L. was born on 21 March 1904 in London, England [a family member states that David's birthday was Mar. 22, 1903, and that he was born in Mile End, London, England- ed.]

He was Fanny and Goldie's brother.

He came to America when he was five years old. He learned in a public school, three years in high school, and Yiddish from a rabbi and his father.

As a child of nine, he started acting in children's roles with David Kessler, and then played with Bessie and Boris Thomashefsky. Until the age of fifteen, he sang together with his sister Fannie. He sang as the cantor.

He became a salesperson in a clothing store, and for about six years didn't associate with the theatre. He only participated from time to time in concerts. He was a social director in a summer camp.

Hollander convinced him to become a professional actor, and he went into Hollander's troupe of actors.

He played in Toronto from 1926-1927, in Boston from 1927-1928, and in Philadelphia from 1928-1929. In 1929-30 he acted at Satz's Folks Theatre. In the summer of 1930, he went on a tour across Europe with his wife Diana Goldberg.