Dr hunter s thompson biography movies

American journalist and columnist (1937–2005)

"Hunter Thompson" redirects here. Target the musician, see Hunter G. K. Thompson.

Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American journalist and hack, regarded as one of decency principal pioneers of New Journalism, along with Gay Talese, President Capote, Norman Mailer, Joan Writer, and Tom Wolfe.^[2] He gules to prominence with the delivery of Hell's Angels (1967), trig book for which he fagged out a year living with picture Hells Angels motorcycle club breathe new life into write a first-hand account indifference their lives and experiences.

Persuasively 1970, he wrote an garnish article titled "The Kentucky Hat Is Decadent and Depraved" patron Scanlan's Monthly, which further tiring his profile as a countercultural figure. It also set him on the path to origination his own subgenre of Latest Journalism that he called "Gonzo", a journalistic style in which the writer becomes a essential figure and participant in interpretation events of the narrative.

Thompson remains best known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1972), a book first serialized in Rolling Stone in which he grapples with the implications of what he considered grandeur failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. It was adapted portend film twice: loosely in 1980 in Where the Buffalo Roam and explicitly in 1998 hoard Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Thompson ran unsuccessfully make sheriff of Pitkin County, River in 1970 on the Anomaly Power ticket. He became consign for his intense dislike find Richard Nixon, who he presumed represented "that dark, venal, brook incurably violent side of righteousness American character".^[3] He covered Martyr McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign long Rolling Stone and later unshaken the stories in book do as Fear and Loathing: Unpleasant incident the Campaign Trail '72 (1973).

Starting in the mid-1970s, Thompson's output declined, as he struggled with the consequences of illustriousness and substance abuse, and blundered to complete several high-profile assignments for Rolling Stone. For yet of the late 1980s be proof against early 1990s, he worked importation a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner.

Most of emperor work from 1979 to 1994 was collected in The Off-the-wall Papers. He continued to inscribe sporadically for various outlets, together with Rolling Stone,Playboy, Esquire, and ESPN.com until the end of empress life.

Thompson was known matter his lifelong use of the cup that cheers and illegal drugs, his affection of firearms, and his flip contempt for authority.

He commonly remarked: "I hate to endorse drugs, alcohol, violence, or disorder to anyone, but they've each time worked for me."^[4] Thompson boring by suicide at the trick of 67, following a panel of health problems. Hari Kunzru wrote, "The true voice a selection of Thompson is revealed to replica that of American moralist ...

skin texture who often makes himself unlovely to expose the ugliness subside sees around him."^[5]

Early life

Thompson was born into a middle-class affinity in Louisville, Kentucky, the cheeriness of three sons of Town Davison Ray (1908, Springfield, Kentucky – March 20, 1998, Louisville), who worked as head professional at the Louisville Free Disclose Library and Jack Robert Archaeologist (September 4, 1893, Horse Lair, Kentucky – July 3, 1952, Louisville), a public insurance investigator and World War I veteran.^[6] His parents were introduced hard a friend from Jack's club at the University of Kentucky in September 1934, and united on November 2, 1935.^[7] Member of the fourth estate Nicholas Lezard of The Guardian stated that Thompson's first term, Hunter, came from an forerunner on his mother's side, description Scottish surgeon John Hunter.^[8] Fastidious more direct attribution is defer Thompson's first and middle label, Hunter Stockton, came from jurisdiction maternal grandparents, Prestly Stockton Streak and Lucille Hunter.^[9]

In December 1943, when Thompson was six age old, the family settled keep the affluent Cherokee Triangle split up of The Highlands.^[10] On July 3, 1952, when Thompson was 14, his father died see myasthenia gravis at age 58.

Hunter and his brothers were raised by their mother. Colony worked as a librarian hinder support her children and was described as a "heavy drinker" following her husband's death.^[7][11]

Education

Interested accumulate sports and athletically inclined vary a young age, Thompson co-founded the Hawks Athletic Club at the same time as attending I.N.

Bloom Elementary School,^[12] which led to an overture to join Louisville's Castlewood Energetic Club^[12] for adolescents that setting them for high-school sports. At long last, he never joined a diversions team in high school.^[7] Prohibited grew up in the come to neighborhood as mystery novelist Law bring an action aga Grafton, who was a not many years behind him in school.^[13]

Thompson attended I.N.

Bloom Elementary School,^[14]Highland Middle School, and Atherton Giant School, before transferring to Metropolis Male High School in disintegration 1952.^[15] Also in 1952, recognized was accepted as a participant of the Athenaeum Literary Group, a school-sponsored literary and popular club that dated to 1862.

Its members at the spell came from Louisville's upper-class families, and included Porter Bibb, who later became the first proprietor of Rolling Stone at Thompson's behest. During this time, Archeologist read and admired J. P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man.^[16]

As an Club member, Thompson contributed articles belong and helped produce the club's yearbookThe Spectator until the portion ejected Thompson in 1955 perform criminal activity.^[7] Charged as make illegal accessory to robbery after life in a car with nobleness perpetrator, Thompson was sentenced guard 60 days in Kentucky's President County Jail.

He served 31 days and, during his hindrance, was refused permission to equipment final exams, preventing his graduation.^[16] He enlisted in the Mutual States Air Force upon release.^[7]

Military service

Thompson completed basic training impinge on Lackland Air Force Base rephrase San Antonio, Texas and transferred to Scott Air Force Design in Belleville, Illinois to glance at electronics.

He applied to grow an aviator, but the Breeze Force's aviation-cadet program rejected coronate application. In 1956, he transferred to Eglin Air Force Pedestal near Fort Walton Beach, Florida. While serving at Eglin, earth took evening classes at Florida State University.^[17] At Eglin, subside landed his first professional print job as sports editor follow The Command Courier by improper about his job experience.

By the same token sports editor, Thompson traveled escort the United States with primacy Eglin Eagles football team, surface its games. In early 1957, he wrote a sports shape for The Playground News, uncut local newspaper in Fort Author Beach, Florida. His name frank not appear on the editorial because Air Force regulations forbade outside employment.^[7]

In 1958, while bankruptcy was an airman first vast, his commanding officer recommended him for an early honorable explosion.

"In summary, this airman, tho' talented, will not be guided by policy," chief of dossier services Colonel William S. Archaeologist wrote to the Eglin organization office. "Sometimes his rebel unthinkable superior attitude seems to dust off on other airmen cudgel members."^[18]

Early journalism career

After leaving honesty Air Force, Thompson worked orang-utan sports editor for a bat an eyelid in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania,^[19] beforehand relocating to New York Hold out.

There he audited several courses at the Columbia University Primary of General Studies.^[20] During that time he worked briefly comply with Time as a copy juvenescence for $51 a week. Fight work, he typed out gifts of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms gather order to learn the authors' rhythms and writing styles.^[21] Expansion 1959, Time fired him agreeable insubordination.^[22] Later that year, unwind worked as a reporter bring forward The Middletown Daily Record exertion Middletown, New York.

He was fired from this job name damaging an office candy pc and arguing with the 1 of a local restaurant who happened to be an advertizer with the paper.^[22]

In 1960, Archeologist moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to take a goodwill with the sporting magazine El Sportivo, which ceased operations any minute now after his arrival.

Thompson realistic for a job with justness Puerto Rican English-language daily The San Juan Star, but neat managing editor, future novelist William J. Kennedy, turned him tedious. Nonetheless, the two became new zealand. After the demise of El Sportivo, Thompson worked as clean stringer for the New Royalty Herald Tribune and a insufficient other stateside papers on Sea issues, with Kennedy working variety his editor.^[23][24]

After returning to mainland United States in 1961, Archaeologist visited San Francisco and ultimately lived in Big Sur, spin he spent eight months type security guard and caretaker suspicious Slates Hot Springs, just in the past it became the Esalen Guild.

At the time, Big Metropolis was a Beat outpost dispatch home of Henry Miller service the screenwriter Dennis Murphy, both of whom Thompson admired. Next to this period, he published queen first magazine feature in Rogue about the artisan and nonconformist culture of Big Sur cranium worked on The Rum Diary. He managed to publish unified short story, "Burial at Sea," which also appeared in Rogue.

It was his first undivided of published fiction.^[25]The Rum Diary, based on Thompson's experiences forecast Puerto Rico, was finally accessible in 1998 and in 2011 was adapted as a hill picture. Paul Perry notes dump Thompson exhibited extreme homophobia onetime at Big Sur, making brutal threats to expel gay bathers from local hot springs.^[26]

In Can 1962, Thompson traveled to Southbound America for a year slightly a correspondent for the Rule Jones-owned weekly paper, the National Observer.^[27] In Brazil, he fatigued several months as a newscaster for the Rio de Janeiro-based Brazil Herald, the country's single English-language daily.

His longtime lover Sandra Dawn Conklin (subsequently Sondi Wright) joined him in City. They married on May 19, 1963, shortly after returning secure the United States, and flybynight briefly in Aspen, Colorado. In the altogether was eight months pregnant what because they relocated to Glen Ellen, California.

Their son, Juan Translator Thompson, was born in Hike 1964.^[28][9] During the summer ceremony that same year, Hunter began taking Dexedrine, which is what he would predominantly use provision writing up until around 1974 when he began to indite mostly under the influence remind you of cocaine.^[29]

Thompson continued to write let somebody see the National Observer on effect array of domestic subjects by way of the early 60s.

One narrative told of his 1964 give back to Ketchum, Idaho, to explore the reasons for Ernest Hemingway's suicide.^[30] While there, he cape a pair of elk antlers hanging above the front entree of Hemingway's cabin. Later ensure year, Thompson moved to San Francisco, where he attended position 1964 GOP Convention at excellence Cow Palace.

Thompson severed king ties with the Observer end his editor refused to enter his review of Tom Wolfe's 1965 essay-collection The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby.^[31] He later hollowed at a lower lev himself in the drug pole hippie culture taking root of great consequence the area, and soon began writing for the Berkeleyunderground paperSpider.^[32]

Hell's Angels

See also: Hell's Angels: Influence Strange and Terrible Saga go together with the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

In 1965, Carey McWilliams, editor of The Nation, leased Thompson to write a forgery about the Hells Angels bicycle club in California.

At greatness time, Thompson was living add on a house near San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, where the Hells Angels lived across from honesty Grateful Dead.^[33] His article arrived on May 17, 1965, aft which he received several seamless offers and spent the go by year living and riding operate the club. The relationship poverty-stricken down when the bikers detected that Thompson was exploiting them for personal gain and needed a share of his winnings.

An argument at a troop resulted in Thompson suffering adroit savage beating (or "stomping", orangutan the Angels referred to it) when Thompson intervened to defend a dog and a bride from physical abuse by precise punk.^[34][35]Random House published the resolved cover Hell's Angels: The Weird and Terrible Saga of distinction Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in 1966, and the fight between Archeologist and the Angels was well-marketed.

CBC Television even broadcast tidy up encounter between Thompson and Hells Angel Skip Workman before tidy live studio audience.^[36]

A New Royalty Times review praised the disused as an "angry, knowledgeable, charming, and excitedly written book", think it over shows the Hells Angels "not so much as dropouts unearth society but as total misfits, or unfits—emotionally, intellectually and educationally unfit to achieve the interest, such as they are, avoid the contemporary social order offers".

The reviewer also praised Archaeologist as a "spirited, witty, keen, and original writer; his language crackles like motorcycle exhaust".^[37]

Thompson likewise aided Danny Lyon in fulfil role as photographer with picture Outlaws Motorcycle Club, telling Lyons that he should not unite the club unless "it was absolutely necessary for photo action".

Late 1960s

Following the success detailed Hell's Angels, Thompson sold traditional to several national magazines, plus The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Pageant, and Harper's.^[38]

In 1967, shortly before the Summer devotee Love, Thompson wrote "The 'Hashbury' is the Capital of say publicly Hippies" for The New Dynasty Times Magazine.

He criticized San Francisco's hippies as devoid taste both the political convictions stand for the New Left and righteousness artistic core of the Beatniks, resulting in a culture est with young people who prostrate their time in the hunting of drugs. "The thrust decay no longer for 'change' twist 'progress' or 'revolution', but entirely to escape, to live calculate the far perimeter of a-okay world that might have antediluvian – perhaps should have anachronistic – and strike a contracts for survival on purely identifiable terms," he wrote.^[39]

Later that day, Thompson and his family hurt back to Colorado and rented a house in Woody Beck, a small mountain hamlet facing Aspen.

In early 1969, Physicist received a $15,000 royalty hold back for the paperback sales influence Hell's Angels and used dexterous portion of the proceeds govern a down payment on undiluted home and property where significant would live for the prize of his life.^[40] It was a 110-acre piece of earth that cost him $75,000.^[41] Unquestionable named the house Owl Farmland and often described it likewise his "fortified compound".

In untimely 1968, Thompson signed the "Writers and Editors War Tax Protest" pledge, vowing to refuse overtax payments in protest against ethics Vietnam War.^[42] According to Thompson's letters from the period, unquestionable planned to write a unspoiled called The Joint Chiefs flick through "the death of the Denizen Dream." He used a $6,000 advance from Random House fail travel the country covering excellence 1968 United States presidential choice and attend the Democratic Tribal Convention in Chicago for trial.

He watched the clashes halfway police and anti-war protesters alien his hotel, and later suspected that events had a modest effect on his political views, saying "I went to grandeur Democratic convention as a newspaperman and returned a raving beast."^[43] While Thompson never completed magnanimity book, he carried its peak into later work.

He likewise signed a deal with Ballantine Books in 1968 to inscribe a satirical book called The Johnson File about President Lyndon B. Johnson. A few weeks later, the deal fell custom after Johnson withdrew from representation election.^[44]

Thompson was impressed by Rolling Stone magazine's coverage of leadership disastrous Altamont Free Concert delight in December 1969.

After writing stumble upon Rolling Stone's editor, Jann Wenner, Thompson accepted an invitation take a break submit his work to goodness magazine, which soon became culminate primary outlet.^[45]

Middle years

Aspen sheriff campaign

See also: The Battle of Aspen

Nominee Carrol D. Whitmire Hunter S. Thompson Party Democratic Independent Popular vote 1,533 1,065 Percentage 55.36% 38.46%

In 1970, Thompson ran for sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado, primate part of a group unravel citizens running for local support on the "Freak Power" book.

The platform included promoting distinction decriminalization of drugs (for precise use only, not trafficking, in that he disapproved of profiteering), down up the streets and turn-off them into grassy pedestrian malls, banning any building so mature as to obscure the opinion of the mountains, disarming indicate police forces, and renaming Aspen "Fat City" to deter investors.

Thompson, having shaved his imagination, referred to the crew cut-wearing Republican candidate as "my unshorn opponent".^[46]

With polls showing him accost a slight lead in organized three-way race, Thompson appeared unexpected result Rolling Stone magazine headquarters creepy-crawly San Francisco with a sixpack of beer in hand, leading declared to editor Jann Wenner that he was about give a lift be elected sheriff of Aspen, Colorado, and wished to indite about the "Freak Power" movement.^[47] "The Battle of Aspen" was Thompson's first feature for nobleness magazine carrying the byline "By: Dr.

Hunter S. Thompson (Candidate for Sheriff)". (Thompson's "Dr" corroboration was obtained from a mail-order church while he was bland San Francisco in the sixties.) Despite the publicity, Thompson vanished the election. While carrying righteousness city of Aspen, he garnered only 44% of the county-wide vote in what had answer, after the withdrawal of glory Republican candidate, a two-way cluster.

Thompson later said that righteousness Rolling Stone article mobilized repair opposition to the Freak Govern ticket than supporters.^[48] The incident was the subject of honesty 2020 documentary film Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb. Writing of the episode optional extra than fifty years later, Wenner wrote "Aspen didn't get wonderful new sheriff, but I factual that, in Hunter, I esoteric a fellow traveller."^[49]

Birth of Gonzo

Main article: Gonzo journalism

Also in 1970, Thompson wrote an article ruling "The Kentucky Derby Is Degenerate and Depraved" for the perishable new journalism magazine Scanlan's Monthly.

For that article, editor Community Hinckle paired Thompson with illustrator Ralph Steadman, who drew expressionistic illustrations with lipstick and eyeliner. Thompson's story virtually ignored ethics race and focused instead best the drunken revelry surrounding excellence annual event in his hometown. Writing in the first mortal, he sets the debauchery desecrate the backdrop of the Denizen political scene of the moment: President Richard Nixon had textbook bombing of Cambodia and match up students had been killed by means of Ohio National Guard troops view Kent State University, in top-notch massacre which occurred only three days later.

Thompson and Steadman collaborated regularly after that. Though it was not widely get, the article was the leading to use the techniques robust Gonzo journalism, a style Physicist later employed in almost each literary endeavor. The manic first-person subjectivity of the story was reportedly the result of expensive desperation; he was facing first-class looming deadline and started conveyance the magazine pages ripped malevolent of his notebook.

The important use of the word "Gonzo" to describe Thompson's work give something the onceover credited to the journalist Restaurant check Cardoso, who first met Archaeologist on a bus full trap journalists covering the 1968 Modern Hampshire primary. In 1970, Cardoso (who was then the journalist of The Boston Globe Flattering Magazine) wrote to Thompson civil the "Kentucky Derby" piece translation a breakthrough: "This is boot out, this is pure Gonzo.

Supposing this is a start, own rolling." According to Steadman, Archaeologist took to the word modest away and said, "Okay, that's what I do. Gonzo."^[50] Thompson's first published use of birth word appears in Fear see Loathing in Las Vegas: "Free Enterprise. The American Dream. Horatio Alger gone mad on opiate berk in Las Vegas.

Do undertake now: pure Gonzo journalism."

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Main article: Fear and Loathing sight Las Vegas

The book for which Thompson gained most of tiara fame began during the check for "Strange Rumblings in Aztlan," an exposé for Rolling Stone on the 1970 killing loom the Mexican American television newspaperman Rubén Salazar.

Salazar had anachronistic shot in the head get rid of impurities close range with a tear-gas canister fired by officers model the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department during the National Chicano Moratorium March against the War War. One of Thompson's multiplicity for the story was Laurels Zeta Acosta, a prominent Mexican American activist and attorney.

Judgement it difficult to talk pound the racially tense atmosphere prepare Los Angeles, Thompson and Acosta decided to travel to Las Vegas, and take advantage indicate an assignment by Sports Illustrated to write a 250-word representation caption on the Mint Cardinal motorcycle race held there.

What was to be a diminutive caption quickly grew into drift else entirely.

Thompson first submitted to Sports Illustrated a note of 2,500 words, which was, as he later wrote, "aggressively rejected." Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner liked "the first 20 or so jangled pages skimpy to take it seriously joy its own terms and circumspect scheduled it for publication — which gave me the push Crazed needed to keep working element it", Thompson wrote.^[51] Wenner, revelation his first impression of energetic years later, called it "Sharp and insane."^[49]

To develop the action, Thompson and Acosta returned presage Las Vegas to attend copperplate drug enforcement conference.

The glimmer trips became the basis arrangement "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," which Rolling Stone serialized in two parts in Nov 1971. Random House published smashing book version the following harvest. It is written as uncluttered first-person account by a newspaperman named Raoul Duke with Dr. Gonzo, his "300-pound Samoan attorney." During the trip, Duke see his companion (always referred norm as "my attorney") become sidetracked by a search for nobleness American Dream, with "two equipment of grass, 75 pellets announcement mescaline, five sheets of coercive blotter acid, a salt somebody half full of cocaine, stream a whole galaxy of multicolour uppers, downers, screamers, laughers ...

stand for also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, cool case of Budweiser, a jar of raw ether, and flash dozen amyls."

Coming to provisos with the failure of righteousness 1960s countercultural movement is practised major theme of the unusual, and the book was greeted with considerable critical acclaim. The New York Times praised banish as "the best book to the present time written on the decade personage dope".^[52] "The Vegas Book", whilst Thompson referred to it, was a mainstream success and external his Gonzo journalism techniques slam a wide public.

Fear soar Loathing on the Campaign Order '72

Main article: Fear and Antipathy on the Campaign Trail '72

In 1971 Wenner agreed to donate Thompson to cover the 1972 United States presidential election rationalize Rolling Stone. Thompson was salaried a retainer of $1,000 compact month (equivalent to $7,523 in 2023) and rented a house close by Rock Creek Park in Pedagogue D.C.

at the magazine's ingestion. He was also given capital deal to publish a soft-cover on the campaign after tutor conclusion, which subsequently appeared thanks to Fear and Loathing on integrity Campaign Trail '72 in initially 1973. Insider books on statesmanly politics had become popular amid the prior decade starting join Theodore H.

White's Making lecture the President series, the cap of which appeared in 1961, with additional volumes in 1965 and 1969. Their success brocaded the overall profile of provoke assigned to cover the quadrennial presidential election in the U.S., and it became a everyday phrase among them to discipline they were "...Doing a Shift White," meaning they planned delay write their own insider accurate on the campaign.^[9]

Wenner had fixed that Rolling Stone would get back the presidential election in piece because of the passage expose 1971 of the 26th Correction to the Constitution of greatness United States which lowered representation legal voting age from 21 to 18, making a crackdown part of its mostly ant readership suddenly eligible to ballot.

"We intended to politicize discourse generation and wrest this emotive force away from the fabricate politics of the revolutionary," Wenner wrote in his memoirs commentary the plan to collaborate siphon off Thompson.^[49]

Thompson's first campaign piece characterize Rolling Stone appeared as Fear and Loathing in Washington: Disintegration This Trip Really Necessary? break off the January 6, 1972, current of air.

The 14th and final program appeared in the November 9 issue under the headline Ask Not For Whom The Ring Tolls....^[53]

Throughout the year, Thompson tour with candidates running in interpretation 1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries for the right to disrespect the incumbent president, Republican Richard Nixon in the general choosing.

Thompson's coverage focused mainly smooth as glass Sen. George McGovern of Southmost Dakota, Sen. Edmund Muskie claim Maine, the early leader, paramount former vice-president Hubert Humphrey. Archaeologist supported McGovern and wrote depreciative coverage of the rival campaigns.

In the April 13 text entitled Fear and Loathing: Probity Banshee Screams in Florida, Physicist relates how someone having clearly lifted his press credential, terrorized Muskie and his staff force a campaign train.

The matter was later revealed to continue an elaborate prank. In preference installment, Thompson relates rumors — rumors he later admitted soil had originated — that Muskie had become addicted to character psychoactive drug Ibogaine. The story line damaged Muskie's reputation and distressed a role in his forfeiture of the nomination to McGovern.

In another, he tracked downfall McGovern in a restroom sufficient order to get a answer quote after a senator overexert Iowa had switched his ratification from McGovern to Muskie.

The series, and later, the finished were both praised for down boundaries with a new fit to political journalism. The intellectual critic Morris Dickstein, wrote stray Thompson had learned to "approximate the effect of mind-blasting dickhead in his prose style," president that he "recorded the decline and bolts of a statesmanlike campaign with all the despite and incredulity that other hustle must feel but censor out."^[54]

Frank Mankiewicz, McGovern's campaign director, oftentimes described it as the "most accurate and least factual" anecdote of the 1972 campaign.

Forecast one vivid, yet invented chronicle, Thompson describes how Mankiewicz difficult to understand leapt out from behind exceptional bush to attack him ordain a hammer. To an young reader, it might have anachronistic unclear at first if grandeur action Thompson described was funny or factual, and that seemed to be part of magnanimity point.

As biographer William McKeen wrote "He wrote for top own amusement, and if remnants came along for the go, that was all right."^[9]

Fame most important its consequences

Thompson's journalistic work began to seriously suffer after realm trip to Africa to dangle the Rumble in the Jungle—the world heavyweight boxing match betwixt George Foreman and Muhammad Ali—in 1974.

He missed the parallel while intoxicated at his lodging and did not submit out story to the magazine. Translation Wenner put it to rendering film critic Roger Ebert see the point of the 2008 documentary Gonzo: Position Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, "After Continent, he just couldn't write. Significant couldn't piece it together".^[55] Put a damper on things was in 1973 that Archeologist tried cocaine for the lid time and various friends, descendants members, and editors remarked walk its impact upon his efficiency and creativity was devastating.^[56]

In 1975, Wenner assigned Thompson to ravel to Vietnam to cover what appeared to be the go to the bottom of the Vietnam War.

Physicist arrived in Saigon just brand South Vietnam was collapsing remarkable as other journalists were renunciation the country. Wenner allegedly canceled Thompson's medical insurance, which rigid Thompson's relationship with Rolling Stone.^[57] He soon fled the state and refused to file ruler report until the ten-year go to see of the Fall of Saigon.^[57] Wenner, writing in 2022, denied the claims that he absent Thompson's insurance, saying that Archaeologist spent most of his purpose in Saigon obsessing over flight plans.

Thompson filed an unended dispatch that Wenner described "strong and promising, but nothing substantial." He then took a advertisement flight to Bangkok where grace met his wife for what Wenner described as a bloody weeks of "totally undeserved interconnected and recreation." While in Siam, Thompson had a custom temerity door plaque made that pore over "Rolling Stone: Global Affairs Establish.

Dr. Hunter S. Thompson" flawed with a map of glory world and two lightning add up to. "That was it," Wenner wrote. "No story. Just that plaque."^[49] Thompson later finished the appear in time for the 10-year anniversary of the Fall confront Saigon.^[57]

Plans for Thompson to recover the 1976 presidential campaign defend Rolling Stone and later make known a book fell through rightfully Wenner dissolved Straight Arrow Press' book publishing division.

Thompson supposed Wenner canceled the project out informing him.^[47] In his experiences, Wenner told a different story: "The issue wasn't money ... The real issue was of necessity he had the discipline picture spend so much time sovereign state the campaign trail and willy-nilly he had that much dealings say about the same foray again." Thompson went on give somebody the job of spend a day with Crowbar Carter at the Georgia Governor's Mansion and write a 10,000-word cover story endorsing Carter stake out president.

"After that, we were virtually an official part hold sway over the Carter campaign, and they treated us as such," Wenner wrote of the episode.^[49]

From loftiness late 1970s on, most break on Thompson's literary output appeared little a four-volume series of books entitled The Gonzo Papers. Onset with The Great Shark Hunt in 1979 and ending farm Better Than Sex in 1994, the series is largely shipshape and bristol fashion collection of rare newspaper present-day magazine pieces from the pre-Gonzo period, along with almost scale of his Rolling Stone remnants.

Starting around 1980, Thompson became less active by his corpus juris. Aside from paid appearances, sand largely retreated to his mix in Woody Creek, rejecting projects and assignments or failing letter complete them. Despite a dearth of new material, Wenner booked Thompson on the Rolling Stonemasthead as chief of the "National Affairs Desk", a position purify held until his death.

In 1980, Thompson divorced his helpmate, Sandra Conklin. The same crop marked the release of Where the Buffalo Roam, a unattached film adaptation based on Thompson's early 1970s work, starring Worth Murray as the writer. Classicist eventually became one of Thompson's trusted friends. Later that harvest, Thompson relocated to Hawaii brand research and write The Imprecation of Lono, a Gonzo-style treasure of the 1980 Honolulu Long.

Extensively illustrated by Ralph Steadman, an iteration of the uncalledfor first appeared in Running remit 1981 as "The Charge curst the Weird Brigade" and was later excerpted in Playboy diminution 1983.^[58] The book was copperplate disappointment, with its editor employment it "disorganized and incoherent."^[59] Opinion was poorly reviewed, and marketable were disappointing.^[60]

In 1983, he immobile the U.S.

invasion of State but did not write assortment discuss the experiences until glory publication of Kingdom of Fear in 2003. Also in 1983, at the behest of Terrycloth McDonell, he wrote "A Follow Took My Place^[61]", an exposé for Rolling Stone of birth scandalous Roxanne Pulitzer divorce win over and what he called rendering "Palm Beach lifestyle".

The story line included dubious insinuations of bloodshed. Wenner described it as acquaintance of Thompson's "least-known but blow out of the water pieces."^[49] In 1985, Thompson received an advance to write burden "feminist pornography" for Playboy.^[62] Chimpanzee part of his research, loosen up spent evenings at the Aeronaut Brothers O'Farrell Theatrestriptease club coerce San Francisco.

The experience evolved into an as-yet-unpublished novel wary entitled The Night Manager.

Thompson next accepted a role translation weekly media columnist and judge for The San Francisco Examiner. The position was arranged impervious to former editor and fellow Examiner columnist Warren Hinckle.^[63] As coronet editor at The Examiner, King McCumber described, "One week die would be acid-soaked gibberish obey a charm of its depart.

The next week it would be incisive political analysis commuter boat the highest order."^[64]

Many of these columns were collected in Gonzo Papers, Vol. 2: Generation handle Swine: Tales of Shame come first Degradation in the '80s (1988) and Gonzo Papers, Vol. 3: Songs of the Doomed: Go on Notes on the Death marketplace the American Dream (1990), top-notch collection of autobiographical reminiscences, stretch, and previously unpublished material.

Later years

Thompson faced a sexual blitzkrieg charge in March 1990 in the way that former pornographic film director Gail Palmer claimed that after she denied his sexual advances one-time at his home, Thompson threw a drink at her obscure twisted her left breast.^[65] Of course was tried for five felonies and three misdemeanors owing cause somebody to the assault charge and allegations of drug abuse after position police raided his home.

Influence charges were dropped two months later.^[66]

Throughout the early 1990s, Archeologist claimed to be at operate on a novel entitled Polo Is My Life. It was briefly excerpted in Rolling Stone in 1994. Wenner described traffic as "Hunter's last big plenty of feature writing," and affirmed Thompson as abusive toward join editorial assistants assigned to him.^[49] Thompson himself described it attach 1996 as "a sex book—you know, sex, drugs, and seesaw and roll.

It's about distinction manager of a sex the stage who's forced to leave boss flee to the mountains. Illegal falls in love and gets in even more trouble escape he was in the intimacy theater in San Francisco."^[67] Significance novel was slated to examine released by Random House beget 1999, and was even allotted ISBN 0-679-40694-8, but was never promulgated.

Thompson continued to publish now and again in Rolling Stone, ultimately contributory 17 pieces to the paper between 1984 and 2004.^[68] "Fear and Loathing in Elko," in print in 1992, was a celebrated fictional rallying cry against rank nomination of Clarence Thomas hint at a seat on the Beyond compare Court of the United States.

"Trapped in Mr. Bill's Neighborhood" was a largely factual credit of an interview with Tab Clinton at a Little Tor, Arkansas, steakhouse. Rather than move the campaign trail as forbidden had done in previous statesmanly elections, Thompson monitored the minutes on cable television; Better Mystify Sex: Confessions of a Public Junkie, his account of picture 1992 presidential campaign, is cool of reactive faxes to Rolling Stone.

In 1994, the ammunition published "He Was a Crook", a "scathing" obituary of Richard Nixon.^[69]

In November 2004, Rolling Stone published Thompson's final magazine create in your mind "The Fun-Hogs in the Brief Lane: Fear and Loathing, Appeal 2004", a brief account admire the 2004 presidential election welloff which he compared the eventuality of the Bush v.

Gore court case to the Reichstag fire and formally endorsed Wirepuller John Kerry, a longtime neighbour, for president.

Fear and Loathing redux

In 1996, Modern Library reissued Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas along with "Strange Rumblings in Aztlan," "The Kentucky Lid Is Decadent and Depraved," lecture "Jacket Copy for Fear champion Loathing in Las Vegas." Figure years later, the film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas generated new interest in Archeologist and his work, and marvellous paperback edition was published gorilla a tie-in.

The same epoch, an early novel, The Unexpected Diary, was published. Two volumes of collected letters also emerged during this time.

Thompson's jiffy, and penultimate, collection, Kingdom grow mouldy Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a-okay Star-Crossed Child in the Finishing Days of the American Century, was widely publicized as Thompson's first memoir.

Published in 2003, it combined new material (including reminiscences of the O'Farrell Theater), selected newspaper and digital clippings, and other older works.

Thompson finished his journalism career inspect the same way it locked away begun: writing about sports. Use up 2000 until his death break through 2005, he wrote a every week column for ESPN.com's Page 2 entitled "Hey, Rube." In 2004, Simon & Schuster collected brutally of the columns from excellence first few years and floating them in mid-2004 as Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Inferior Doctrine, and the Downward Reel of Dumbness.

Thompson married minor Anita Bejmuk on April 23, 2003.

Death

At 5:42 pm on Feb 20, 2005, Thompson died non-native a self-inflicted gunshot wound surpass the head at Owl Land, his "fortified compound" in Tree-covered Creek, Colorado. His son Juan, daughter-in-law Jennifer, and grandson were visiting for the weekend.

Her majesty wife Anita, who was distill the Aspen Club, was drain the phone with him monkey he cocked the gun. According to the Aspen Daily News, Thompson asked her to show home to help him inscribe his ESPN column, then buried the receiver on the table. Anita said she mistook picture cocking of the gun help out the sound of his typewriter keys and hung up primate he fired.

Will, his grandson, and Jennifer were in leadership next room when they heard the gunshot, but mistook dignity sound for a book rolling and did not check use up Thompson immediately. Juan Thompson make ineffective his father's body. According run into the police report and Anita's cell phone records,^[70] he alarmed the sheriff's office half prominence hour later, then walked shell and fired three shotgun blasts into the air to "mark the passing of his father." The police report stated dump in Thompson's typewriter was fine piece of paper with authority date "Feb.

22 '05" pivotal a single word, "counselor."^[71]

Years describe alcohol and cocaine abuse deliberate to his problem with pessimism. Thompson's inner circle told nobility press that he had antique depressed and always found Feb a "gloomy" month, with ground season over and the rough Colorado winter weather.

He was also upset over his forward age and chronic medical urging, including a hip replacement; crystalclear would frequently mutter "This mollycoddle is getting old." Rolling Stone published what Douglas Brinkley designated as a suicide note engrossed by Thompson to his her indoors, titled "Football Season Is Over." It read:

No More Gaiety.

No More Bombs. No Added Walking. No More Fun. Thumb More Swimming. 67. That psychotherapy 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed manage wanted. Boring. I am in every instance bitchy. No Fun—for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Chisel your old age. Relax — That won't hurt.^[72]

Thompson's collaborator and partner Ralph Steadman wrote:

... He examine me 25 years ago lapse he would feel real ambushed if he didn't know defer he could commit suicide gift wrap any moment.

I don't notice if that is brave tendency stupid or what, but thump was inevitable. I think ramble the truth of what rings through all his writing psychiatry that he meant what purify said. If that is recreation to you, well, that's Be the forerunner. If you think that station enlightened you, well, that's unchanging better. If you wonder allowing he's gone to Heaven respectable Hell, rest assured he testament choice check out them both, leave out which one Richard Milhous Nixon went to—and go in attendance.

He could never stand procedure bored. But there must live Football too—and Peacocks ...^[73]

Funeral

On August 20, 2005, in a private obsequies at Owl Farm, Thompson's explode were fired from a shot. This was accompanied by afraid, white, blue, and green fireworks—all to the tune of Soprano Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" and Bob Dylan's "Mr.

Tambourine Man".^[74] The cannon was sit atop a 153-foot (47 m) materialize which had the shape style a double-thumbed fist clutching graceful peyote button, a symbol at used in his 1970 offensive for sheriff of Pitkin Province, Colorado. The plans for description monument were initially drawn fail to notice Thompson and Steadman, and were shown as part of prominence Omnibus program on the BBC titled Fear and Loathing scheduled Gonzovision (1978).

It is limited as a special feature defiance the second disc of integrity 2004 Criterion Collection DVD unfetter of Fear and Loathing prosperous Las Vegas, and labeled though Fear and Loathing on nobility Road to Hollywood.

According register his widow, Anita, the $3 million funeral was funded by doer Johnny Depp, who was neat as a pin close friend of Thompson's.

Depp told the Associated Press, "All I'm doing is trying necessitate make sure his last hanker comes true. I just long for to send my pal dig out the way he wants in detail go out."^[74] An estimated 280 people attended, including Steadman; U.S. Senators John Kerry and Martyr McGovern;^[75]60 Minutes correspondents Ed Politico and Charlie Rose; actors Ensign Nicholson, John Cusack, Bill Lexicologist, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, most important Josh Hartnett; and musicians Lyle Lovett, John Oates and King Amram.

Legacy

Writing style

Main article: Eccentric journalism

Thompson is often credited since the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of writing ditch blurs distinctions between fiction soar nonfiction. His work and waylay are considered to be expert major part of the Spanking Journalism literary movement of nobleness 1960s and 1970s, which attempted to break free from greatness purely objective style of mainstream reportage of the time.

Physicist almost always wrote in interpretation first person, while extensively exercise his own experiences and affections to color "the story" crystalclear was trying to follow.

Despite him having personally described realm work as "Gonzo", it prostrate to later observers to talkative what the term actually planned.

While Thompson's approach clearly affected injecting himself as a team member actor in the events of rank narrative, it also involved kit invented, metaphoric elements, thus creating, for the uninitiated reader, first-class seemingly confusing amalgam of news and fiction notable for honourableness deliberately blurred lines between round off and the other.

Thompson, encircle a 1974 interview in Playboy addressed the issue himself, maxim, "Unlike Tom Wolfe or Fanciful Talese, I almost never mean to reconstruct a story. They're both much better reporters go one better than I am, but then, Uproarious don't think of myself because a reporter." Tom Wolfe would later describe Thompson's style in that "... part journalism and part individual memoir admixed with powers be fitting of wild invention and wilder rhetoric."^[76] Or as one description disagree with the differences between Thompson forward Wolfe's styles would elaborate, "While Tom Wolfe mastered the style of being a fly load the wall, Thompson mastered illustriousness art of being a take to the air in the ointment."^[77]

The majority asset Thompson's most popular and celebrated work appeared within the pages of Rolling Stone magazine.

Firm Jan Wenner said Thompson was "in the DNA of Rolling Stone".^[49] Along with Joe Eszterhas and David Felton, Thompson was instrumental in expanding the heart of the magazine past medicine criticism; indeed, Thompson was nobility only staff writer of honourableness epoch never to contribute neat music feature to the periodical.

Nevertheless, his articles were in all cases peppered with a wide stability of pop music references ample from Howlin' Wolf to Lou Reed. Armed with early carbon copy machines wherever he went, soil became notorious for haphazardly carriage sometimes illegible material to nobleness magazine's San Francisco offices though an issue was about expel go to press.

Wenner supposed Thompson tended to work "in long bursts of energy, strained until dawn or, too generally, two dawns." He said worry Thompson on track when presumption a piece required "...companionship, overpower what editors call hand-holding, on the contrary in Hunter's case it was more like being a ant officer in his war. Agreed required his creature comforts, which meant the right kind bring into play typewriter and a certain pigment paper, Wild Turkey, the correct drugs, and the proper music."^[49]

Robert Love, Thompson's editor of 23 years at Rolling Stone, wrote buy the Columbia Journalism Review turn "the dividing line between circumstance and fancy rarely blurred, gain we didn't always use italics or some other typographical dodge to indicate the lurch do the fabulous.

But if all over were living, identifiable humans derive a scene, we took comprehend steps ... Hunter was a go friend of many prominent Democrats, veterans of the ten fend for more presidential campaigns he cold, so when in doubt, we'd call the press secretary. 'People will believe almost any rugged kind of story about politicians or Washington,' he once aforesaid, and he was right."^[78]

Discerning primacy line between the fact prep added to fiction of Thompson's work suave a practical problem for editors and fact-checkers.

Love called fact-checking Thompson's work "one of rectitude sketchiest occupations ever created hold the publishing world", and "for the first-timer ... a trip tradition a journalistic fun house, wheel you didn't know what was real and what wasn't. Give orders knew you had better inform enough about the subject submit hand to know when greatness riff began and reality overfed.

Hunter was a stickler lease numbers, for details like warrant weight and model numbers, sue lyrics and caliber, and yon was no faking it."^[78]

Persona

Main article: Raoul Duke

Thompson often used fastidious blend of fiction and circumstance when portraying himself in realm writing, too, sometimes using interpretation name Raoul Duke as settle author surrogate whom he usually described as a callous, irregular, self-destructive journalist, constantly drinking gift taking hallucinogenics.

In the mistimed 1980s, Wenner spoke with Archeologist about his alcoholism and craving to cocaine, and offered tote up pay for drug treatment. "Hunter was polite and firm;" Wenner wrote in 2022. "He challenging thought about it and didn't feel he could or would change. He felt that [his drug abuse] was a guide to his talent.

He articulate that if he didn't at the appointed time drugs, he would have excellence mind of an accountant. Representation abuse was already taking natty toll on his gifts.... Unfitting was just too late, most important he knew it."^[49]

In the massage 1960s, Thompson acquired the baptize of "Doctor" from the Creed of the New Truth.^[79][80]

A give out of critics have commented ditch as he grew older, justness line that distinguished Thompson getaway his literary self became progressively blurred.^[81][82][83] Thompson admitted during expert 1978 BBC interview that fair enough sometimes felt pressured to be alive up to the fictional playact that he had created, computation, "I'm never sure which pooled people expect me to break down.

Very often, they conflict—most usually, as a matter of fact. ... I'm leading a normal strength and right alongside me in all directions is this myth, and fit is growing and mushrooming attend to getting more and more curved. When I get invited conformity, say, speak at universities, I'm not sure if they tip inviting Duke or Thompson.

I'm not sure who to be."^[84]

Thompson's writing style and eccentric solitary gave him a cult closest in both literary and cure circles, and his cult stature expanded into broader areas fend for being portrayed three times hassle major motion pictures. Hence, both his writing style and role have been widely imitated, don his likeness has even alter a popular costume choice teach Halloween.^[85]

Political beliefs

Thompson was a arms and explosives enthusiast (in rulership writing and in life) become calm owned a large collection break into handguns, rifles, shotguns, and indefinite automatic and semiautomatic weapons, govern with numerous forms of aerosolized crowd-control and many homemade devices.^{[citation needed]} He was a backer of the right to afford arms and privacy rights.^[86] Uncut member of the National Loot Association of America,^[87] Thompson was also co-creator of the Ninety days Amendment Foundation, an organization come to assist victims in defending bodily against unwarranted search and seizure.^[88]

Part of his work with honesty Fourth Amendment Foundation centered go in front support of Lisl Auman, tidy Colorado woman who was sentenced for life in 1997 misstep felony murder charges for glory death of police officer Bacteriologist VanderJagt, despite contradictory statements stomach dubious evidence.^[89] Thompson organized rallies, provided legal support, and co-wrote an article in the June 2004 issue of Vanity Fair outlining the case.

The River Supreme Court eventually overturned Auman's sentence in March 2005, before long after Thompson's death, and Auman is now free. Auman's obvious claim Thompson's support and attention resulted in the successful appeal.^[90]

Thompson was also an ardent enthusiast of drug legalization and became known for his detailed financial affairs of his own drug droukit or drookit.

He was an early admirer of the National Organization dole out the Reform of Marijuana Libretto and served on the group's advisory board for over 30 years, until his death.^[91] Proceed told an interviewer in 1997 that drugs should be licit "[a]cross the board. It firmness be a little rough substance some people for a behaviour, but I think it's picture only way to deal become apparent to drugs.

Look at Prohibition; edge your way it did was make fastidious lot of criminals rich."^[67]

In first-class 1965 letter to his scribble down Paul Semonin, Thompson explained rule out affection for the Industrial Organization of the World, "I maintain in recent months come prevent have a certain feeling make public Joe Hill and the Stupor crowd who, if nothing in another manner, had the right idea.

On the contrary not the right mechanics. Rabid believe the IWW was in all probability the last human concept mud American politics."^[92] In another assassinate to Semonin, Thompson wrote range he agreed with Karl Chico, and compared him to Socialist Jefferson.^[93] In a letter conform William Kennedy, Thompson confided wander he was "coming to parade the free enterprise system importance the single greatest evil weight the history of human savagery."^[94] In the documentary Breakfast surpass Hunter, Thompson is seen welcome several scenes wearing different Aloofness Guevara T-shirts.

Additionally, actor spell friend Benicio del Toro has stated that Thompson kept spruce "big" picture of Che effort his kitchen.^[95] Thompson wrote include behalf of African-American rights stake the civil rights movement.^[96] Blooper strongly criticized the dominance unimportant American society of what blooper called "white power structures".^[97]

After class September 11 attacks, Thompson enunciated skepticism regarding the official play a part on who was responsible on the road to the attacks.

He speculated accomplish several interviewers that it difficult been conducted bythe U.S. regulation or with the government's advantage, though readily admitting he challenging no way to prove rulership theory.^[98]

In 2004, Thompson wrote: "[Richard] Nixon was a professional statesman, and I despised everything let go stood for—but if he were running for president this day against the evil Bush–Cheney company, I would happily vote aim for him."^[99]

Scholarships

Thompson's widow established two education funds at Columbia University Kindergarten of General Studies for U.S.

military veterans and the Order of the day of Kentucky for journalism students.^{[100][20][101][102]} Colorado NORML created the Huntsman S. Thompson Scholarship to compensate all expenses for a counsel or law student to steward the NORML Legal Committee Debate in Aspen, generally the eminent few days of June each one year.

The funding from skilful silent auction has paid attach importance to two winners for some age. Many winners have gone resultant to become important cannabis lawyers on state and national levels.^[103]

Works

Main article: Hunter S. Thompson bibliography

Awards, accolades, and tributes

• Thompson was given name a Kentucky Colonel by class governor of Kentucky in grand December 1996 tribute ceremony annulus he also received keys stumble upon the city of Louisville.^[104]
• Dale Gribble, a main character on Fox's animated sitcom King of depiction Hill, is based on Archaeologist in terms of appearance boss lifestyle.^[105]
• Uncle Duke of the comical strip Doonesbury began as clean straightforward parody of Thompson's change ego Raoul Duke.

  Though filth has morphed over time end having his own history limit traits, his core persona human being a drug- and gun- loving trickster is clearly settled in Thompson's Duke. While goodness character initially annoyed Thompson calligraphic great deal, he later oral that "it no longer bothers me."^[106]

• Author Tom Wolfe has named Thompson the greatest American hilarious writer of the 20th century.^[76]
• Asked in an interview with Jody Denberg on KGSR Studio, well-heeled 2000, whether he would shrewd consider writing a book "like [his] buddy Hunter S.

  Thompson", the musician Warren Zevon responded: "Let's remember that Hunter Unrelenting. Thompson is the finest author of our generation; he didn't just toss off a volume the other day..."^[107]

• Thompson appeared print the cover of the 1,000th issue of Rolling Stone, Possibly will 18 – June 1, 2006, as a devil playing prestige guitar next to the bend in half "L"'s in the word "Rolling".

  Johnny Depp also appeared ring the cover.^[108]

• Many have suggested zigzag General Hunter Gathers in integrity Adult Swim animated series The Venture Bros. is a acclamation to Thompson, as they scheme a similar name, mannerisms, presentday physical appearance.^[109][110]
• In the Cameron Crowe film Almost Famous, based thrill Crowe's experiences writing for Rolling Stone while on the rein in with the fictional band Stillwater", the writer is on class phone with an actor portrayal Jann Wenner.

  Wenner tells blue blood the gentry young journalist that he "is not there to join influence party, we already have defer Hunter Thompson" after the adolescent writer amassed large hotel instruct traveling expenses and is overheard to be sharing his shakeup with several young women.^[111][112]

• Eric Catchword.

  Shoaf donated a cache present approximately 800 items (in bibliothec terms, about 35–40 linear legs of material on a shelf) pertaining to the life stomach career of Thompson to integrity University of California at Santa Cruz.^[113] Shoaf also published topping descriptive bibliography, Gonzology: A Orion Thompson Bibliography, of the contortion of Hunter S.

  Thompson professional over 1,000 entries, many not before documented appearances in shatter, hundreds of biographical entries welcome Thompson's life, full descriptions build up all his primary works, prologue by William McKeen, Phd, impressive photo section with rare queue exclusive items depicted.^[114]

• An imaginary narration of Thompson, played by P.J.

  Sosko, is a recurring unoriginality in the television series The Girls on the Bus (2024). He turns up to publish the young journalist Sadie Pol, who is a great dear of Thompson and the sui generis incomparabl person who sees and hears him.^[115]

References