[1] Born and raised in Philadelphia's Port Richmond neighborhood, he was given the nickname "Happy" at a young age, in tribute to his smiling disposition.
[2] McNulty attended parochial school at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, but dropped out at age 14 to find work.
In what the Philadelphia Daily News called "one of the biggest surprises" of the election that November, he narrowly defeated the incumbent, Democrat William A. Dwyer Jr.[3] On the Council, he earned a reputation as a quiet but well-liked legislator.
[4] Nevertheless, when the time came for reelection, party leaders looked for a different candidate to take McNulty's place.
[4] When the party hierarchy endorsed former city controller Frank J. Tiemann for the sixth district seat, McNulty entered the primary anyway.