A native Californian, he embarked on a brief yet moderately successful career as a motion picture actor in the late 1930s. Born in Santa Barbara, California, he received his education at Hollywood High School, where he excelled academically and athletically, graduating with several scholastic achievements in 1929. Initially, he intended to pursue higher education in medicine, but the onset of the Great Depression prompted him to enter the workforce instead.
He began his career as a men's fashion model and later transitioned to a fitness instructor. In late 1936, an MGM talent scout discovered him during an exercise class at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, leading to screen and wardrobe testing, which praised him for being "a fine figure of masculinity with a nice round face." His film debut was in Bad Guy (1937),followed by a string of roles as a popular supporting player in the late 1930s, often playing second fiddle to legends such as James Stewart, Maureen O'Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon, Robert Montgomery, Virginia Bruce, Herbert Marshall, Tyrone Power, Norma Shearer, and Melvyn Douglas.
In 1939, following his appearance in Calling Dr. Kildare (1939),he retired from acting to focus on his marriage and start a family. He invested wisely in the film industry and oil, leading a comfortable life in Los Angeles, California. He remained active in Republican politics, his church, and community until his passing in 1994 from natural causes.
