Memphis-born Elwood Ullman decided against going into the family business - a whiskey distillery - and pursued his dream of becoming a writer. He submitted humorous stories to such publications as "Captain Billy's Whiz Bang", "Life" magazine and newspapers in New York and St. Louis, and did so well at it that he decided to break into writing for films. Through the assistance of screenwriter Jack Natteford, Ullman secured work writing for two-reel comedies, and was eventually hired by Columbia Pictures to write for their shorts department in 1936. In that capacity he wrote for such Columbia players as The Three Stooges, Andy Clyde and Charley Chase. He left the shorts department in 1951 to concentrate on writing features, and retired from the business in 1966.