As a kid he worked at a Kroger grocery store. His friends began calling
him "Kroger" and the name stuck. When he became a showman this proved
to be an asset since "Kroger Babb" was more memorable than his given
name Howard W. Babb.
Attended Wilmington College and was a member of Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity, known as the Gobblers. While in school he displayed early motivational skill as a cheer leader.
One of his more successful productions was One Too Many (1950), a film about the dangers of alcohol use. In November of 1953 he was arrested on a charge of driving while drunk after running a red light and refusing a sobriety test. He was fined $250.