Crosson moved with his family from the east to Pomona, California, in 1944. He graduated from Pomona High School in 1948, attended Mt. San Antonio College and graduated from UCLA, where he received a B.A. in English and Theatre Arts in 1951. In the late 1950's, he traveled for a time in Europe. After his acting career, he worked as a painter and carpenter and in the 1980's, became a published poet.