[2] While a student at Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh, he was a star in baseball, ice hockey, and track, accumulating 13 sports letters.
[6] He wrote "many screen originals" and was involved in production of Broadway Melody, Holiday Revue, and other films.
In 1940 he became an assistant writer to Don Quinn on Fibber McGee and Molly, and in 1941 he began writing for The Great Gildersleeve.
[7] The trade publication Variety reported that he had already been "active for some years in Hollywood in pro-democracy radio propaganda", including unsuccessfully seeking approval from the federal government to "overcome cautions of sponsors against gags against Axis, etc.".
Then came a vaudeville tour of an act called Hellzapoppin' and from that grew their show, in which goats — in fact anything — may appear at any moment.
Eventually Levinson decided to venture into the film business for real, joining with theater chain owner Dave Flexer.
A second contest invited people to submit new slogans for the company with the grand prize being a free sightseeing trip around Hollywood.
Levinson selected his secretary as the winner, giving her an afternoon off work and a dime to pay bus fare.