Ubell was born in Brooklyn, New York, the oldest of four sons of European immigrants.
He spoke exclusively Yiddish until he entered school.
He attended New York City public schools, including Samuel J. Tilden High School, where he was editor-in-chief of the school paper and remembered as: "Typical American Boy - Most likely to succeed".
He received his BA in physics as an A student from the City College of New York in 1948 and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
Ubell served in the United States Naval Air Corps and trained as a radio man/gunner at the end of World War II.

Ubell was married in 1949 to Shirley Leitman, a dancer.
 In 1952 they moved to Bergen County, New Jersey where they lived and raised two children until 1970.
Later on, he lived in Manhattan.

He is the brother of Robert Ubell.
Ubell was born in Brooklyn, New York, the oldest of four sons of European immigrants. He spoke exclusively Yiddish until he entered school. He attended New York City public schools, including Samuel J. Tilden High School, where he was editor-in-chief of the school paper and remembered as: "Typical American Boy - Most likely to succeed". He received his BA in physics as an A student from the City College of New York in 1948 and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Ubell served in the United States Naval Air Corps and trained as a radio man/gunner at the end of World War II.
Ubell was married in 1949 to Shirley Leitman, a dancer.  In 1952 they moved to Bergen County, New Jersey where they lived and raised two children until 1970. Later on, he lived in Manhattan.
He is the brother of Robert Ubell.
Earl Ubell