[1] He served during World War II as a paratrooper, and later graduated from New York state's Syracuse University with a degree in English and a minor in Psychology (the latter, he claimed, so that he could "get inside the heads of his story characters").

Nolan introduced him to author Charles Beaumont, and he soon became a member of "The Group", also referred to as The Southern California School of Writers, whose members included Beaumont, Nolan, John Tomerlin, George Clayton Johnson, Richard Matheson, OCee Ritch, Chad Oliver, and by extension, Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, and Harlan Ellison.

He also wrote provocative mystery novels, including Negative of a Nude, 7 Deadly Sinners, and Strip for Murder and sold to various markets using several pseudonyms.

[2] He was an active science fiction fan, and was good friends with Forrest J Ackerman, frequenting the Ackermansion and attending parties in his area.

He was fond of his wife, Shirley, who was reported to bear a good resemblance to Elizabeth Taylor, and liked to prank acquaintances by having her make a grand entrance.