Peter Bernhard Kyne was an American novelist who wrote between 1904 and 1940. He was born and died in San Francisco, California. Many of his books were made into screenplays beginning with the silent film era, particularly his debut novel, The Three Godfathers, which was published in 1913 and proved to be a smash hit. Between 1914 and 1952, more than 100 films were based on his books, many of which were made without his authorization or pay. Cappy Ricks, a character invented by Kyne, appears in several novels. Kyne was born on October 12, 1880, to cattle rancher John Kyne and Mary Cresham. Cresham was from Headford, Co Galway, Ireland. Young Kyne worked on his father's ranch in San Francisco before enrolling in a business school and deciding to pursue a career as a writer. He was the uncle of World War II soldier Joseph R. Kyne, the great uncle of Dennis Joseph Kyne, and the last living Kyne, the decorated Desert Storm veteran, award-winning author, and musician Dennis Joseph Kyne, Jr. His relative, Kathleen Curran, is credited with being Ireland's first female harbour master.