DESAUGIERS, MARC ANTOINE MADELEINE (1772-1827), French dramatist and song-writer, son of Marc Antoine Desaugiers, musical composer, was born at Frejus (Var). At the Revolution he emigrated to St. Domingo, and during the negro revolt he was made prisoner, barely escaping with his life. He took refuge in the United States, where he supported himself by teaching the piano. In 1797 he returned to his native country, and rapidly won fame as a writer of comedies, operas and vaude villes, produced at the Theatre des Varietes and the Vaudeville. He also wrote convivial and satirical songs, which, though dif ferent in character, can only worthily be compared with those of Beranger. He was at one time president of the Caveau, to which he introduced Beranger. In 1815 Desaugiers succeeded Pierre Yves Barre as manager of the Vaudeville. He died in Paris on Aug. 9, 1827.
An edition of Desaugiers' Chansons et Poesies diverses appeared in 1827. A new selection with a notice by Alfred de Bougy appeared in 1858. See also Sainte-Beuve's Portraits contemporains, vol. v.