Fast was born in New York City. His mother, Ida (née Miller), was a British Jewish immigrant, and his father, Barney Fast, was a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant who shortened his name from Fastovsky upon arrival in America. When his mother died in 1923 and his father became unemployed, Howard's youngest brother, Julius, went to live with relatives, while he and his older brother, Jerome, sold newspapers. Howard credited his early voracious reading to a part-time job in the New York Public Library.
Howard Fast has 19 screen credits in a career dating back to 1948. Signature works include Spartacus, Spartacus, Spartacus. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
