Doug Danville was a wealthy New York playboy who decided to fight crime. He put on a costume and began his career as K the Unknown. He later changed his costume and adopted the moniker of the Black Owl. Sometime after he gave up the K the Unknown identity, Doug got involved with Terry Dane, a private investigator. True to tradition, she admired the Black Owl and belittled Doug Danville for being useless. He continued fighting criminals in this guise until he enlisted in the Army and handed down his costume to Walt Walters, the father of Yank and Doodle.