Subscribe to Guide
No Result
View All Result
Hamptons.com
  • Spotlight Magazine
  • Lifestyle
    • Featured
    • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Community
    • Dining
    • Recreation
    • Trending
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Post an Event
    • Gallery
  • Real Estate
    • Real Estate Features
    • Search Real Estate
      • Open Houses
      • Search Sales
      • Search Rentals
    • Title Insurance
    • Happening In The Hamptons Podcast
  • Live Cameras
    • All Live Cameras
    • Live Weather Cams
    • Amagansett, Atlantic Avenue Beach
    • Bridgehampton, West Scott Cameron Beach
    • East Hampton Village, Main Beach
    • East Hampton Village, Main Street
    • East Hampton Village, Newtown Lane
    • Hampton Bays, Ponquogue Beach
    • Hampton Bays, Ponquogue Bridge
    • Hampton Bays, Shinnecock Fishing Dock
    • Hampton Bays, Tiana Beach
    • Long Island Aquarium | Coral Reef
    • Long Island Aquarium | Penguins
    • Long Island Aquarium | Shark Tank
    • Montauk, Downtown Circle
    • Montauk, Lars Simenson Skatepark
    • Montauk, Gin Beach & Inlet
    • Montauk, Sunset Beach & Inlet
    • Sagaponack, Sagg Main Beach
    • Sag Harbor, Foster Memorial Beach
    • Sag Harbor, Long Wharf Marina
    • Sag Harbor, Main Street (South)
    • Sag Harbor, Sag Harbor Bay
    • Sag Harbor, Windmill Beach & Bay
    • Shelter Island, South Ferry
    • Southampton, 39A to Montauk Hwy Merge
    • Southampton, Conscience Point Marina
    • Southampton Village, Coopers Beach
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (South)
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (North)
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (Hildreths)
    • Westhampton Village, Main Street (East)
    • Westhampton Village, Rogers Beach
  • Public WiFi
    • Public WiFi Map
    • Public Wi-Fi Support
  • Spotlight Magazine
  • Lifestyle
    • Featured
    • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Community
    • Dining
    • Recreation
    • Trending
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Post an Event
    • Gallery
  • Real Estate
    • Real Estate Features
    • Search Real Estate
      • Open Houses
      • Search Sales
      • Search Rentals
    • Title Insurance
    • Happening In The Hamptons Podcast
  • Live Cameras
    • All Live Cameras
    • Live Weather Cams
    • Amagansett, Atlantic Avenue Beach
    • Bridgehampton, West Scott Cameron Beach
    • East Hampton Village, Main Beach
    • East Hampton Village, Main Street
    • East Hampton Village, Newtown Lane
    • Hampton Bays, Ponquogue Beach
    • Hampton Bays, Ponquogue Bridge
    • Hampton Bays, Shinnecock Fishing Dock
    • Hampton Bays, Tiana Beach
    • Long Island Aquarium | Coral Reef
    • Long Island Aquarium | Penguins
    • Long Island Aquarium | Shark Tank
    • Montauk, Downtown Circle
    • Montauk, Lars Simenson Skatepark
    • Montauk, Gin Beach & Inlet
    • Montauk, Sunset Beach & Inlet
    • Sagaponack, Sagg Main Beach
    • Sag Harbor, Foster Memorial Beach
    • Sag Harbor, Long Wharf Marina
    • Sag Harbor, Main Street (South)
    • Sag Harbor, Sag Harbor Bay
    • Sag Harbor, Windmill Beach & Bay
    • Shelter Island, South Ferry
    • Southampton, 39A to Montauk Hwy Merge
    • Southampton, Conscience Point Marina
    • Southampton Village, Coopers Beach
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (South)
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (North)
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (Hildreths)
    • Westhampton Village, Main Street (East)
    • Westhampton Village, Rogers Beach
  • Public WiFi
    • Public WiFi Map
    • Public Wi-Fi Support
No Result
View All Result
Hamptons.com
October 22, 2014

Deborah Norville’s Insight On Harry Benson’s Movable Feast For The Eyes On The Walls At Swifty’s

Lee Frydby Lee Fryd
in Recreation
Home Recreation

Swifty’s — heir to the Mortimer’s beau monde society Truman Capote immortalized — has so many regulars, that owners Stephen Attoe and Robert Caravaggi try to think of ways to amuse them. Change Swifty’s classic food? Never, that’s why they’re there. So, Pat Attoe, Stephen’s art dealer wife, began changing the art. The cocktail parties that herald each “show,” bring in the “swells,” who nibble on Stephen’s famed crab cakes and fried zucchini and recall their days together at Prep Schools and Ivy League colleges.

Right now, Harry Benson’s iconic photographs of the Beatles explosive emergence envelop the back room. We spotted Deborah Norville, Richard Johnson, and Ann Dexter-Jones among the soiree over which Harry and Gigi Benson presided.

Harry Benson gets a rise — and a good photo — out Swifty wives Blaine Caravaggi and Pat Attoe. (Photo: Lee Fryd)


“I have known of Harry Benson since I was old enough to see that iconic photo of the Beatles coming down the stairs,” Norville told us. “And I had the privilege of being photographed by Harry when I was the anchor of the ‘Today’ show and had my first child. ‘People’ magazine called and said we would like to do a story and send Harry Benson over.” At that time, the newly installed Norville was being vilified as the younger woman who pushed Jane Pauley off the anchor desk. “My bosses had put a gag order on me because there had been all the political silliness going on over there,” she recalled. But she wasn’t about to turn down a photo session with Benson. “Harry came and did a beautiful photo essay of me, my husband, and our new son. The story was called ‘Today’s Latest Coo,’ sort of playing on all the hoopla that had been going on. Harry is an amazingly gifted photographer, but he works slow. He was there all day, I had a new baby. I had to nurse him. He took a photograph. You’re actually showing more skin than I was showing in that photograph,” she told us, “but you would have thought I had been photographed in the all together with a staple in my navel. The hew and cry: ‘Deborah Norville nursing in public!’ It was the talk of the nation, even on talk radio. It was just the scandalous idea of a woman breast feeding her child. It was ridiculous.

“Harry was ecstatic. This was a photograph that was getting noticed. This was a photograph that was getting talked about. And every photograph in this room where we’re standing was one of those photographs. It turned out that it wasn’t just a photo essay he was doing. It turned out to be a happening that he created People were talking and as a photographer, as an artist that’s what you want.”

Robin Cofer and Ann Dexter-Jones at Swifty’s party for Harry Benson. (Photo: Lee Fryd)

Sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Get the top Hamptons events and latest scoop!

What's Happening in the Hamptons

Related Posts

Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings Hosts Hampton Volley Tournament
Recreation

Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings Hosts Hampton Volley Tournament

August 1, 2025
Southampton Hospital Foundation’s 3rd Annual Summer of Wellness to Feature DanceBody, Pickleball Tournament and More!
Recreation

Southampton Hospital Foundation’s 3rd Annual Summer of Wellness to Feature DanceBody, Pickleball Tournament and More!

July 8, 2025
Essential Guide to Hamptons Beach Permit Requirements
Recreation

Essential Guide to Hamptons Beach Permit Requirements

April 25, 2025

Search Articles

No Result
View All Result

LOCAL EVENTS

Events

06
Aug
06
Aug
-
06
Aug

Nordic Strong’s Sweat for a Cause with i-Tri!

August 6 @ 08:30 AM - August 6 @ 09:30 AM
11 Bridge St, Sag Harbor, NY 11963-3023, United States
06
Aug
06
Aug
-
06
Aug

The Magic Hour at ABC Carpet & Home

August 6 @ 05:00 PM - August 6 @ 07:00 PM
ABC Carpet & Home Pop-Up, 1 Pond Lane, Southampton, NY 11968
06
Aug
06
Aug
-
06
Aug

CMEE’s Annual Summer Ladies Night

August 6 @ 06:00 PM - August 6 @ 08:00 PM
Private Residence
06
Aug
06
Aug
-
06
Aug

Salsa Revolution at Tiki Joe’s

August 6 @ 06:30 PM - August 6 @ 09:00 PM
90 Dune Rd, Hampton Bays, NY 11946
06
Aug
06
Aug
-
06
Aug

Wölffer Estate Paired Wine Dinner

August 6 @ 06:30 PM - August 6 @ 08:30 PM
32 Star Island Rd, Montauk, NY 11954
Load more listings
Next Post
Sixth Annual IGHL Luncheon And Fashion Fling At Westhampton Beach C.C.

Sixth Annual IGHL Luncheon And Fashion Fling At Westhampton Beach C.C.

    The Instagram Access Token is expired, Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to refresh it.
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
Hamptons.com

Saunders Broadcasting Corp.

Phone: 631-613-8440
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Facebook.com/HamptonsOnline
Twitter: @Hamptons
Instagram: @HamptonsOnline

About Us | Contact Us

Hamptons.com

  • Lifestyle
  • Events
  • Real Estate
  • Live Cameras
  • Public WiFi

Subscribe

Sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Get the top Hamptons events and latest scoop!

© 2025 Hamptons.com | All rights reserved
Saunders Broadcasting Corp.
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Spotlight Magazine
  • Lifestyle
    • Featured
    • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Community
    • Dining
    • Recreation
    • Trending
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Post an Event
    • Gallery
  • Real Estate
    • Real Estate Features
    • Search Real Estate
      • Open Houses
      • Search Sales
      • Search Rentals
    • Title Insurance
    • Happening In The Hamptons Podcast
  • Live Cameras
    • All Live Cameras
    • Live Weather Cams
    • Amagansett, Atlantic Avenue Beach
    • Bridgehampton, West Scott Cameron Beach
    • East Hampton Village, Main Beach
    • East Hampton Village, Main Street
    • East Hampton Village, Newtown Lane
    • Hampton Bays, Ponquogue Beach
    • Hampton Bays, Ponquogue Bridge
    • Hampton Bays, Shinnecock Fishing Dock
    • Hampton Bays, Tiana Beach
    • Long Island Aquarium | Coral Reef
    • Long Island Aquarium | Penguins
    • Long Island Aquarium | Shark Tank
    • Montauk, Downtown Circle
    • Montauk, Lars Simenson Skatepark
    • Montauk, Gin Beach & Inlet
    • Montauk, Sunset Beach & Inlet
    • Sagaponack, Sagg Main Beach
    • Sag Harbor, Foster Memorial Beach
    • Sag Harbor, Long Wharf Marina
    • Sag Harbor, Main Street (South)
    • Sag Harbor, Sag Harbor Bay
    • Sag Harbor, Windmill Beach & Bay
    • Shelter Island, South Ferry
    • Southampton, 39A to Montauk Hwy Merge
    • Southampton, Conscience Point Marina
    • Southampton Village, Coopers Beach
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (South)
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (North)
    • Southampton Village, Main Street (Hildreths)
    • Westhampton Village, Main Street (East)
    • Westhampton Village, Rogers Beach
  • Public WiFi
    • Public WiFi Map
    • Public Wi-Fi Support

© 2025 Hamptons.com | All rights reserved
Saunders Broadcasting Corp.
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us