Born on 5 February 1890 in Pidkamen, near Brody, Galicia. He was descended from rabbis. His father was a fashion merchant, psknen questions and suffer conflicts. He learned in a cheder and in a kloyz. He tried to learn in a school, but because of this, he had to learn there without a cap, and his parents took him out of school and he learned privately with a teacher.

He described his uncle, the actor Zelig Schorr [Shur], the following way: At home he (S.) used to lie around with a sable cap, during which we remarked that "he is like a convert", supposedly conveying his father's brother Zelig, who became a comedian. S. was certain that his uncle "swung tsvekes", and when he found him in Lemberg, when he "showed a trick". As an answer thereof, his uncle took him to the theatre to [see] Goldfaden's "Nye be nye me". The production made an incredible impression on S., and he decided to dedicate himself to the theatre. He immigrated to London, where he associated with Yiddish itinerant troupes, debuting as "Yungl" in "Chaim in America". The troupes usually didn't have a special prompter, but the actors used to prompt by themselves, and with this S. especially excelled.

After spending six to seven years in England, S. traveled to America, but do to union conditions, he couldn't dedicate himself to acting but became a prompter, acting only from time to time in character roles. S. settled in Chicago.