[3] His uncle, Sol Halprin, was the head of the camera department at 20th Century Fox, and his neighbor was a talent agent who got him minor screen time in Gone with the Wind (1939) which was cut from the final film.

[3] He attended Hollywood High School where he met Frank Mazzola, the "gang consultant" on Rebel Without a Cause (1955), who encouraged him to pursue acting.

[3] Field got his start in the shipping department of David L. Wolper Productions, where he later worked his way up to writer/researcher for the company's Biography series, hosted by reporter Mike Wallace, in the early 60's.

[5] Field wrote and produced the television series Men in Crisis in 1964 and the Vegas nightlife documentary, Spree, in 1967; the latter of which he also narrated.

[2][7] He wrote Hollywood and the Stars, National Geographic, and Jacques Cousteau Specials from 1963 −1965 for David L. Wolper Productions.

[citation needed] He was the head of story at Cinemobile System when founder Fouad Said decided to diversify the location services company into an entertainment studio.

[3] Previous students include Judd Apatow, John Singleton, Anna Hamilton Phelan, and Alfonso Cuarón.