# Is "The Last Picture Show" by Larry McMurtry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry (The Dial Press, 1966) is identified by: The first printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page. The US Dial Press first is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Dial Press, 1966
- The first printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page
- Publisher's cloth (described by dealers variously as tan or gray) lettered in red on the spine; first-state dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap and is not price-clipped
- Basis for the 1971 Bogdanovich film
- Publisher imprint reads The Dial Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Larry McMurtry |
| Publisher | The Dial Press |
| Year | 1966 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Dial Press, 1966 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Dial Press, 1966. The first printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page. Publisher's cloth (described by dealers variously as tan or gray) lettered in red on the spine; first-state dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap and is not price-clipped. Basis for the 1971 Bogdanovich film.

## Is this the true first?
The US Dial Press first is the true first. McMurtry's third book and a key Texas-literature high spot.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Watch for book-club printings (no price on the jacket, lighter boards, blind stamp on the rear board) and later Dial printings lacking the 'First Printing' statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Last Picture Show* by Larry McMurtry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-last-picture-show
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.