Born in Denver, CO; educated at Stanford University. A short story writer for various magazines, he went to Hollywood in the late 1930s and was assigned to scripting mainly low-budget Westerns starring Roy Rogers. After distinguished WW II service as a major, he returned to films in the late 40s. He then wrote screenplays, alone or in collaboration, for major Westerns and other pictures emphasizing action, including VERA CRUZ (1954), TRAPEZE (1956), THE BIG COUNTRY (1958), PORK CHOP HILL (1959) and CAPE FEAR (1963). He also wrote the screenplays for THEY CALL ME MR. TIBBS and THE HAWAIIANS (both 1970) and his last film, THE ORGANIZATION (1971).  Writing (Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) 1963: HOW THE WEST WAS WON 1 nomination, 1 Award