Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry, known for his tales set in Texas, passed away March 15. He was 84.
Robert Duvall, left, and Tommy Lee Jones in Lonesome Dove
McMurtry may be best known for the acclaimed 1989 TV miniseries “Lonesome Dove.” Based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about two saddle-weary former Texas Rangers on a last-roundup cattle drive, “Lonesome Dove” won Golden Globe Awards for Best Miniseries or Television Film and Best Actor for lead Robert Duvall for his portrayal of “Gus” McCrae.
McMurtry also co-wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-winning feature film “The Last Picture Show” (1971), a coming-of-age drama about a group of high school students in a small North Texas town. It won a total of eight Oscars, including one for best screenplay, which McMurtry shared with director Peter Bogdanovich.
Timothy Bottoms, left, and Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepard in The Last Picture Show
McMurtry contributed to the screenplay for the feature film “Terms of Endearment” (1983) and its sequel, “The Evening Star” (1996), based on a McMurtry novel. Both films are dramas about dealing with the highs and lows in life.
Jake Gyllenhaal, left, and Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain
Other notable contributions include “Streets of Laredo,” a follow-up to “Lonesome Dove,” which co-starred Tommy Lee Jones with Duvall. Both won critical and popular acclaim. McMurtry later penned two “Lonesome Dove” prequels, “Dead Man’s Walk” (1995) and “Comanche Moon” (1997), which were also adapted as TV series.
McMurtry also received an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay for “Brokeback Mountain” (2006) with Diana Ossana. Director Ang Lee took top honors for Best Director
