Served in the the U.S. Army in Europe where he penned a column for Stars and Stripes and produced comedy variety shows for the troops.
He attended John Burroughs Junior High and Los Angeles High School, graduating at age 16, and then enrolled at UCLA in 1935. In college, he wrote a humor column in the Daily Bruin titled "Bob Tales.".
Has 2 daughters with his wife, Sabrina Scharf and two sons from a previous
marriage