Author Clifford Irving, who penned an infamous 1972 hoax — the “Autobiography of Howard Hughes” — has died of cancer in Sarasota, Fla. He was 87.
Irving, a former Aspen resident, published more than 20 novels including “Fake!,” “Tom Mix and Pancho Villa” and “Trial.” Irving spent 16 months in prison after being convicted of fraud in relation to the Howard Hughes book.
“I survived that,” he told Bill Husted, of The Denver Post, in 2011. “It was an interesting experience.”
Irving also was ordered to return a $765,000 advance back to the publishers of the hoax Hughes book. Irving wrote the “autobiography,” despite never having talked with Hughes. The hoax drew the reclusive millionaire, Howard Hughes, out of seclusion to dispel the pending book.
The Hughes affair landed Irving on “60 Minutes” and on the cover of Time magazine. After his release from prison, Irving wrote “The Hoax,” an account of writing the autobiography, which was made into a 2007 film starring Richard Gere as Irving.
“There was a mischievous look in his eyes, and he was mischievous man,” said Allyn Harvey, a Coloradan and longtime friend of Irving’s.
Harvey was with Irving in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, a couple of years ago when they spotted a “beautiful” woman, Harvey recalled.
“Let’s meet her. I think we should write her a poem, a haiku,” Harvey said to Irving.
“We argued over the second line for about 10 minutes,” Harvey said with a laugh. Eventually Harvey read the poem to the woman in front of several of her friends.
“(Irving) was trying to set me up with her,” Harvey said.
Irving was born Nov. 5, 1930, in New York City. In 1947, he graduated from the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan. He attended Cornell University, starting at age 16, and graduated with honors in English.
Irving’s first novel, “On a Darkling Plain,” was published in 1956. His personal favorite, and most critically acclaimed, novel, “Tom Mix and Pancho Villa,” was published in 1982.
Irving continued to write throughout his life and had just finished another book before his death, Harvey said.
“He enjoyed life. He loved writing,” Harvey said. “He tried his hand at all sorts of writing.”
Sandy Munro met Irving in Aspen in 2010. The two became friends and Irving edited Munro’s first book, “Finding Uri.”
“I will just miss the man, he is a lovely guy,” Munro said. “He is a real mentor, a real friend; a listener and a great teller of stories.”
Irving enjoyed travel, touring Europe as a young writer and, over his life, resided in various spots, including Santa Fe, Los Angeles and the island of Ibiza, off the coast of Spain. He left Aspen for Florida in about 2012.
Married six times, Irving is survived by his wife, Julie, whom he met while skiing Aspen in the early 1990s. He also is survived by three sons, Josh, Nedsky and Barnaby.
“I don’t have a feeling of loss. I feel Cliff is with me,” said Julie Irving. “He has gone on to another realm. There is no finality.”
Irving died with “peace and dignity,” she said. “He lived his life exactly the way he wanted.”
Irving was surrounded by family in his final hours.
Julie Irving shared an anecdote about the author: “Cliff asked the doctor, ‘I want to go. Will you help me?’ The doctor said, ‘Cliff, I can’t do that. If I do, I will go to jail.’ Cliff said, ‘I won’t tell anyone.’ ”
Julie Irving laughed. “That was classic Cliff. Conspiratorial to the end.”
