Livingstone was born Sadya Marks in Seattle, Washington, but raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her father, David Marks, was a Jewish prosperous scrap metal dealer from Romania. Her mother was Esther Wagner Marks. She first met her Future husband, Jack Benny, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at a Passover seder at her family home in 1922, when Benny played at the Orpheum Theatre. Benny was taken by his friend Zeppo (b. Herbert) Marx.