Peter B. (Peter Bernard) Kyne

Born in San Francisco on October 12, 1880, Peter B. Kyne became a prolific American novelist and short-story writer whose books were widely read in the first half of the 20th century. He published from the early 1900s into the 1940s and was especially known for popular, fast-moving fiction.

Kyne drew on practical experience as well as imagination. Sources describe his background as tied to ranch life, and his fiction often reflected business life in California, outdoor adventure, and Western settings. Among his best-known works are stories featuring Cappy Ricks, along with The Three Godfathers, a tale that was adapted for the screen multiple times.

His connection to Hollywood was strong: many of his novels and stories became films, and he also worked on screen material himself. He died in San Francisco on November 25, 1957, but his reputation as a dependable maker of entertaining, adaptable stories has kept his name alive.