From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Betty Field February 8 1913 September 13 1973 was an American film and stage actress Through her father she was a direct descendant of the Pilgrims John Alden and Priscilla Mullins Born in Boston Massachusetts to George Field and Katharine Lynch Field began her acting career on the London stage in Howard Lindsays farce She Loves Me Not Following its run she returned to the United States and appeared in several stage successes before making her film debut in 1939 Her role as Mae the sole female character in Of Mice and Men 1939 established her as a dramatic actress She starred opposite John Wayne in the 1941 film The Shepherd of the Hills Field played supporting roles in films such as Kings Row 1942 in which she played a victim of incest although that fact was not readily apparent due to the heavy censorship of the time Field preferred performing on Broadway and appeared in Elmer Rices Dream Girl and Jean Anouilhs The Waltz of the Toreadors but returned to Hollywood regularly appearing in Flesh and Fantasy 1943 The Southerner 1945 The Great Gatsby 1949 Picnic 1955 Bus Stop 1956 Peyton Place 1957 BUtterfield 8 1960 and Birdman of Alcatraz 1962 Her final film role was in Coogans Bluff in 1968 She also appeared on television Description above from the Wikipedia article Betty Field licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia