Nat Karson was the son of a refugee Russian architect. He emigrated to Chicago as an infant and started his artistic career in high school by winning several poster contests. He attended the Art Insitute of Chicago and painted murals in Chicago until after the 1929 stock market crash. In New York he exhibited his caricatures and wound up working on the Federal Theatre Project. He then moved on to become art director and set designer at the Radio City Music Hall from 1936 to 1943. In addition, he was a scene designer for other projects including the 1939 New York World's Fair. He worked as a producer for NBC, consultant producer for Columbia Braodcasting Company and for several shows on Broadway.