Truman Capote’s 1966 Black & White Ball at The Plaza Hotel With Photos!

Remind Staff
Author Truman Capote, host of a private party for 450, arrives at the Hotel Plaza holding hands with Mrs. Katherine Graham, the guest of honor. Mrs. Graham is the president of the Washington Post and Newsweek Magazine.
Bettmann/Getty

The infamous Black and White Ball, put on by Truman Capote on November 28, 1966, was recreated for episode 3 of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. The real ball was held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in honor of The Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham (pictured above). Now at the height of his popularity, he wanted to throw a lavish party. Capote had previously attended a black and white ball in 1964 for his friend Dominick Dunne’s tenth wedding anniversary. He said he was also inspired by the Ascot scene in My Fair Lady for the theme.

Socialite Lee Radziwill and Truman Capote

28th November 1966: American socialite Lee Radziwill and American writer Truman Capote (1924 - 1984) pose together in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel during Capote's Black-and-White Ball in honor of publisher Kay Graham.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Graham once shared about how Capote chose her as the guest of honor, “Truman called me up that summer and said, ‘I think you need cheering up. And I’m going to give you a ball.’…I was…sort of baffled….I felt a little bit like Truman was going to give the ball anyway and that I was part of the props.” He admittedly didn’t want to throw the party for himself because he thought his society friends would find that vulgar. He chose the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel in New York City because he had long admired the hotel, even using it as scenery in his books.

 

Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Eunice Kennedy and Sarget Shrive

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 28: Arthur Schlesinger Jr-Eunice Kennedy-Sarget Shriver at Truman Capote BW Ball on November 28, 1966 in New York, New York.

Santi Visalli/Getty Images

Capote spent $16,000 on the ball, which would equate to around $150,000 in today’s dollars. He reportedly carried a notebook around for months, adding and deleting names from the guest list. Eventually, the invitations were sent and big stars such as Mia Farrow and Henry Fonda were in attendance. He carefully created the list based on actors, politicians, journalists, socialites, writers, artists, and other groups of famous people. It was truly the thing to attend that year.

 

Henry Fonda and his fifth wife, Shirlee Mae Adams

28th November 1966: American actor Henry Fonda (1905 - 1982) and his fifth wife, Shirlee Mae Adams, at Truman Capote's Black-and-White Ball in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel, New York City. They are dressed formally and carry eyemasks.

Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images

 

Reporters swarm Frank Sinatra and his wife, actress Mia Farrow

Reporters swarm Frank Sinatra and his wife, actress Mia Farrow, as they arrive at Truman Capote's Black and White Ball. The some considered the party, held at the Plaza in New York City, to be the biggest social event of the year.

Bettmann/Getty

 

Actress Joan Fontaine with Dr Benjamin Kean

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 28: Joan Fontaine with Dr Benjamin Kean Truman Capote BW Ball on November 28, 1966 in New York, New York.

Santi Visalli/Getty Images

 

Famed publisher Natalia Danese Murray

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 28: Mrs Natalia Danese Murray at Truman Capote BW Ball on November 28, 1966 in New York, New York.

Santi Visalli/Getty Images

 

Capote dances with Wendy Vanderbilt. To the left, Katherine Graham and to the right, actress Lauren Bacall.

American novelist, short story writer, and playwright Truman Capote (1924 - 1984) (center) dances with Wendy Vanderbilt (later Lehman) at his Black-and-White Ball held in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel, New York, New York, November 28, 1966. To the left, American publisher Katherine Graham (1917 - 2001), publisher of the Washington Post and Capote's guest of honor dances with an unidentified man. To the right, American actress Lauren Bacall dances with American dancer and choreographer Jerome Robbins (1918 - 1988).

Express Newspapers/Getty Images

 

Watch the eight-episode limited series on FX and Hulu.

Hollywood's Nastiest Feuds
Want More?

Hollywood's Nastiest Feuds

November 2017

Between gossip and scandals Hollywood has a long history of it!

Buy This Issue
More Of This:
FeudFrank SinatraHenry FondaLauren BacallMia FarrowTruman Capote