She attended the University of Illinois and then moved to Los Angeles, where she got a job as a secretary at MGM and was mentored by Charles Brabin. She'd later be promoted to script clerk. She credited Zelda Sears for helping her learn the ropes in the industry. At MGM, under Sears's tutelage, she wrote a few Marie Dressler vehicles before moving on to Paramount and then to freelance at various Hollywood studios.
