George Plimpton, the author of Paper Lion and other sporting adventures and a patron to Philip Roth, Jack Kerouac and countless other writers, has died at 76.
Plimpton died Thursday night at his Manhattan apartment, his friend, restaurateur Elaine Kaufman, said Friday.
Plimpton also often appeared in films, including Good Will Hunting, Nixon, Reds and Little Man Tate. In 1970, he also played a bit part in the John Wayne western Rio Lobo.
Paper Lion, in which he wrote about his time training with the Detroit Lions in 1963, was also turned into a film.