‘Silence of the Lambs’ author, a Baylor grad, turns 75

Yes, the No. 1 movie villain of all time is the brainchild of a Baylor grad. It’s been nearly 25 years since Dr. Hannibal Lecter was introduced to moviegoers in The Silence of the Lambs, yet Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Lecter in the 1991 film continues to frighten and fascinate viewers today.

Lecter was first introduced to the world by Thomas Harris, BA ’63, in 1980; the psychiatrist and serial killer is a minor character in the second of Harris’ five novels, Red Dragon. But it wasn’t until the The Silence of the Lambs’ release as a novel in 1988 (and the subsequent film three years later) that Harris’ writing and characters truly became iconic parts of American literature and cinema.

Harris, who turns 75 on Saturday, built a foundation for his career as an English major at Baylor. He then received a crash course in writing about criminals as a crime reporter for a number of newspapers — including the Waco-Tribune Herald. Very little else is known about the notoriously reclusive Harris, who has declined interviews for nearly 40 years now. Shortly after the film release of The Silence of the Lambs, he told New Yorker Magazine, “It’s true that I don’t do interviews. It’s better to try to put everything in the books.”

His reticence to seek publicity hasn’t kept him from numerous honors. All five of his books have been made into movies. The Silence of the Lambs received multiple “best novel” award; the film adaptation is one of just a few films to win five Academy Awards, and it has been recognized as “culturally significant” in the U.S. Library of Congress. Even 30+ years after Lecter’s debut, the character is still going strong; season three of NBC’s Hannibal TV series will premiere this summer.

Sic ’em (and happy 75th birthday), Thomas Harris!