John Clifford, a Springfield, Illinois native, relocated to Chicago to reside with relatives following the untimely demise of his parents. Despite his aspirations to pursue a career as a writer, Clifford felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy, convinced that his creative abilities were limited to crafting a mere joke. Consequently, he ventured into the realm of joke writing, selling his material to renowned radio comedian Ken Murray.
Clifford's life took a dramatic turn when he enlisted in the military during World War II. Upon his return, he leveraged the benefits of the G.I. Bill to enroll in a prestigious Hollywood school for writers. His academic endeavors ultimately led him to Centron Films in Lawrence, Kansas, a production company specializing in the creation of educational and industrial films.
It was at Centron Films that Clifford crossed paths with director Herk Harvey, and the two collaborated to produce the low-budget ($30,000) cult horror classic, "Carnival of Souls".
