Former night editor for "The New York Times", in Hollywood as a scenarist from 1917, producer from 1924. Produced the first Oscar-winning picture,
Wings (1927). Joined Warner Brothers as contract writer and assistant to
Darryl F. Zanuck, 1929-32. Subsequently poached by MGM, which led to a protracted arbitration case and Zanuck's defection to 20th Century-Fox.