Larry McMurtry, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, is best recognized for his literary works such as ‘Terms of Endearment,’ ‘The Last Picture Show,’ ‘Lonesome Dove,’ and ‘Horseman, Pass By.’ Several of his works have been adapted into feature films and television series in the United States. Film adaptations of his works include ‘Hud’, ‘Lovin’ Molly’, ‘Texasville’, and ‘The Evening Star’. He has also found success as a screenwriter, whether for television or feature films. ‘Montana’ is one such piece, while ‘Falling from Grace’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’ are screenplays. Indeed, ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ directed by Ang Lee, was deemed to be exceptionally well-written, earning the author the renowned ‘Academy Award’ and ‘Golden Globe’. He is also recognized for ‘Terms of Endearment,’ a storyline that earned the film adaption a ‘Oscar.’ This prolific author is also well-known for his bookstore, ‘Booked Up,’ which, with its enormous collection of rare books, has given him the reputation as an avid book collector. He has won numerous honors, the most prestigious being the ‘Pulitzer Prize’ for his novel ‘Lonesome Dove.’
Childhood & Adolescence
Larry Jeff McMurtry was born on June 3, 1936, in Archer City, Texas, to William Jefferson and Hazel Ruth. He was raised on a farm on the outskirts of Archer City as a child.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from the ‘University of North Texas’ in 1958. He earned his master’s degree from ‘Rice University’ in Houston, Texas, two years later.
Larry McMurtry’s Career
Wallace Stegner, an American novelist, taught McMurtry, along with other authors such as Robert Stone, Ken Kesey, and Gordon Lish, the technique of fiction writing at ‘Stanford University’ in 1960.
He published his first book, ‘Horseman, Pass By,’ the following year, a fiction about life on a farm.
The novel was later adapted into the 1963 film ‘Hud,’ starring Paul Newman and Patricia Neal.
McMurtry wrote the novel ‘Leaving Cheyenne’ in 1963, which was later made into the film ‘Lovin’ Molly’.
In 1964, he was awarded a ‘Guggenheim Fellowship’ for his contribution to literature. Simultaneously, the celebrated novelist taught English at ‘Rice University.
In 1966, the prolific author published ‘The Last Picture Show,’ which was adapted into a film of the same name. Timothy Bottoms and Jeff Bridges starred in the film as Sonny Crawford and Duane Jackson, respectively.
He wrote fiction and non-fiction works between 1968 and 1974, including ‘In A Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas’, ‘Moving On, ‘All My Friends Are Going To Be Strangers, and ‘It’s Always We Rambled’.
Simultaneously, in 1970, he co-founded ‘Booked Up,’ a used bookstore.
In 1975, he published the novel ‘Terms of Endearment,’ which, like his previous works, was adapted into a film starring Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson.
Between 1978 and 1983, the renowned author published further works such as ‘Someone’s Darling,’ ‘The Desert Rose,’ and ‘Cadillac Jack,’ all of which were well-received by readers and reviewers.
Larry published the novel ‘Lonesome Dove’ two years later, in 1985. The novel served as the inspiration for a television series of the same name.
He wrote the novel ‘Texasville’ in 1987, which was adapted into a film as a follow-up to ‘The Last Picture Show’. The next year, the talented author opened a second location of his bookstore, ‘Booked Up,’ in Archer City. The second location of ‘Booked Up’ is home to almost 450000 rare secondhand books.
‘Some Can Whistle’ and ‘Buffalo Girls’ were both published by renowned novelists between 1989 and 1990. The latter has been adapted into a television series of the same name. Larry McMurtry also penned the screenplay for the television film ‘Montana.’
In 1992, he penned ‘The Evening Star,’ which was adapted into another film. The next year, he wrote the screenplay for the film ‘Falling from Grace,’ starring American rocker John Mellencamp.
He wrote novels such as ‘Streets of Laredo’, ‘Dead Man’s Walk’, ‘Comanche Moon’, ‘Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen: Reflections on Sixty and Beyond, and ‘Duane’s Depressed’ throughout the next decade.
Additionally, the American author wrote two biographies, ‘Crazy Horse: A Life’ and ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’, the latter of which is based on the life of gangster Charles Floyd and contains elements of fiction.
In 2001, the ‘New York Review Books’ published a collection of articles titled ‘Sacagawea’s Nickname’ by this renowned author. The book included not only essays but also book reviews and other articles.
He wrote the novels Sin Killer, The Wandering Hill, By Sorrow’s River, and Folly and Glory between 2002 and 2004.
McMurtry and Diana Ossana co-wrote the screenplay for Ang Lee’s 2005 film ‘Brokeback Mountain’.
He released many works of fiction between 2007 and 2014, including ‘When the Light Goes,’ Books: A Memoir, Rhino Ranch: A Novel, Custer, and The Last Kind Words Saloon. Additionally, unable to compete with the internet surge in the sale of books, he was forced to close ‘Booked Up’ and auction off his collection during this time period.
His Significant Works
This writer is most known for his cooperation with Diana Ossana on the cinema adaptation of E. Annie Proulx’s short story ‘Brokeback Mountain.’ Ang Lee, a Taiwanese-American director, directed the picture, which stars Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Awards and Accomplishments
In 1962, he received the ‘Jesse H. Jones Award’ from the ‘Texas Institute of Letters for his work ‘Horseman, Pass By.’
He was later honored with the ‘Amon G. Carter prize for his non-fiction work, ‘Texas: Good Times Gone or Here Again?’ four years later.
In 1967, he earned the ‘Jesse H. Jones Award’ for the novel ‘The Last Picture Show’.
Larry was awarded the ‘Pulitzer Prize’ for his work ‘Lonesome Dove’ in 1985. He received the ‘Jesse H. Jones Award and the ‘Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award’ the following year for the same book.
McMurtry received an ‘Academy Award and a ‘Golden Globe’ in 2006 for co-writing the script for the film ‘Brokeback Mountain with Diana Ossana.
Personal History and Legacies
Larry McMurtry married Jo Ballard Scott in 1959 and they had a son, James, who is a singer-songwriter. The pair, however, divorced after nearly seven years of marriage.
On April 29, 2011, the famed author married Norma Faye Kesey. Norma was previously married to Ken Kessey, a friend of McMurtry’s, before the latter’s death.
Estimated Net worth
Larry is one of the wealthiest screenwriters and is featured on the list of the most popular screenwriters. Larry McMurtry’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, based on our analysis of Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
Instead of thanking the family during the 2006 ‘Golden Globe award ceremony, an American writer who won in the category of ‘Best Screenplay’ followed the unconventional route and mentioned his ‘Hermes 3000’ typewriter.