The next actor to be considered was John Candy. Unfortunately, Belushi died of a drug overdose before he could sign. John Belushi and Harold Ramis made the first and arguably best attempt to adapt the book. It’s hard to imagine an actor better suited to the role of Ignatius than Belushi, but any hopes of seeing him mastering the New Orleans accent and embodying the lead character’s gargantuan girth died along with Belushi after he overdosed as the Chateau Marmont, just days before he was due to officially sign on. Director, writer and actor Harold Ramis, then several years away from his “Ghostbusters” and “Groundhog Day” heyday, and best known for writing frat comedy “Animal House,” planned to direct a script by Buck Henry with his “Animal House” star John Belushi, then at the peak of his post-“Blues Brothers” fame, in line to play Ignatius, and Richard Pryor in talks to play Burma Jones. The first attempted adaptation came as early as 1982. Inevitably, with such a successful novel and such a compelling lead character, it wasn’t long before Hollywood showed an interest, and over the next 30 years, it seemed as though every talented, heavyset actor in Hollywood would be linked with the role.

Reilly went on to sell over two million copies and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1981, making Toole one of only three writers to win the prize posthumously.Īlmost as much as the book itself, readers were intrigued by the unique journey the novel took to publication, with a flamboyant yet grief-stricken mother dedicating what remained of her life to ensuring her son’s genius was recognized by the world. Eventually, she succeeded, and the New Orleans-set picaresque tale of slovenly philosopher and medievalist Ignatius J. Over the course of the next decade, Toole’s grieving mother Thelma dedicated her life to ensuring the second of these, “A Confederacy Of Dunces,” found publication. Aged just 31, the literary professor and author left behind two unpublished novels. On March 26 1969, on a quiet country road outside Biloxi, Mississippi, John Kennedy Toole took his own life.

A confederacy of dunces author