Joseph Gollomb was born in Petrograd, Russia in 1881. His family relocated to New York when he was just ten, and after the loss of his father, Gollomb was raised by his socialist mother in the Jewish tenements of the Lower East Side.

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As a young man, he affiliated himself with the Socialist Party of America and the Industrial Workers of the World. He embarked on a career in journalism, contributing to publications such as 'The Evening Post', 'The Evening World', and 'The New Yorker'.

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Gollomb authored numerous works spanning genres from nonfiction exposes like 'Armies of Spies' and 'Crimes of the Year' to detective fiction and young adult novels. His fictionalized autobiography, 'Unquiet', provided a glimpse into his own journey.

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Several of his works were adapted for the big screen, and his niece Judy Holliday also found success in the film industry as an actor. However, the family’s radical affiliations subjected them to scrutiny, with Holliday becoming a target during the Senate investigations into suspected Hollywood Communists following her uncle’s passing in 1950.