Born in Haverhill, MA. Entered American film as a writer for Fred Niblo's CAMILLE at Norma Talmadge Films in 1926. He then wrote three films for Paramount Famous Lasky: SERVICE FOR LADIES and A GENTLEMAN OF PARIS (both 1927) and STREET OF SIN (1928). Sprague tried his hand at producing at Fox Film Corp., working on WORDS AND MUSIC (exec. prod.) and A SONG OF KENTUCKY (assoc. prod.) (both 1929), then turned to directing there with NOT DAMAGED and THE DANCERS (both 1930) and THEIR MAD MOMENT (1931). In 1933, he returned to screenwriting, and his credits - alone or in collaboration - include THE NUISANCE (1933), I LIKE IT THAT WAY and MENACE (both 1934), EARLY TO BED (1936), THE CHASER and CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU (both 1938), THE BASHFUL BACHELOR (1942), and his last film, A GUY NAMED JOE (1943).  Nominated for Writing (Original Story) 1944: A GUY NAMED JOE (w. David Boehm) 1 nomination