Born on 15 February 1888 in Motele (Motol), Pinsk region, White Russia. He moved over to Pinsk, where he received a traditional Jewish education, and then in Motele taught others to write Yiddish. He was affected by Goldfaden's "Shulamis" in Pinsk, and there developed in him a desire for theatre, and with a children's troupe staged a Purimshpiele, acting in the role of "Mordecai".

In 1903 he arrived in America and soon became a member in the "Hebrew Dramatic Club", and later he organized, together with Louis Goldstein, a troupe with G. as the main actor, and sh. as prompter.

In 1907 he helped with, in the strike of the Yiddish vaudeville Local 5, spreading calls about a strike and then became the "sketch" writer and prompter in Shneur's vaudeville house (among the actors: "Der blinder fisher", Ida Kremer and the "Brooklyn Goldberg"), later in the vaudeville troupe with Mr. and Mrs. Atlas, Sam Morgenbesser, Saltshe Schorr, Dave Shepkin, and then in the Plaza Theatre (together with Sam Morris, Ida Fein, Berta Gerstein, Tillie Rabinowitz).

In 1913, Sh. held up returning to the theatre and began to work in women's clothing. In 1921 he opened a business of tsudatn men's clothing on Second Avenue, so that he could be near the Yiddish theatres, closing the business later, returning to the theatre and entering into the McKinley Square Theatre (Louis Kremer and Rose Wallerstein). 1928-29 -- in the same theatre with Leon