Born in Salt Lake City, UT; grandson of Brigham Young. He entered films in 1917 (THE CAR OF CHANCE, Bluebird Photoplays) and subsequently wrote a great many screenplays, alone or in collaboration, for various studios, often for major productions. In the 20s he frequently worked with director Tod Browning and in the 30s with De Mille. Some of his talkies writing credits (alone or in collaboration) inlcude THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST (1930), THE MIRACLE MAN and THE SIGN OF THE CROSS (both 1932), ISLAND OF LOST SOULS and A BEDTIME STORY (both 1933), CLEOPATRA (1934), THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER, THE CRUSADES and PETER IBBETSON (all 1935), DESIRE, POPPY and THE PLAINSMAN (all 1936) and TEST PILOT and MAN-PROOF (both 1938).    Nominated for Writing (Screenplay) 1935: LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (w. Achmed Abdullah, John L. Balderston, Grover Jones & William Slavens McNutt) 1 nomination