Franklin holds a Ph.D. in Theatre and Film (Directing), earned at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He has a Masters in Public Communication and Broadcasting from Western Illinois University where he was a professor of playwriting, news writing, and the effects of media on society. While living and working in Los Angeles from 1974 to 1989, Himes worked regularly as a background player and hand-insert actor in films and TV and studied with the late W. Duncan Ross, former Artistic Director of the Seattle Rep, in the MFA program at the University of Southern California. Himes has been a member of the International Documentary Association, AFTRA, SAG and AEA.Managing a budget partially funded by a grant, Himes wrote, directed, edited, and photographed a documentary detailing the life & work of the early twentieth century sculptor, Lorado Taft. This film was selected as one of sixty films out of more than 400 for screening at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. In March of 2011, Himes' screenplay "Just Politics" was selected as a finalist in the Beverly Hills Film Festival.