BELASCO, DAVID American playwright and theatrical manager, was born at San Francisco (Cal.), on July 25, 1854, the son of adventurous Hebrew parents lured there by the gold rush. He spent part of his boyhood in Victoria, Texas, and gained much of his education in various schools and a mon astery there. By heritage he was drawn to the stage and early played juvenile parts. When he was a mere child, too, he did his first dramatic writing. After a boyhood of varied experiences and hard work, he became a theatrical vagabond, serving as call boy, actor, stage manager, adapter and writer of plays. When at 2g he definitely left San Francisco after having been established there for a number of years, he had acted more than 17 o parts, had altered or written more than ioo plays and had been the responsible director in the production of more than three times that number. After similar work in the Madison Square theatre and with Daniel Frohman he became a successful independent dramatist and producer with The Heart of Maryland (1895). Among his later outstanding successes were the oriental romances Madame Butterfly (with J. L. Long, 'goo) and The Darling of the Gods (with J. L. Long, 1 go2) ; The Girl of the Golden West (Igo5) and The Rose of the Rancho (with R. W. Tully, Igo6), which reflected his western experience; and The Return of Peter Grimm (19I 1) . In addition to his work as an extremely success ful adapter and composer of plays, Belasco was for many years one of the foremost American managers and producers. Under his direction appeared such distinguished actors as Blanche Bates, Lenore Ulric and David Warfield. Belasco's productions were noted for the sumptuousness of their stage effects. Belasco wrote The Theatre through the Stage Door (ed. by L. V. Defoe, 1919) . Belasco died May 14, 1931.
See also Belasco's reminiscences, which appeared in Hearst's Maga zine 0qi4-15) and the authoritative Life of David Belasco (1918) by William Winter.