"[2] After serving in the United States Army in World War I, Donaldson was hired as a songwriter by Irving Berlin Music Company.

[5][4] Donaldson is primarily known as a composer, rather than as a lyricist, although he wrote words and music for dozens of songs.

[6] At the end of the 1920s, Donaldson moved to Hollywood, California, and worked composing and arranging music for motion pictures.

[1][4] His film credits include work on such pictures as Glorifying the American Girl, Suzy, The Great Ziegfeld, Panama Hattie, Follow the Boys and What's Buzzin', Cousin?.

He married Dorothy "Wally" in 1935, who was on the New York stage as Wanda Mansfield, but they divorced in 1942 after having two children.