Born in Blackpool, England, because his family was evacuated during the bombing of Manchester, which is his hometown; they moved back as soon as they were permitted.
The seventh of eight children.
Lost all traces of his English accent in the United States Army, which he joined in order to speed up his U.S. citizenship request.
Taught English Literature at Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL, where he had earlier earned a master's degree in English.