William Lloyd Warner was born on October 26, 1898, in Redlands, California. He was the son of William Taylor, a rancher and engineer, and Clara Belle (Carter) Warner. He attended San Bernadino High School until he joined the army in March 1917 and was discharged from his military duties the following year after contracting tuberculosis. Warner's early twenties were a time of unrest. He studied at the University of Southern California for one year before transferring to the University of California at Berkeley. At the University of California, he studied English and became active in the Socialist Party. Briefly married to Billy Overfield, probably from 1918 to 1921, he left California in 1921 to pursue an acting career in New York City. Failing to secure any acting work outside a few small parts, Warner returned to Berkeley to complete his studies.

Upon his re-admittance to the University of California, Warner developed a lifelong friendship...