Robert Stanley Warren Bell (1871 – 26 September 1921), was an English novelist, journalist and the first editor of The Captain, a magazine featuring stories for 'boys and old boys', of which P. G. Wodehouse was an early contributor.^[1][2][3]

Robert Stanley Warren Bell was born in 1871 at Long Preston, Yorkshire, the eldest son of the Rev. George Edward Bell.^[1][4] In 1875 his father was appointed Vicar of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, and it was here that Robert spent most of his childhood. One of twelve children, his brothers included John Keble Bell who, under the pen name Keble Howard, also became a writer and journalist.^[5] Robert was educated at St John's School, Leatherhead.^[1]

In 1890 Bell began a career in journalism on Tit-Bits and afterwards joined the Evening News.^[1] He became a contributor of stories and papers to The Pall Mall Gazette and The Westminster Gazette a number of which were subsequently published as The Papa Papers and The Cub in Love.^[4]

Bell’s first novel was Bachelorland.^[1][6] In 1898 he was appointed first editor of The Captain which published a number of school stories written by P. G. Wodehouse.^[1][7] Bell himself contributed stories to The Captain including The Duffer, Cox's Cough Drops and Green at Greyhouse.^{[1][8][9][10]}

Bell co-wrote Marie Corelli: the Writer and the Woman, a 1903 biography of novelist Marie Corelli, with Thomas F. G. Coates.

Bell retired from The Captain in 1910.^[1] He wrote a short story, Company for George, which he turned into a play that was performed at the Kingsway Theatre in 1910 and he later adapted into a novel.^[1][11] Most of his later work was directed towards the schoolboy market and featured stories set in schools.^[3]

In 1905 Bell married Edithe M. Barry.^[1]

Bell died aged 50 on 26 September 1921, after a long illness, in the Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.^[12] His obituary in The Times stated that he would be 'much missed by his friends. as well as by his large constituency of schoolboy readers, who recognized in him a kindred spirit. He was very tall, standing over 6ft. 4in.'^[1]