Born 1906, New Orleans, Louisiana, spent his early years traveling through the U.S. and Europe with his father, a sculptor whose commissions included many public monuments. While working for FAP, he created posters for the Federal Theatre Project. From 1952 to 1976 Halls taught advertising art and design on the faculty of the State University if New York at Farmingdale. He received his B.A. from Adelphi University in 1961.