G. was born in 1895 in Łomża , Poland. His father was a money collector for the local yeshiva. Against his parents’ wishes, Gibson became one of the boys in the city cantor’s choir, and he also participated in Purim shows for children. Impressed by his visits to the theatre, Gibson dreamed of becoming an actor. To prevent this, his parents sent him to a brother in England in 1909, but from there he left for Paris where he became a choir singer with M. D. Vaksman.

Later he joined Yankev Spivakovsky’s and Karl Guttentag’s troupe where he made his debut as “Yoav the Gideonite” in “Shulamit”. He then traveled to Warsaw and became a coupletist and singer in Kompaneyets’s vaudeville theatre. Then, during a short period, he played with Tsipkus in the province, and subsequently immigrated to America. Since he couldn’t find work in the theatre, he became a waiter, then a hatter (furrier) while preparing himself once again for the stage.

He then was engaged in the “Kunst-ring” (the Art Circle). In 1925-6 he collaborated at Irving Place. In 1926-30 G. played episodic roles at the Yiddish Art Theatre, where he also had the opportunity to play the role of  “Satin” in Gorki’s “The Lower Depths”.

Sh. E.