Born on 23 February 1895 in Vinik (Vinniki), near Lemberg, Galicia. His parents were bar owners.

As a child of six he arrived with his family in New York and here learned in public and then in high school. But because his parents were forced to draw their livelihood from their children,  had to learn in high school for four years, work on Shabbes and Sundays as a doorman [ticket-taker] in the "Grand Theatre". During the First World War he worked as a postal official, and in the evening he was a ticket-taker. When Adler became a partner in the "Grand Theatre", P. became a cashier there (one year).

Through Willy Pasternak he became engaged at the "People's Theatre" as a business manager and benefit seller, then he went over to Edelstein in the "Second Avenue Theatre" in the same role, and in the 1926-27 season he became -- with Jacob Kalich, Joseph Rumshinsky, Willy Pasternak and Max Seiger -- an owner and manager of "Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre" until 1929-30. For the 1930-31 season, with them was the manager of the "Folks Theatre", and since 1931-32 -- together with William Rolland and Willy Pasternak (and until 1936 also with Max Seiger) -- manager of the "Public Theatre". 1937 -- toured across America as the manager with the "Polish bande", 1938-39 -- business manager of the "National Theatre", 1940-41 -- business manager of the "Public Theatre", 1941-42 -- began as manager of the "National Theatre", and ended the season, as well as the following season, as manager of the "U. S. A. Camp Shas Company" across America. 1943-44 -- manager of the "Public Theatre".