Edward Salisbury Field Jr. (February 28, 1878 – September 20, 1936) was an American author, playwright, artist, poet, and journalist.
He was born on February 28, 1878, inIndianapolis, Indiana, to Edward Salisbury and Sarah Mills Hubbard Field.[1] He was the husband ofIsobel Osbourne (the step-daughter ofRobert Louis Stevenson) and he was step-father of playwright Austin Strong (Isobel's son from a former marriage).[2]
Field was an employee and friend ofWilliam Randolf Hearst where he made drawings for Hearst newspapers, signing his drawings with thenom de plume Childe Harold.[1] As a young news man in his 20s, Field became the secretary, protégé, and possibly lover ofFanny Stevenson (who was 38 years older), after the death of her husbandRobert Louis Stevenson.[3] After Fanny's death in 1914, Field married her daughter,Isobel Osbourne, who was 20 years his senior.[3] Field became a successful Southern California real estate developer. In the 1920s, oil was discovered on some of his property which made them wealthy.[3]
In 1926, Field purchased Zaca Lake and surrounding land onFigueroa Mountain nearLos Olivos, California.[4] His wife, Isobel, built an artists studio there, and the Field home became a popular meeting place for writers and actors.
Field's best known works were the film scripts forWedding Bells (based on his playof the same name) andTwin Beds (based on his 1913screwball comedy novel and itsstage adaptation).Twin Beds was filmed four times:[5] asTwin Beds in 1920 starringCarter andFlora Parker DeHaven;[6]Twin Beds in 1929 starringJack Mulhall;[7] asThe Life of the Party in 1934;[8] and asTwin Beds in 1942 withGeorge Brent andJoan Bennett.[9]
Field died September 20, 1936, at Zaca Lake, of an apparent heart attack while taking a nap.[10] He was 58 years old.[2]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)Death came as Field was taking a nap and apparently was due to an attack of heart disease.
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