Zimbalist started his career in the film industry when he joined the Stanley-Warner Theatres home-office in New York in 1929, working as an editor for the company's house organ, The Warner Club News.

[3] Zimbalist continued producing company club events when he joined the publicity and advertising department at RKO-Pathe in 1931.

In 1952, Zimbalist announced he had formed Motion Picture Artists to make moderate-priced "class exploitation films".

These would include Miss Robin Crusoe, Half-caste Girl and La Virgin de Cadiz.

Zimbalist produced King Dinosaur and intended to follow it with White Slave Ring[7] but it was not made.

He formed ZS Productions with Irving Shulman to make a film based on the latter's unpublished novel about Baby Face Nelson.

Zimbalist set up at the Goldwyn studios and announced plans to make 12 films starting with Young Dillinger.