Born as Renato Manganella, he wrote under the pen name of D'Ambra becoming a celebrated journalist, novelist, and film critic.

A noted film enthusiast, D'Ambra became involved in the cinema in 1911 when he anonymously wrote screenplays.

His silent comedies drew comparisons to the films of his German contemporary Ernst Lubitsch.

In 1922 D'Ambra's company was absorbed into the conglomerate Unione Cinematografica Italiana and he retired from regular filmmaking although he occasionally produced further screenplays.

In 1937 he published his memoirs, recounting his time working in Italy's early film industry.