He was the second son of journalist James Creelman and Alice Leffingwell Buell.

Creelman moved to New York City and then Washington, D.C. where his father worked as a journalist.

[2] Creelman worked for RKO studios from 1929 and contributed to the storyline of many of the studios' early adventure and thriller films including The Untamed Lady, The Most Dangerous Game, King Kong,[3] Dancers in the Dark and The Last Days of Pompeii.

[4] Creelman began working in Hollywood in 1924 and wrote for 30 films before stopping in 1935.

On September 9, 1941, twelve days before his 47th birthday, Creelman committed suicide by jumping off the roof garden at the top of a building on 325 E. 72nd Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York.