Acclaimed Playwright and Author Gore Vidal Passes Away at 86

Gore Vidal, the writer recognized as one of the foremost authors and essayists of the last several decades, has passed away at 86 years of age, according to published reports.

In addition to a sequence of novels about American history and satirical novels, Vidal wrote dozens of television plays, film scripts and even three mystery novels under a pseudonym. He has also written over a hundred essays, gathered in several volumes published between 1962 and 2001.

Vidal's career as an essayist culminated in 1993 when he won the National Book Award for "United States: Essays, 1952-1992." His credits as a novelist include: The City and the Pillar, Burr, 1876, Lincoln, Hollywood, The Golden Age, The Judgement of Paris, Messiah, Julian, Washington, D.C., Myra Breckinridge and Duluth.

As a playwright, Vidal's myriad of projects includes Visit to a Small Planet, Romulus, Weekend, The Best Man and An Evening with Richard Nixon; as a screenwriter, his works include Suddenly Last Summer and Is Paris Burning? Vidal also stepped into acting with appearances in the films Gattaca and Bob Roberts.

Vidal is currently represented on Broadway by the star-studded revival of THE BEST MAN, which began a limited run on April 1, was twice extended, and will close on September 9.

Vidal's nephew told the Associated Press that the playwright had passed away due to pneumonia complications on the evening of July 31 at his home in Los Angeles.