The family photos seen in the rooms of the house are real photos of the Clutter family members.
The "Jenson" and "Narrator" characters are based on Truman Capote. Capote went to Kansas soon after the murders to write a magazine article on the impact of the killings on the population of a small town; interviewing those who knew the Clutter family. After the apprehension and conviction of killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, Capote became a major part of the killers' lives while they were on death row, forming a particularly close bond with Smith. Smith gave most of his belongings - drawings and books - to Capote. Capote was present at the executions and witnessed the carrying-out of Hickock's sentence, but couldn't bear to watch Smith die, and left the room before he was brought in.
The two pairs of eyes pictured on the movie poster are those of the real killers, not the actors portraying them.
In two scenes Robert Blake's character makes a reference to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). Blake played the paperboy who sold the winning lottery ticket to Humphrey Bogart in that classic movie. However, despite the fact that many people believe it was written into the script because of Blake, it wasn't. According to Truman Capote, it was Perry Smith's favorite movie.
Columbia wanted Elmer Bernstein to compose the score, but Richard Brooks insisted on hiring Quincy Jones instead. Jones composed his score alongside the filming.
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