Born in Kansas City, MO. A former journalist and publicist, he wrote a number of hard-hitting Hollywood screenplays, including MURDER, MY SWEET/FAREWELL, MY LOVELY (1944), CORNERED (1945), CRACK-UP (1946), CROSSFIRE (1947), FOURTEEN HOURS (1951), THE WILD ONE (1954), ON THE BEACH (1959) and KOTCH (1971).  Nominated for Writing (Screenplay) 1947: CROSSFIRE 1 nomination