Charles Webb, the 66-year-old author of the book that inspired The Graduate, faces eviction from his East Sussex apartment because he can’t pay the rent.
According to the BBC, Webb received “a one-off payment of £14,000 for the novel, while the film made £60m.” The book was based on his relationship with the same partner he’s been caring for since she suffered a nervous breakdown five years ago.
Says the Rockslinga:
There are many lessons to glean from this sad, sad tale, but the two majors ones are:
1. One-off payments are a very bad idea.
2. Never marry people who have nervous breakdowns, especially if you’re a writer. You’re the one supposed to be having the breakdowns.
Dustin Hoffman should send the £1,600 to the guy, pronto. I mean, who the fuck would Hoffman be today without him?
You can hear Webb talking about his out-of-print novel, also called The Graduate, in an All Things Considered interview recorded in 1976.