Majored in political science before studying at the UCLA film school.
He was a frequent collaborator of Roger Corman for whom he wrote or directed Private Duty Nurses (1971), Night Call Nurses (1972), Caged Heat (1974), Darktown Strutters (1975) and Fighting Mad (1976).
His work in the film industry began in the mailroom at 20th Century Fox while he was still at college.
