Rex Beach

Rex Beach (b. September 1, 1877, Atwood, Michigan - d. December 7, 1949, Sebring, Florida) was an American novelist and playwright.

Rex Beach was born in to a prominent family and pursued a career as a lawyer before being drawn to Alaska at the time of the Klondike Gold Rush. After five years of unsuccessful prospecting, he turned to writing.

His adventure novels became immensely popular throughout the early 1900s. Much of his work featured his real experience with gold mining, claim-jumpers, and corrupt officials. In 1906, The Spoilers became one of the best selling novels of the year.

After success in literature, many of his works were adapted into successful films; The Spoilers was remade five times from 1914 to 1955, with Gary Cooper and John Wayne each playing "Roy Glennister" in 1930 and 1942, respectively.

Beach occasionally produced his films and also wrote a number of plays to varying success. In 1949, two years after the death of his wife Edith, Beach committed suicide in Sebring, Florida