Despite a childhood without much money, but with serious ailments (TB, a heart condition), he did rather well as a young boxer before being floored in his 11th fight (he'd won the first 10!). So he pursued his life-long dream of art. Worked his way up from ad agency gopher to leading illustrator for Liberty, Saturday Evening Post, Life, True, Colliers', Look. Also World War II posters, menu art for the Stork Club, and major ad campaigns (Westinghouse, Coke, Goodyear, Wurlitzer, Frigidaire, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Liberty Mutual Imperial Whiskey), all without ever taking a formal art class (his rags-to-richess success earned him the Horatio Alger Award from the American Schools and Colleges Association). Made a tremendous impact on countless artists by founding, along with Fred Ludekens, and directing Famous Artists Schools (also founded Famous Writers School, Famous Photographers School), an institution that was unable to survive without his leadership upon his death. The University of Bridgeport's art department of art gives an honorary Albert Dorne professorship.