Born on 7 November 1877 in Borshtshov, Eastern Galicia. His father was a lessee. He learned until age thirteen with a religious teacher, who several patricians had partnered together for their children, and in the Polish school.

Soon thereafter he traveled with his mother to America. Here he peddled newspapers for two years, learning in a night school and working in a cup business.

Still a child, seeing a Purim play, he felt a desire for the stage, and together with J. Kessler, Ab. Kogut, Louie Heyman and Jacob Wexler, founded the "Kessler Dramatic Club", that staged in Turin Hall Feinman's "Dem foter's klole (The Father's Curse)", in which he performed as the "father".

In the same year he later participated in several productions for the club. For four years he worked in business and acted, until he traveled to Philadelphia as a life-insurance agent. Kessler came thither to guest-star with his troupe, and because he had seen A. act in the club in his name, he went gave him several small roles to act in.

When the vaudeville houses opened, A. left his job and together with Gabel and Ida Dworkin entered into the vaudeville houses, where he performed yearlong.