He was born in Port Richmond, Staten Island and the first chief commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

[1] Prall served as a member and chairman of the FCC from January 15, 1935, until his death in 1937 at his summer home in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

From 1908 until 1918 he was in charge of a real estate department of a bank, while serving as the first president of the Staten Island Board of Realtors from 1915 to 1916.

In 1918 Prall began a public service career when he was appointed Clerk of New York City's First District Municipal Court.

[2] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress