Y. was born on 18 February 1893 in Kornin, Kiev Gubernia, Ukraine. As a child he came [tsuza] with his parents to America, and here completed public and high school and he participated in the school productions.

In 1910 he founded the "Progressive Literary Club" in Chicago, and a year later entered into Cleveland's Yiddish theatre under Harry Gerstein's direction, where he prompted and acted in small roles. He staged scenes and wrote roles for six dollars a week.

Y. then traveled back to Chicago, where he began to work in a Singer factory and by night acted in vaudeville. In 1912 he was taken in by Philip Weisenfreund into his troupe as an actor. In 1913 he acted in Denver (Colorado), and in the same year he acted again in the Pavilion Theatre in Chicago (Director A. Gertner).

In 1915 Y. acted for a short time on the English stage, then again in Yiddish in the Palace Theatre (St. Louis), and then with an itinerant troupe across America.

In 1916 Y. acted in Detroit's Circle Theatre (Director H. Kris?), 1921-22 in Glickman's Palace Theatre in Chicago. In 1923 he became a member in the union and has acted from then until 1927 in the Arch Street Theatre, Philadelphia. From 1927-29 he was with Gabel in New York's People Theatre. During the 1929-30 season he was in Chicago; 1930-31 in Philadelphia; 1931-32 in New York's German's Folks Theatre, and in 1932-33 in the Prospect Theatre.
 

Sh. E.

• Jacob Kirschenbaum -- Neye pnis'er oyf unzer bihne, "Morning Journal", 27 January 1928.