Who Was Ann Woodward?

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Did Ann Woodward get away with murder? It's the question that rocked mid-century New York society so vigorously that Truman Capote decided to resurface the event 20 years after it happened in "La Côte Basque, 1965."

Unlike some of Capote's other Swans, Woodward's life was touched by scandal before he wrote "La Côte Basque 1965." That's because she infamously shot and killed her husband, the banking scion and equestrian William Woodward, Jr. in their Long Island home in 1955, claiming she had mistaken him for a burglar. Life called the tragic event "the shooting of the century," and even though she was exonerated, Woodward would find herself iced out of New York society.

It's perhaps no wonder that Capote first met her not in the U.S., but in St. Moritz, spending time with none other than Claus von Bülow. He'd go on to make the night of her husband's tragic death a major plot point of "La Côte Basque 1965," making an enemy of Woodward, who would die by suicide shortly before the story was released.

Below, is a deep dive into one of the most infamous characters of her era.

Her Pedigree

Woodward was born Evangeline Lucille Crowell in Pittsburg, Kansas on December 12, 1915. Her father was a streetcar conductor, and her mother was a schoolteacher. Small-town life wasn't for Woodward, and she moved to New York City at the age of 22 to work as a model, changing her name to Ann Eden.

In New York, Woodward landed roles as a radio actress and was voted "the Most Beautiful Girl in Radio" in 1940. She also worked as a showgirl at FeFe's Monte Carlo nightclub, where she enchanted the likes of William Woodward St., a wealthy banker from an old-money family. " She was absolutely unlike the women in his circle," Roseanne Montillo writes in Deliberate Cruelty, a book about Woodward and Capote. " It was impossible to resist her eyes—they were the color of the stormy Atlantic. He often frequented [Fefe's nightclub], but when Ann started working there, she made a lasting impression."

Ann proved to be a perfect escape from William Woodward Sr.'s tight social circle, and though he wasn't going to marry her, he showered her with gifts from jewelry, perfumes, and money. Here's where it gets a bit peculiar: William Woodward Sr. couldn't marry Ann, so instead he introduced her to his son, William Woodward Jr..

The two wed in 1943, though not without pushback from high society—including William's mother, society maven Elsie Cryder Woodward. They had two sons together, but their marriage was not a happy one; Woodward asked for a divorce in 1947, but Ann refused.

The Tragedy

In 1955, a string of burglaries occurred in Woodward's neighborhood in Oyster Bay, Long Island. On October 30, 1955, the Woodwards returned to their home from a dinner hosted by financier Florence Tucker Baker in honor of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and retired to their separate bedrooms. Later that night, Ann shot a gun twice killing her husband—who she claimed she thought was a burglar. A Nassau Country grand jury exonerated her, but from then on, she was shunned from New York high society.

Her Relationship with Truman Capote

Following the shooting, Ann and her children moved in with her mother-in-law but eventually left for Europe in an attempt to keep a low profile. Here's where sympathizers may scratch their heads: Capote first met Ann Woodward in St. Moritz, Switzerland, a place hardly known for its discretion.

Capote and Woodward's relationship was never a cordial one. Woodward's history compelled Capote to introduce himself to her, and they ended the conversation with Woodward calling Capote a slur. Capote then called her "Mrs. Bang Bang."

Woodward's insult to Capote fueled his incentive to bad mouth her upon his return to New York, and later the two would have hostile encounters when their paths crossed. In "La Côte Basque 1965," a character named Ann Hopkins, a thinly veiled Woodward, was described as a gold digger who shoots her husband, which fueled a new wave of gossip. Woodward took her own life at the age of 59, shortly before the excerpt was published. "She shot my son, and Truman just murdered her, and so now I suppose we don't have to worry about that anymore," her mother-in-law reportedly said in regards to her death.

You Might Also Like

• 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion

• 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game