Vaughn was born in Berwick, Pennsylvania and graduated from Berwick Area High School in 1953. He earned a Bachelor of Science in philosophy from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he also minored in drama. He then moved to New York City, where he studied acting and performed in off-Broadway productions. Following a brief stint in the US Army, during which he served in Germany, Vaughn headed to Los Angeles to continue his acting career.