An American screenwriter, director, and actor. He was of German origin and was born in the United States. He began his artistic career as a performer in the popular theater Vaudeville for ten years, and he worked on writing lyrics for musical songs in Broadway theatres. Then he moved to California in 1915. He collaborated with great actor such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. He worked with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His notable works include Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928), Chasing Rainbows (1930), and The Big Store (1941).