year old Kenyon Clutter. The murders, the trial, and the hangings eventually became Capote's story for In Cold Blood. Richard Hickock was a self-acclaimed pedophile, and was fought by Perry Smith for wanting to rape pre-pubescent girls.
Perry Smith
Perry Smith was born October 28, 1928 in Huntington, Nevada. Smith's life was one of terrible tragedy. His father abused his wife and four kids, and his mother was a terrible alcoholic. After his mother died, Smith was sent to live in a Catholic orphanage. According to Smith, he was abused by a nun for wetting the bed. Later, he lived in a Salvation Army orphanage, where one of the caretakers tried to drown him. In his teens, Perry was sent back to his father. Two of Perry's siblings committed suicide as a result of their upbringing, and Perry's sister, Barbara, cut off all contact with Perry. Smith worked as a car painter, and he used the money to buy a motorcycle. During a race, Smith crashed into a car and his legs were permanently disfigured and painful. As a result, Smith became an addict to aspirin. In jail, he met with Richard Hickock and agreed to join him in the robbing and murdering of the Clutter family. Perry Smith had unusual, child-like tendencies that lent him a sociopathic nature. Before killing Mr. and Kenyon Clutter with shotgun blasts to the head, Smith gave them a mattress and a pillow to make sure they were comfortable.
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote and his best friend, Harper Lee, traveled to Holcomb, Kansas together in 1959 to investigate the murder of the Clutter family. Over the next few years, Lee and Capote conducted interviews with everyone involved, from the murderers to Nancy's boyfriend. Capote never took notes during interviews, instead writing down quotes afterwards. He claimed he had 94% memory retention. In Cold Blood was published by Random House in 1966, and it was an instant international success. Capote was accused of fabricating some events in the novel and for wanting the death of Smith and Hickock so that his novel would have a good ending.
Truman Capote and In Cold Blood
Truman Capote, born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 30, 1924, was a famous American writer of short stories, novels, plays, and non-fiction. Capote is most remembered for In Cold Blood, a “non-fiction novel” based on the murder of the Clutter family on November 15, 1959.Table of Contents
Life of Capote
Born Truman Streckfus Persons, Capote grew up in Monroeville, Alabama. He was an avid reader and writer even before he entered first grade. After graduating from high school, he received a job writing for The New Yorker. His most famous works are In Cold Blood, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Other Voices, Other Rooms. In Capote’s later life, he had multiple drug problems which led to the revoking of his license, hallucinations from a shrunken brain, and ultimately his death on August 26, 1984.Richard "Dick" Hickock
Perry Smith
Perry Smith was born October 28, 1928 in Huntington, Nevada. Smith's life was one of terrible tragedy. His father abused his wife and four kids, and his mother was a terrible alcoholic. After his mother died, Smith was sent to live in a Catholic orphanage. According to Smith, he was abused by a nun for wetting the bed. Later, he lived in a Salvation Army orphanage, where one of the caretakers tried to drown him. In his teens, Perry was sent back to his father. Two of Perry's siblings committed suicide as a result of their upbringing, and Perry's sister, Barbara, cut off all contact with Perry. Smith worked as a car painter, and he used the money to buy a motorcycle. During a race, Smith crashed into a car and his legs were permanently disfigured and painful. As a result, Smith became an addict to aspirin. In jail, he met with Richard Hickock and agreed to join him in the robbing and murdering of the Clutter family. Perry Smith had unusual, child-like tendencies that lent him a sociopathic nature. Before killing Mr. and Kenyon Clutter with shotgun blasts to the head, Smith gave them a mattress and a pillow to make sure they were comfortable.In Cold Blood
Truman Capote and his best friend, Harper Lee, traveled to Holcomb, Kansas together in 1959 to investigate the murder of the Clutter family. Over the next few years, Lee and Capote conducted interviews with everyone involved, from the murderers to Nancy's boyfriend. Capote never took notes during interviews, instead writing down quotes afterwards. He claimed he had 94% memory retention. In Cold Blood was published by Random House in 1966, and it was an instant international success. Capote was accused of fabricating some events in the novel and for wanting the death of Smith and Hickock so that his novel would have a good ending.