A. was born in Radomsk, Poland, to parents who were candle makers.

He was a choirboy to a cantor. Afterwards he performed with a cantor, and later with Yiddish actors.

In 1896 a brother brought him to New York, and from there he made a tour across Canada, and afterwards he went around, performing in Yiddish vaudeville theatres in New York, where he married the actress Anna Berkovitsh (later Appel, i.e. Anna Appel).

A. was counted as one of the best Yiddish character actors of his time, and only due to the difficulties then in becoming a member of the legitimate actor's union, he was forced to continue acting in the Yiddish variety theatres.

On 31 November 1908 he passed away in Denver, Colorado. His wife brought to New York where he was laid to rest at Baron Hirsch Cemetery in Staten Island.

A. left a daughter, who acts from time to time on the English stage.

M. E. from Anna Appel and Itzhak Lesh.