Boo Radley

fictional character

Also known as: Arthur Radley

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Last updated

July 19, 2026

Quick Summary

Arthur "Boo" Radley is a reclusive fictional character from Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a mysterious neighbor of the Finch family in Maycomb, Alabama, and a subject of local legend and childhood fascination for Scout, Jem, and Dill. Rumors circulate about him, but he indirectly interacts with the children by leaving them gifts. Boo Radley ultimately saves Jem and Scout from an attack by Bob Ewell, killing Ewell in the process. The sheriff decides to report Ewell's death as an accident to protect Boo from public attention. Boo Radley is believed to be based on a childhood neighbor of Harper Lee and Truman Capote.12

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Harper Lee
Publishing To Kill a Mockingbird
…eventual friendship with a recluse, “Boo” Radley, who has been demonized by the community.
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…eventual friendship with a recluse, “Boo” Radley, who has been demonized by the community.
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Robert Duvall
The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and The Great Santini
…when Duvall played the reclusive Arthur (“Boo”) Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. For the next several years, he continued to appear in small film and television roles. That path led to major supporting parts in films with large ensemble casts, such as the repressed and self-righteous Major Frank Burns…
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…when Duvall played the reclusive Arthur (“Boo”) Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. For the next several years, he continued to appear in small film and television roles. That path led to major supporting parts in films with large ensemble casts, such as the repressed and self-righteous Major Frank Burns…
Read More

To Kill a Mockingbird
Boo Radley
… as they become interested in Arthur (“Boo”) Radley, a reclusive neighbor who is a local legend. Rumors abound that he once stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors and that he eats raw squirrels and cats. The children have their own ideas about him and cannot…
Read More
… as they become interested in Arthur (“Boo”) Radley, a reclusive neighbor who is a local legend. Rumors abound that he once stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors and that he eats raw squirrels and cats. The children have their own ideas about him and cannot…
Read More