L. was born on 15 May 1871 in Riga, Latvia to well-to-do parents. He finished a city school, then attended a real school, sang as a soprano (he was called "Dovidl Mngn'") with Cantor Rozovsky, and he learned to work in silver and bronze figures.

He came to America and took up with his profession and was a member in the German Singing and Dramatic Union, performing in German operettas and classical plays. Later he became a member in Yiddish dramatic associations.

On the initiative of Feinman he became  a professional Yiddish actor in Chicago, debuting as "Jaffe" in Gordin's "Der idisher kenig lir (The Jewish King Lear)" and soon thereafter traveled to New York, where he had an entire year of acting under the direction of Adler and Thomashefsky, performing in first lover roles in "historical operettas".

Later L. became a contractor/entrepreneur for the permanent troupes across America (from New York to California), finding plays, and for the first time in Yiddish Lessing's "Natan Hakhokhem". In the span of that time, L. for several seasons acted as a first actor and regisseur in Philadelphia's Yiddish theatre (Director -- Mike Thomashefsky).

L. was the first to act as "Benjamin" in Libin's "Di gebrokhene hertser", "Pitshe khazan" in Gordin's "Dud'l mshurr", "Der betler"