Achmed Abdullah was an American writer and playwright who was nominated to the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay. He was an immigrant to US. His background is known based on his own biographical descriptions. He was born in Russia in a Russian Orthodox family and claimed royal Russian lineage. Also, his mother was the daughter of an Afghan Emir. After separation of his parents, he was adopted by his uncle and raised as a Muslim.

He served in the British Army in various countries before finally immigrating to US in 1910s.