The Juicy True Story Behind Feud: Capote vs. The Swans

Once upon a time, Truman Capote flocked among the Swans.

Initially, the author’s sharp gaze and clever jokes from “In Cold Blood” remained intriguing. However, once they became his subject matter, these elements lost some of their entertainment value when the sensational story, previously published in the November 1975 issue of Esquire, began to focus on them.

In a series of events that unfolded, I found myself gradually losing my footing in the grand society I once graced. The glamorous figures who used to be my companions began to shun me, and for multiple reasons, my status within New York’s high society – as well as my distinguished career – never fully regained its former luster.

Indeed, it appears this tale was specifically designed for a Ryan Murphy-style production. Now, FX/Hulu’s “FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans” has garnered three nominations ahead of the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, set to air on February 7th on TopMob.

In the categories for Limited Series or Television Movies, Tom Hollander is nominated for Best Actor for embodying Capote, Naomi Watts is contending for Best Actress for her role as the ailing fashion icon Barbara “Babe” Paley, and Treat Williams’ portrayal of her second husband, CBS chief executive William Paley, has resulted in a posthumous nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

The highly anticipated second season of the Murphy anthology series “Feud” draws inspiration from Lawrence Leamer’s 2021 book titled “Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Farewell to an Epoch.

The storyline didn’t require many additional dramatic elements, as it was already filled with such richness and heart-wrenching events. Moreover, its visually stunning aesthetic made for a perfect opportunity to recreate it – the show earned an Emmy in September for Outstanding Period Costumes in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

These are the details that made Feud: Capote vs. The Swans so fit for the telling:

Truman Capote is renowned for writing fiction, including his 1958 novella, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which was turned into the timeless film starring Audrey Hepburn. However, it was his contributions to new journalism and what he referred to as the “nonfiction novel” that truly made his name famous. He believed he originated these genres.

Apart from being a childhood friend of Harper Lee, he was also the inspiration behind the odd playmate characters Dill, Scout, and Jem in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” This friendship led Lee to accompany him to Holcomb, Kansas, where they researched the events that would eventually become Truman Capote’s famous novel, “In Cold Blood,” which details the chilling 1959 murder of the Clutter family.

Stepping into the limelight following the resounding success of my novel, “In Cold Blood,” which was later adapted into a film, I hosted the legendary Black & White Ball in 1966 – an event that marked the social highlight of the year. Subsequently, I transformed into a bona fide celebrity and graced the stages of shows such as Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, made frequent appearances on The Tonight Show (a total of 19 times), and even had a brief role in the movie Annie Hall.

Additionally, it is noteworthy that he became highly sought after among the elite of New York society and was particularly cherished by the women who appreciated him for his rambunctious sense of humor and trusted him as a close friend.

However, despite the strained relationship they had, Capote’s eventual decline has been attributed to two factors: firstly, the ethical dilemmas he found himself in while writing In Cold Blood, and secondly, the burden of expectations, both personal and professional, that arose from its groundbreaking success.

In essence, Hollander stated to Variety that his captivating storytelling act, characterized by wit, intelligence, and charm, became overwhelmingly exhausting for him. Additionally, he found himself struggling to maintain the self-discipline necessary for genuine writing, where one is solitary at a desk with a typewriter. Such a lifestyle can be isolating.

Kindred birds tend to gather in groups. Similarly, Truman Capote referred to the sophisticated, elegantly styled and influential women’s circle he socialized with as his “swans.”

This version maintains the original meaning while providing a clearer explanation of the idiom and contextually connecting it to Capote’s specific group of friends.

In the television series FX’s FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans, Babe Paley, played by Naomi Watts, was a fashion editor at Vogue prior to marrying her second husband, Bill Paley, who ran CBS for over half a century starting from when it was merely a radio station, in 1947. They remained together until her death due to cancer at the age of 63 in 1978.

Nancy “Slim” Keith, formerly known as Diane Lane, was once a cover girl for Harper’s Bazaar. She was married to director Howard Hawks, and it’s suggested she played a role in casting an unknown teenager named Lauren Bacall in the film “The Big Sleep”. However, it wasn’t until her third marriage in 1962 to Kenneth Keith, Baron Keith of Castleacre, that she gained nobility. The union ended in 1972.

Calista Flockhart delightfully portrayed Lee Radziwill, a socialite who earned the title ‘queen bee’. Notably, she was Jacky Kennedy’s younger sister and a prominent figure in her own right. Lee married thrice, retaining the surname of her second husband, Prince Stanislaw Albrecht Radziwill. Interestingly, she had a romantic connection with Aristotle Onassis, who later became Jackie Kennedy’s second spouse.

Fundamentally, as she shared with Vanity Fair, Flockhart expressed that Lee was striving to excel at something remarkable. She was in competition with her sibling, yearning to stand out as unique.

Moreover, Capote seemingly aided her pursuit. He connected her with an agent and fostered her acting journey, persisting even amidst persistently unfavorable critiques.

She consented to write a television version of the timeless film noir “Laura” for her to portray (credited as “Lee Bouvier,” her birth name). The compelling aspect being that the main character doesn’t appear until later in the movie. However, the process was fraught with difficulty and the critiques of her acting performance essentially marked the end of her career on stage.

Chloe Sevigny, formerly known as Lucy Douglas “C.Z.” Guest, was a multitalented woman who frequently graced best-dressed lists, much like her elegant peers. Ernest Hemingway served as the best man at her 1947 wedding to Winston Frederick Churchill Guest, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor acted as godparents to their two children.

Instead of parting ways with Winston, her sole spouse, like many other birds do, she remained wedded to him till his demise in 1982.

Among the intricate layers of controversy in this group was widow Ann Woodward (Demi Moore), a model and actress who gained entry into high society through her marriage to banking heir William Woodward Jr. Despite mingling with the elite, she did so under the shadow of speculation that she had murdered her spouse.

In 1955, she allegedly fired a fatal shot at their Oyster Bay estate, claiming it was a mistake as she thought he was an intruder. However, the incident was eventually deemed an accidental death by the authorities.

Capote’s highly anticipated sequel to his 1966 work, “In Cold Blood,” which had earned him a $25,000 advance from Random House, was significantly delayed, with the delay stretching over several years.

Even before the book was read by anyone, it was widely known – thanks to Capote’s own revelations – that the subject of the book he was writing was the exclusive circle of the extremely wealthy. His editor, Joseph M. Fox, had confirmed this. Moreover, the author had pledged nothing short of penning “the masterpiece of the era.

During that period, he also published short stories and articles in magazines, as well as books containing works written primarily in the 1940s and 1950s. The deadline for his upcoming novel was repeatedly delayed, first from 1973 to 1974, then to 1977, and eventually to March 1, 1981.

From 1968 to 1972, I was utterly engrossed, immersing myself in the endless task of reading, sifting through, reworking, and cataloguing my own letters, as well as those of others, spanning from 1943 to 1965. It was during this period that I poured my heart into crafting the preface for my unfinished masterpiece, which later became the story collection Music for Chameleons, published in 1980.

He titled the book “Answered Prayers“, stating that this was inspired by a quote from St. Thérèse: “More emotions are stirred by answered prayers than unanswered ones.” Moreover, he mentioned that the characters were modeled after real individuals and he aimed to reveal truths, not create fictional personas. His objective was “to strip away masks, not concoct them.

In September 1977, I took a pause from my work, not because I had second thoughts about the topic at hand, but instead, I felt unsatisfied with the quality and feel of the writing itself.

His critics circa 1975 had agreed.

Fox unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Capote against releasing excerpts in Esquire. Despite this, a piece titled “Mojave” was eventually published and generated quite the buzz (originally intended as the second chapter of Answered Prayers, it ended up being published separately within Music for Chameleons)).

However, when it was published in the November 1975 magazine issue, the bold and revealing “La Côte Basque, 1965” – resembling a daring confession more than a brief excerpt from a novel by one of America’s most respected authors – caused quite a stir within the close-knit society that Truman Capote intended to depict. This is as stated in the Editor’s Note of Answered Prayers‘ 1987 second edition.

In the end, Esquire’s payment of $25,000 for the exclusive rights didn’t even come close to compensating for what Capote had actually lost.

In his writing, Fox expressed that nearly all the friends he knew abandoned him due to his habit of spreading stories from school that were only subtly disguised, and some of these friends refused to ever communicate with him again.

In a different wording, Slim Keith, later known as Lady Keith of Castleacre, served as the model for the character “Lady Ina Coolbirth.” This character was described as a lively, expansive woman who, during lunch with Capote’s stand-in “P.B. Jones” at the actual Manhattan restaurant La Côte Basque, ordered a meal that required time to prepare. This gave her ample opportunity to indulge in Cristal champagne while they waited.

Ina informs P.B. that she is traveling to Mexico to finalize a divorce. She acknowledges needing a partner but also understands why, at her age, one might choose to establish a relationship with another woman – for companionship and appreciation.

Ann Woodward, under the name “Ann Hopkins,” faced a great deal of harsh treatment. Lady Ina labeled her as a “vagrant” and an “alleged murderer,” even though her husband’s death was determined to be an accident, she implied that Ann had intentionally killed him with premeditation. She continued to speak negatively about the matter.

As I reflect on the two remarkable women, I can’t help but acknowledge that Lee Radziwill, in her own right, was indeed a flawless embodiment, much like P.B. described. Furthermore, Lady Ina often found herself drawing parallels between her and her alluring elder sister, highlighting their shared grace and charm.

In the given scene, Capote didn’t change Mrs. William S. Paley’s name, who dined with her sister. Interestingly, he calls the woman who enters the restaurant, a former governor’s wife, a “homely beast.” However, it’s later disclosed that this former first lady had an affair with Mr. William S. Paley. (It should be noted that Capote referred to him as “Sidney Dillon“) in the narrative.

Known by her actual name is Glorida Vanderbilt, who was the spouse of Wyatt Emory Cooper (Anderson Cooper’s father) at that time. During lunch, Capote’s fictional character overhears a conversation between Walter Matthau’s second wife, Carol Marcus Saroyan Matthau (who had previously been married to William Saroyan), and they chattered about various topics, including Oona O’Neill Chaplin, decades-younger wife of Charlie Chaplin, being pregnant again.

Later on, in a bold statement, Capote remarked about the spilled tea incident, as reported by Fox: “What did they presume? I am a writer, and I draw from all experiences. Were they under the impression that I was only there to amuse them?

After their falling out following his controversial actions, it’s reported that Babe Paley did not have any further communication with Capote until her passing in 1978.

Despite occasionally running into him, Slim Keith chose not to acknowledge him any longer, as she confided to George Plimpton during an oral history for Vanity Fair. (It should be noted that Slim remained a loyal friend to Babe, and there’s no proof that the romantic entanglement between her and Bill, portrayed in Feud, actually occurred.)

In the month preceding the publication of “La Côte Basque, 1965,” which occurred in November 1975, Ann Woodward ended her life by her own means.

In contrast, during his lifetime, C.Z. Guest was the sole individual who forgave Capote for his transgressions.

In simpler terms, Lee Radziwill stated in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2012 that it was actually Truman Capote who had been exploited by the women who abandoned him, rather than the other way around.

She pondered, “I believe he wasn’t aware of the consequences of his actions, given how heavily it affected him financially. This incident led to a relapse in his drinking habits. The dread of not being able to write ever again followed closely, which set off a chain of unfortunate events.

Lee mentioned that they grew distant due to his excessive drinking. “We simply lost touch with one another,” she explained. “I never truly forgot about him, but we didn’t cross paths anymore because he became incoherent. It was a tragic situation.” She passed away in 2019.

Alcohol and drug abuse hastened Capote’s death at 59 on Aug. 25, 1984.

Joanne Carson, also known as Molly Ringwald, served as the second wife of Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, was a trusted confidante who offered a sanctuary for Truman Capote at her Los Angeles residence when his East Coast lifestyle fell apart. It was in her guest room where he passed away.

Capote didn’t complete ‘Answered Prayers’ or any other novel following the ‘La Côte Basque’ scandal, even though three chapters supposedly penned by him (he stated he wrote more) were published after his death in 1986.

As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but ponder over Fox’s assertion in his 1987 Editor’s Note. He suggested that Capote might have been unable to pen another word of the book due to being crushed by the public and personal reactions to those chapters. This could be partly because he began to understand that it would fall short of the Proustian ideals he had striven for himself.

Even though he continued to be well-known and accepted among many groups throughout his lifetime, those who knew him suggested that Capote might have preferred the refined atmosphere of lunching at La Côte Basque instead.

In time, the wealthy tend to form a united group, regardless of their initial differences, according to Capote in a 1980 interview with Playboy. They will stick together until they perceive it’s safe to act disloyally, at which point no one can be more untrustworthy.

2025-02-07 15:51

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