Donald Spoto (1941-2023), noted biographer, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded June 18, 1997 while on tour for “Notorious: The Life of Ingrid Bergman.”
The legendary biographer Donald Spoto died on February 11th, 2023 at the age of 81. Among his works were biographies of Alfred Hitchcock, Marlene Dietrich, Tennessee Williams, Lawrence Olivier, the House of Windsor, James Dean and several others.
This is the first of three interviews about his subjects and about the art of biography. The second interview was conducted a year later for The Hidden Jesus: A New Life. The third and final interview was recorded in 2000 for Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, A Life. Later biographies focused on Francis of Assisi, Alan Bates, Grace Kelly and the Redgraves. His final biography, published in 2016 focused on the life of actress Teresa Wright.
Digitized, remastered and edited on April 1, 2023. This interview has not been heard since its original 1997 broadcast.