Alice Eyton

Alice Eyton (1874 – November 3, 1929), sometimes credited under her married name Alice von Saxmar, was a New Zealand–born journalist, screenwriter, playwright, and novelist active in Hollywood between 1918 and 1922.

Biography

Origins

Eyton was born in New Zealand, to Robert Eyton and Eleanor Fosbury. Her father died when she was young. Her brother, Charles Eyton, became a prominent actor and producer in Hollywood.

By 1900, Eyton had already had a number of short stories published in New Zealand and Australia, under such titles as 'Behind the hills', 'Queen Empress and the cotter's wife', 'Down by the sea wall', 'Woman in the clutches of the law: At the gaols', and 'The girl he left behind him: An incident of the Transvaal war'.

In January 1901, along with many of the Sydney Bohemian set such as sculptor Nelson Illingworth, writer Louise Mack, and poet Banjo Paterson, she attended the farewell dinner of Scottish-Australian poet and bush balladeer Will H. Ogilvie (1869–1963). Following her own testimonial dinner, in February 1902, Eyton travelled to London on board P&O's RMS Arcadia.

Hollywood career

She moved to Hollywood, California, by 1905, where she continued her literary efforts. By April 1909, Eyton's first play, based on Victor Cherbuliez