Character dossier

Perry Smith

Perry

A deeply damaged, sensitive young man is driven by a lifetime of horrific abuse and a tragic need for validation to commit a senseless, brutal murder.

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The dossier

The tragic killer of Holcomb

Perry Smith is a mass of contradictions. He is a talented artist and musician who dreams of finding buried treasure, yet he possesses a deeply ingrained, explosive capacity for unspeakable violence.

Robert Blake’s portrayal in the 1967 film is a masterclass in quiet, terrifying melancholy. He captures Perry’s desperate need for connection and his tragic, fatal reliance on the far more ruthless Dick Hickock.

He is one of the most studied figures in American true crime. Perry forces the audience into an uncomfortable space of profound empathy for a man who committed a truly unforgivable act.

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Character facts

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Appears in: Capote
Portrayed by: Clifton Collins Jr.
Also known as: Perry

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Clifton Collins Jr.

Capote

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