Biography

Moved to Mexico in the early 1960's to write several novels, living for almost fifteen years in Guanajuato.

Novelist, poet and screenwriter. Prior to working in the film industry, he wrote for The New Yorker and Time magazines. Upon induction into the U.S. Army in 1941, he contributed a regular weekly column to the army publication Yank, featuring a goldbricking private named Archie Greengroin.

Educated at Harvard.

I liked "The True Glory" because it was made when I was in the army, by a crazy outfit known as the Anglo-American Film Unit, which had about 109 officers (from 2nd Lt. up to chicken Colonel), six sergeants and two, repeat two, private soldiers. I was the American private; Peter Ustinov was my British counterpart.

A final word on directors: without mentioning names, I've met damned few who didn't have a top-sergeant's mentality combined with the sensitivity of a Port Said whore.

I liked, and continue to like, Gordon Douglas. He considers the writer a fellow-craftsman and his attitude is: You know your business, buddy, and I know mine, so gimme what you've written and I'll shoot it. Gordon never expected to come up with a masterpiece every time, and as a result, he's turned out a lot of good pictures.