Author William E. Barrett Dies at 85

DENVER — William E. Barrett, author of the best-selling “Lilies of the Field” and “The Left Hand of God,” as well as 16 other novels, died in his sleep Sunday at age 85.

A native of New York, Barrett moved to Colorado with his family at age 16.

In addition to his novels, he published more than 200 short stories, three biographies and a book on airplanes.

“Lilies of the Field” was made into a hit motion picture in 1963, earning five Academy Award nominations. Sidney Poitier won the Oscar for his portrayal of a black drifter who is coerced by a group of German refugee nuns into helping them build a chapel in the desert.

“The Left Hand of God” was made into a film in 1955 starring Humphrey Bogart as an adventurer who pretends to be a priest in order to escape from the grasp of a Chinese warlord.