The Party of the Century
Nearly 60 Years Ago & Harry Benson Was There
![Harry Benson, Christina Ford, Capote Ball, NYC, 1966, Archival pigment photograph](https://s3.amazonaws.com/holdenluntz.com/wp-content/uploads/20240210191358/Christina-Ford-1024x739.jpg)
We remember the time when photography was BLACK & WHITE
We remember when a ball was a THRILLING EVENT
Harry Benson remembers Truman Capote’s BLACK & WHITE BALL
![Harry Benson, Truman and Lee Radziwill, 1966, Archival pigment photograph](https://s3.amazonaws.com/holdenluntz.com/wp-content/uploads/20240210191226/Capote-Ball-Lee-R-and-Truman-1024x884.jpg)
![Harry Benson, Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow at Truman Capote's Black and White Ball, 1966, Archival pigment photograph](https://s3.amazonaws.com/holdenluntz.com/wp-content/uploads/20200625194306/harry-benson_frank-sinatra-and-mia-farrow-at-truman-black-and-white-ball-1024x687.jpeg)
![Harry Benson, Cecil Beaton Getting Off Elevator, 1966, Archival pigment photograph](https://s3.amazonaws.com/holdenluntz.com/wp-content/uploads/20240210191322/Capote-Cecil-Beaton-1024x760.jpg)
![Harry Benson, Susan Stein at Mirror, Capote Ball, NYC, 1966, Archival pigment photograph](https://s3.amazonaws.com/holdenluntz.com/wp-content/uploads/20240210192341/Susan-Stein-1024x739.jpg)
![Harry Benson, Truman and Guest of Honor Kay Graham, Editor of Washington Post Newspaper, Capote Ball, NYC, 1966, Archival pigment photograph](https://s3.amazonaws.com/holdenluntz.com/wp-content/uploads/20240210191124/Capote-Ball-Kay.Truman-705x1024.jpg)
![Lauren Bacall & Jerome Robbins Still Dancing as the Party Winds Down, Capote Ball, NYC, 1966, Archival pigment photograph](https://s3.amazonaws.com/holdenluntz.com/wp-content/uploads/20240210191433/Lauren-Bacall-Jerome-Robbins-1024x824.jpg)
Truman Capote’s Black & White Ball, The Plaza Hotel NYC, 1966
“Everyone wanted to be invited to what is still being called “the party of the century.” It was the hottest ticket in town. It is said that those who were excluded lied, saying they were out of town, rather than admit they weren’t invited. It seemed everyone who was there was famous for one reason or another. The party was given in honor of Kay Graham, owner of the Washington Post, and for the detectives who broke the murder case Capote wrote about in his groundbreaking non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood. Truman was on top of the world.” – Harry Benson