Dave Willock was born on August 13, 1909, in The Bronx, New York, and grew up during an era when vaudeville and the early days of film comedy were shaping the entertainment landscape. Little is documented about his formal education, but from a young age he displayed a talent for humor and timing that led him into performance work. By the late 1930s he had begun carving out a place for himself in show business, first on stage and then in film.