Lamar Jefferson Trotti was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism in 1921. From 1922 to 1925 he was city editor of William Randolph Hearst's Atlanta Georgian. His first contact with the movie industry was made through Jason Joy, a representative of the Hays Office who was on business in Atlanta in 1924. Joy offered Trotti a job as a publicist in the New York office of what is now known as the Motion Picture Association of America. Trotti spent six years doing public relations work, including editing and publishing a promotional magazine for newly released movies. During his spare time he took short-story courses at Columbia University.

As the film industry migrated to California, Joy was transferred west and Trotti was invited to come along. When Joy became head of the story department at Fox a year later, Trotti followed and settled...