Arnold was born in New York. He is the son of David Friedman and Bertha Eisenberg. They were both Jewish-European immigrants. His uncles were Sam and Hymie Friedman. His sister was Marylin who married David Schreckinger.
Arnold joined the U.S. Army in 1940 and was on base until the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served in World War II. When he returned he married Dorothy (Darcy) Virginia Thompson. Their daughter Laura Jeanine Friedman was born September 28, 1950. He worked as a merchandise manager for Bloomfield Buttons.
Arnold and Darcy were divorced. He remarried Barbara.
Arnold passed away in 2007.