G. was born on 15 April 1896 in Skala, by Zbarazh, Eastern Galicia. His father was a flour merchant. He learned in a cheder.

In 1907 he came to America with his family, and due to economic conditions he became a newspaper seller in New York. G. had at the same time attended public school. Among his buyers had been the actors Kessler and Adler, and so he had the opportunity to become a theatre patriot, and he used to stage various errands for them.

In 1913 he organized with friends the Kessler Dramatic Club and acted there in his first roles. He also participated in the offerings of Gordin's "Shloimke sharlatan", which Kessler directed, later becoming acquainted with Hymie Jacobson, who recommended him to manager Samuel Grossman in Chicago, where he acted until 1917.

In Chicago G. became a member of the Actors Union, which Muni Weisenfreund had organized, but when the union fell apart G. left the stage and for several years was a businessman. First his colleagues encouraged him to begin acting once again in the theatre, and he then participated in various troupes. After that he became a member in the union, and he began in 1924 to act in Toronto. Here Gabel and Jennie Goldstein came to guest-star, and they [subsequently] engaged him for New York, where he acted until 1926. From 1927-9 he acted in Philadelphia's Arch Street Theatre, and in 1929-30 he was in Gabel's Public Theatre in New York.
 

• Jacob Kirschenbaum --Naye pnimer oyf unzer bihne, "Morning Journal", 3 December 1926.

• Album fun filadelfier idishe shoyshpiler, "Forward", Philadelphia, 2 October 1927.