Gore Vidal Books and Movies

Gore Vidal Books and Movies

He constantly was famous during the '50s-'90s, he was all over those eras. He was nominated for a Tony for one of his plays, Nominated for a Primetime Emmy, and got a National Book Award. I remember him mostly as a Novelist, but Mr. Vidal re-wrote many drafts on the shooting script for "Ben-Hur," (the real 1959 one, not the recent "Ben Hur Lite.")

The film was nominated for 12 Oscars, and took home 11. Sole loss was Best Adapted Screenplay, probably because it had a big Credits dispute. Although Gore Vidal re-Wrote (many drafts) with Christopher Fry on the first shooting script, the original Scriptwriter got credit, and Gore Vidal ended up uncredited. Ouch.

He wrote the 1955 TV play upon which Jerry Lewis's "Visit To A Small Planet" was based. (The Teleplay became a 1957 Broadway show that ran for a year, and the resulting Jerry Lewis film was nominated for an Oscar). And some 45 others. He must only have taken breaks from Writing to appear on TV talk shows.

I remember him as constantly on TV, usually making some droll pronouncement, and then plugging a book or film. He even Acted in some. His X-rated 1970 "Myra Breckinridge," with Raquel Welch and Rex Reed, was made from his remarkably depraved and yet oddly best-selling 1968 novel.

Mr. Vidal's book was successful, but that film lost $1.5 million. Production was a trainwreck, Criticism was savage, and it is justifiably considered one of the worst pictures ever made. The Director has never been allowed to make another movie.

During Production, the White House demanded all footage of Shirley Temple be removed from "Myra Breckinridge." Seriously. And Loretta Young also sued to have herself removed from it. When Mr. Vidal heard the Director was now working in a pizza restaurant, he said, "This is proof God exists."

Did he write any other depraved movies? I guess, if you count "Caligula" (1979).

As a Groucho-phile, I know Mr. Vidal wrote a TV show for Groucho, based on an L. Frank Baum book, which was titled "The Magical Monarch of Mo." (Sound familiar? Mr. Baum is better-known for his also-better-known "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.") In 1960, the Groucho TV show didn't get made. Too bad.

Gore Vidal died in 2012, at the age of 86

Here's a nice article by Peter Bogdanovich.

Sam Longoria

Caligula Ben-Hur Rex Reed Gore Vidal Jerry Lewis Raquel Welch Groucho Marx Loretta Young L. Frank Baum Shirley Temple Christopher Fry Gore Vidal Books Myra Breckinridge
Peter Bogdanovich Visit To A Small Planet The Magical Monarch of Mo The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Gore Vidal Books and Movies