He was an Irish-American vaudeville actor known for his Jewish comedy.
When overheard singing chorus from his balcony seat, the management at the Chicago theater soon signed him to contract.
On Christmas day, 1920, he was starring in a show at the Central Theatre on Broadway that also featured a young performer by the name of Mae West. He was so taken by her that he went on to write several plays custom-made for her special talents.
A close friend of fellow Irish-American, pugilist Jack Dempsey.