Herbert J. Biberman, a pioneering producer, director, and screenwriter, was born on March 4, 1900, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his education at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale before entering his family's textile business after a journey to Europe.
In 1928, Biberman joined the left-wing Theater Guild as an assistant stage manager, marking the beginning of his professional career in the arts. He married actress Gale Sondergaard in 1930. Biberman became a director with the Theater Guild and entered the movie industry as a dialog director on Columbia Pictures' Eight Bells in 1935.
