At age seven, he developed an obsessive fear of the dark, which led to his parents' buying (based on a psychologist's advice) a pair of puppets, a stage, and a toy film projector for him.
He attended Northwestern University but left in 1943 to enlist in the U. S. Army,[1] serving in Europe with the 104th Infantry Division and entertaining troops.
[1] Cast in plastic wood from clay molds, the puppets were patterned after well-known performers in opera and concerts.
[6] In the 1970s, Izen made a national tour sponsored by New York's PART Foundation in association with groups supporting the arts in cities in which he appeared.
[5] He continued touring and giving similar programs in the 1980s, adding elements that introduced 20th century artists' work to the audience in an effort to "bring out the Picasso in the kids", Izen said.
[5] Pastel chalk drawings by Izen were exhibited in art shows and were sold in stores, including I. Magnin in San Francisco and Los Angeles and Bergdorf Goodman in New York.
[10] The Dog Who Sang at the Opera, a picture book by Izen and Jim West, won the Parents Choice Award.