Editing Bert Fields (section)

==Early life and legal career==
Bertram Harris Fields was born on March 31, 1929, in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Mildred Arlyn Rubin, a former ballet dancer, and F. Maxwell Fields, an eye surgeon. His family was [[Jewish]].<ref name="nyt1">{{Cite news |last=Berger |first=Joseph |date=2022-08-08 |title=Bert Fields, Lawyer to the Hollywood Elite, Dies at 93 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/08/arts/bert-fields-dead.html |access-date=2022-08-09 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> 

He received his B.A. from the [[University of California, Los Angeles]], in 1949, and his [[LL.B.]] from [[Harvard Law School]] (''[[magna cum laude]]'') in 1952. He was a member of the [[California Bar|California]] and [[New York State Bar Association|New York Bar]]s. Fields' notable clients included [[Michael Jackson]], [[The Beatles]], [[Warren Beatty]], [[James Cameron]], [[Mike Nichols]], [[Joel Silver]], [[Tom Cruise]], [[Dustin Hoffman]], [[Mario Puzo]], and [[John Travolta]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/10/06/celebrity.lawyer.fields/|title=The 'Energizer Bunny' of Hollywood lawyers |publisher=CNN|first=Ann |last=O'Neill|language=en|access-date=January 31, 2017}}</ref>

Fields represented [[George Lucas]] in contract negotiations with [[The Walt Disney Company]] regarding [[Disney theme parks]]. He also represented [[Paramount Pictures]] in its appeal of the ''[[Buchwald v. Paramount]]'' case over ''[[Coming to America]]'', and in other civil litigation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/bert-fields-disney-ban-george-lucas-star-wars-james-cameron-interview-1201508425/ |title=Bert Fields Talks Disney Ban, George Lucas, James Cameron, Harvey Weinstein, Napoleon & The Next Big Thing |last=Patten |first=Dominic |date=August 28, 2015 |newspaper=Deadline |language=en-US |access-date=January 31, 2017}}</ref> He represented [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] in a landmark action against Disney, and also obtained a multimillion-dollar judgement for [[George Harrison]] against his former business manager. Representing [[DreamWorks SKG]] and [[Steven Spielberg]], he defeated an application for an injunction against exhibition of ''[[Amistad (1997 film)|Amistad]]''.<ref name=":0" />

Fields also represented [[Michael Jackson]] during contract talks with [[Sony Music]], in the early 1990s and during the 1993 [[child molestation]] allegations made against Jackson.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/fashion/sundaystyles/telling-hollywood-its-out-of-order.html|title=Telling Hollywood It's Out of Order|last=Weiner|first=Allison Hope|date=May 15, 2005|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=January 31, 2017}}</ref>

Fields defended the [[Church of Scientology]] after many of its [[Scientology and celebrities|celebrity members]], including [[Tom Cruise]], [[John Travolta]], and [[Chick Corea]], were boycotted in Germany, where the [[Scientology in Germany|religion is not legally recognized]]. He wrote an open letter to Chancellor [[Helmut Kohl]] in the ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'' comparing the boycotts to [[Nazi book burnings]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wright|first=Lawrence |title=Going clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the prison of belief|date=2013|isbn=978-0-307-70066-7 |location=New York|oclc=818318033}}</ref> 

Fields represented [[Bob Weinstein|Bob]] and [[Harvey Weinstein]] through years of skirmishes between [[Miramax]] and its corporate owner, Disney, rarely making public statements until he arranged the brothers' departure, in 2005, without litigation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawdragon.com/2005/10/01/bert-fields-the-last-consigliere/|title=Bert Fields – The Last Consigliere|website=Lawdragon|date=October 1, 2005|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/fashion/sundaystyles/telling-hollywood-its-out-of-order.html|title=Telling Hollywood It's Out of Order|first=Allison Hope|last=Weiner|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 15, 2005|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref>

In January 2008, Fields, representing [[Tom Cruise]], stated that an [[unauthorized biography]] (by British author [[Andrew Morton (writer)|Andrew Morton]]) was full of "tired old lies" or "sick stuff."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7191355.stm|title=Cruise Scientology video leaked|date=January 16, 2008|access-date=May 14, 2021|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

In June 2008, [[Drew Pinsky]], in an interview for ''[[Playboy]]'', mentioned his belief that for [[Tom Cruise]] to be "drawn into a cultish kind of environment like [[Scientology]]," he was likely to have emotional problems. He said "To me, that's a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood — maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.playboy.com/articles/playboy-interview-drew-pinsky|title=Playboy Interview: Drew Pinsky|date=March 7, 2010|newspaper=Playboy|access-date=January 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004034739/http://www.playboy.com/articles/playboy-interview-drew-pinsky|archive-date=October 4, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fields, representing Cruise, responded by calling Pinsky an "unqualified television performer" and likened him to [[Nazi]] [[Joseph Goebbels]], saying, "He seems to be spewing the absurdity that all Scientologists are mentally ill. The last time we heard garbage like this was from Joseph Goebbels."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gawker.com/tag/tom-cruise/?i=5015729&t=tom-cruise-proves-sanity-by-calling-shrink-a-nazi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621023515/http://gawker.com/tag/tom-cruise/?i=5015729&t=tom-cruise-proves-sanity-by-calling-shrink-a-nazi|url-status=dead|title=Tom Cruise Proves Sanity By Calling Shrink A Nazi|archive-date=June 21, 2008|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> 

Pinsky, a licensed physician of Jewish ancestry, responded through his representative, "Dr. Drew meant no harm to Mr. Cruise and apologizes if his comments were hurtful." The statement continued, "Although Mr. Fields's intent is clearly to [[slander]] and discredit Dr. Drew, under no circumstances is Dr. Drew making a blanket diagnosis about Scientology nor Mr. Cruise whom he does not know. Dr. Drew was simply using Mr. Cruise as an example of someone who is recognizable to help the public understand. Again, Dr. Drew meant him no harm."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thecelebritytruth.com/doctor-issues-apology-to-tom-cruise-over-comments/001760|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123070019/http://thecelebritytruth.com/doctor-issues-apology-to-tom-cruise-over-comments/001760|url-status=dead|title=Thecelebritytruth.com|archive-date=November 23, 2008|website=thecelebritytruth.com|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref>
[[File:Bert Fields and Mario Puzo.jpg|thumb|Bert Fields and Mario Puzo]]

On March 13, 2012, Fields, attorney for the estate of [[Mario Puzo]], filed a counterclaim against Paramount Pictures, who sued the estate to stop the author's son, Anthony Puzo, from publishing a new sequel to his father's classic Mafia saga, "The Godfather." Fields was quoted as saying, "Mario Puzo brought vast wealth to Paramount at a time when they desperately needed it. Now that he's gone, Paramount's trying to deprive his children of the rights he specifically reserved. I promised Mario I'd protect his kids from this kind of reprehensible conduct. Paramount wanted a war, and they're going to get one."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-feb-07-fi-briefs7.s4-story.html|title=Business Briefing / Entertainment|last=Reports|first=Times Wire|date=February 7, 2009|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035|access-date=January 31, 2017}}</ref>

In April 2014, [[Harvard Law School]] announced that Fields made a gift of $5 million to endow the Bertram Fields Professorship of Law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://today.law.harvard.edu/bertram-fields-donates-5-million-to-harvard-law-school-to-create-professorship/|title=Bertram Fields donates $5 million to Harvard Law School to create professorship|website=Harvard Law Today|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref>

Fields continued to represent [[Bob Weinstein]], who was accused of sexual harassment on October 17, 2017, by ''The Mist'' film producer Amanda Segel, who worked for Weinstein's Dimension Films.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/bob-weinstein-sexual-harassment-accusation-the-mist-producer-amanda-segel-1202190054/|title=Bob Weinstein Denies Sexual Harassment Claims From 'The Mist' Showrunner|first=Patrick|last=Hipes|date=October 18, 2017|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> Fields denied the accusations, stating that "It is absolutely not true" and "What she is claiming is bogus" and that "There was nothing that came anywhere near sexual harassment". He further stated that "That's not Bob Weinstein. It's Harvey Weinstein, but it sure as hell isn't Bob Weinstein. I've known him for many years. It's all because of what Harvey's done"."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/bob-weinsteins-lawyer-brother-harvey-weinstein/story?id=50562176|title=Bob Weinstein's lawyer says he couldn't be more different from brother Harvey Weinstein|website=ABC News|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> Fields and other attorneys from Greenberg Glusker represented [[The Weinstein Company]] from 2005 to December 2017 when it dropped them as a client over unpaid bills.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/weinstein-being-dropped-by-longtime-lawyer-failure-pay-legal-bills-1067692/|title=Lawyer Bert Fields Drops Weinstein Co. Over Unpaid Bills|first=Ashley|last=Cullins|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=December 14, 2017|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref>

===''Summing Up: A Professional Memoir''===
In 2021, Fields published ''Summing Up: A Professional Memoir'' ({{ISBN|978-09998527-5-0}}), recounting his long career as an attorney. His insider's look into the world of the famous is sometimes artfully revealing. For example, Fields was already one of [[Michael Jackson]]'s lawyers when the singer was accused of sexually abusing a child; he resigned due to what he saw as [[Elizabeth Taylor]]'s interference. (In the book he says that he remains convinced that Jackson was innocent of the charges, however.) Other tales are much lighter in tone; for instance, [[Gore Vidal]] turned to Fields when a movie studio refused to credit his work on the screenplay for the 1987 film ''[[The Sicilian (film)|The Sicilian]]''. Fields won his case, but then Vidal, after seeing the movie, exclaimed, "Keep my name off that piece of s***!"

===Novels and historical writing===
[[File:GlorianaBF.jpg|thumb|alt=Gloriana: Exploring The Reign Of Elizabeth I by Bertram Fields|Gloriana: Exploring The Reign Of Elizabeth I by Bertram Fields]]
In 2018, Fields published ''Gloriana: Exploring The Reign Of Elizabeth I''. ({{ISBN|978-0-9905602-9-6}}) [[Elizabeth I]], aka the Virgin Queen, was a colorful figure who still manages to stimulate the popular imagination more than 400 years after her death. Fields' wide-ranging biography spans the entire [[Tudor dynasty]], with Elizabeth's rise to power, her completion of England's break from the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the war with Spain, and her constantly evolving entourage of advisers, favorites, and paramours. Fields delves into the curios of Elizabeth's life. Was she truly a virgin? Did she sanction the murder of the wife of nobleman [[Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester|Robert Dudley]]? What were her true thoughts on Roman Catholicism?

Fields introduces readers to aspects of the queen that they may not have heard before. He finds plenty of intrigues to challenge conventional notions of the queen. Beautiful, full-color portraits from the [[National Portrait Gallery, London|National Portrait Gallery]] in London and a timeline of the queen's life round out this volume. Its 450-plus pages belie what a quick read it actually is, making it a perfect primer for those interested in the Good Queen Bess.

In September 2015, Fields published ''Shylock: His Own Story'' ({{ISBN|978-0-9905602-4-1}}). In "[[The Merchant Of Venice]]" [[Shakespeare]] gives us only a brief and limited view of [[Shylock]], an enigmatic character who varies with each actor's interpretation. Now, we're given Shylock's full story, his dangerous background, his life, loves and challenges as an educated Jew in 16th century [[Venice]], the motivation for demanding his seemingly bizarre 'bond,' as well as what occurred after his fateful confrontation with [[Portia (Merchant of Venice)|Portia]] and the Doge. The novel was published by Marmont Lane. It is dedicated to Fields' friend, the actor [[Dustin Hoffman]].<ref name=":1" />

In 2015, Fields published ''Destiny: A Novel Of Napoleon & Josephine''. ({{ISBN|978-0-9905602-0-3}}) This historical novel tells the story of [[Napoleon Bonaparte|the Emperor]] and [[Josephine Bonaparte|his beautiful Creole lover]]. The novel was published by Marmont Lane.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hollywood-legal-hires-top-attorney-767531/|title=Hollywood Legal Hires: Top Attorney Publishes Historical Romance Novel|first=Austin|last=Siegemund-Broka|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=January 27, 2015|access-date=May 14, 2021}}</ref>

In 2011, Fields was awarded the Crystal Quill Award by the Shakespeare Center Of Los Angeles for his work on William Shakespeare.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-shakespeare-center-of-los-angeles-crystal-quill-awards-130860438.html|title=The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles CRYSTAL QUILL AWARDS|last=Angeles|first=The Shakespeare Center of Los|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=January 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115184502/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-shakespeare-center-of-los-angeles-crystal-quill-awards-130860438.html|archive-date=January 15, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2005, he published the non-fiction book ''Players: The Mysterious Identity of William Shakespeare'', which deals with the authorship of the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare.<ref name=":1" />

Having read English history for years as a hobby, and not satisfied with the books written about [[Richard III of England|King Richard III]], Fields spent four years researching and two years writing the non-fiction book ''Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes'' ({{ISBN|0-06-039269-X}}), which was published in 1998.<ref name=":1" />

Although he started with a "gut feeling" that Richard was innocent of murdering his nephews, the [[Princes in the Tower]]; Fields claimed to have investigated the facts as he would have for a client he was representing, and he structured the book like a lawyer's brief, identifying the evidence and then drew the logical implications from the facts.  In the same way as in a brief, he discussed the weaknesses in earlier authors' treatments of the same subject, being particularly critical of [[Alison Weir]] and her book ''The Princes in the Tower''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes|last=Fields|first=Bertram|publisher=Harper Perennial|year=2000|isbn=978-0060987381}}</ref>

The conclusion Fields reached is that the probability that the princes were, in fact, murdered is about 50% to 70%, and if they were, the probability that Richard did it is in the same range, so the logical probability that Richard is guilty is 25% to 49%, which is less than 50-50.  Fields says [[DNA analyses]] of the bones dug up in the [[Tower of London]] in 1674 would change the odds on whether the princes were murdered but might not affect the odds on who did it, if anyone did, so this mystery may never be solved.<ref name=":2" />

Fields penned two novels, published under the pseudonym "D. Kincaid": ''The Sunset Bomber'' (1986, published by Corgi Books in London) which was also published under the name ''Final Verdict'' (1988), and ''The Lawyer's Tale'' (1993).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/sunsetbomber00kinc|title=The sunset bomber|last=Kincaid|first=D|date=January 1, 1986|publisher=Linden Press|isbn=0671604449|location=New York|language=en|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Final verdict|last=Kincaid|first=D|date=January 1, 1986|publisher=Onyx|isbn=0451151267|location=New York, N.Y., U.S.A.|oclc = 24810303|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/lawyerstale00kinc|title=The lawyer's tale|last=Kincaid|first=D|date=January 1, 1992|publisher=Turtle Bay Books|isbn=0679407723|location=New York|language=en|url-access=registration}}</ref>

===Open letter to the German chancellor===
In 1997, Fields conceived an open letter to then-[[German Chancellor]] [[Helmut Kohl]], published as a newspaper advertisement in the ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'', which drew parallels between the "organized oppression" of Scientologists in Germany and [[Nazi]] policies espoused by Germany in the 1930s. The letter was signed by 34 prominent figures in the U.S. entertainment industry, including the top executives of [[MGM]], [[Warner Bros.]], [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]], [[Universal Pictures|Universal]], and [[Sony Pictures Entertainment]] as well as actors [[Dustin Hoffman]] and [[Goldie Hawn]], director [[Oliver Stone]], writers [[Mario Puzo]] and [[Gore Vidal]], and talk-show host [[Larry King]].<ref>Masters, Kim (February 10, 1997). [https://web.archive.org/web/20070101204105/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985884,00.html Hollywood's Glitterati Circle the Wagons"], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''</ref><ref>Drozdiak, William (January 14, 1997). [https://web.archive.org/web/20090610023510/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/10844567.html?dids=10844567:10844567&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+14%2C+1997&author=William+Drozdiak&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=U.S.+Celebrities+Defend+Scientology+in+Germany&pqatl=google U.S. Celebrities Defend Scientology in Germany], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', p. A11</ref><ref name=Wash>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121023031737/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-704081.html Germany, America and Scientology], ''The Washington Post'', February 1, 1997</ref><ref name=Bonfante>Bonfante, Jordan; van Voorst, Bruce (February 10, 1997). "[https://web.archive.org/web/20070708202927/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985883-1,00.html Does Germany Have Something Against These Guys?]", ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''</ref>

===As a teacher===
Fields taught at [[Stanford Law School]] and lectured annually at [[Harvard Law School]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.greenbergglusker.com/people/attorneys/fields|title=Greenberg Glusker|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202103857/http://www.greenbergglusker.com/people/attorneys/fields|archive-date=February 2, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Musician ===
A serious music enthusiast, Fields performed with his good friend and client [[George Harrison]]. He performed and recorded professionally as a singer and [[vibraphone|vibraphonist]] with Les Deux Love Orchestra, led by Bobby Woods.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet The Les Deux Love Orchestra! |url=https://lesdeuxloveorchestra.com/pages/studio/studio.php |website=lesdeuxloveorchestra.com}}</ref>

Celebrating his 92nd birthday, he released his first single, a cover of the [[Gene Autry]] classic, "[[Back In The Saddle]]."<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/NzLNLT89Iig Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210514175859/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzLNLT89Iig Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzLNLT89Iig|title=Bert Fields – Back In The Saddle – Les Deux Love Orchestra – Produced by Bobby Woods|date=May 14, 2021 |access-date=May 14, 2021|via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/bert-fields-gene-autry-1234958626/|title=Hollywood Power Attorney Bert Fields Kicks off Singing Career by Covering Gene Autry Classic|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=May 29, 2021}}</ref>

===Actor===
In 1967, Fields portrayed prosecutor "Hal Davies" on an episode of [[Dragnet (1967 TV series)|''Dragnet'']]. Fields was the real-life lawyer for the show's creator and lead actor, [[Jack Webb]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Handel |first=Jonathan |date=2022-08-08 |title=Bert Fields, Litigator to the Stars, Dies at 93 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/bert-fields-dead-famed-hollywood-litigator-dies-93-988209-1235194632/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>