Evening star., 1931-05-15
THEATRICAL WORLD
! MOURNS BELASCO
Hundreds of Messages Ex-
press Regret Over Death
of Dean of Stage.

creator of stars wizard as director and
producer.
In his seventy-seventh year. he died
of heart disease yesterday after vir-
tually lifetime devoted to the stage.
II shall retire when I am carried feet
first out of the theater," he said on his
seventh-f1fth birthday anniversary. He
never did retire, and there was a dra-
matte touch to his death. Il am fight
ing for my life he said as his daughter
Reina (Mrs. Morris Gest5 went to his
bedside, in the Hotel Gladstone, mo-
ment before the end.
True to the Belasco tradition, his
latest play, Tonight or Never" went on
as usual last night.
Mr.. Belasco was stricken but a few
hours before his death. He had appar-
emily recovered from siege of pneu-
monia which had kept him abed several
months last Winter Earlier this week
he had reserved eight tickets for the
fights tonight in Madison Square
Garden.
Hundreds Send Messages.
Sunday he went motoring. Tuesday
night he felt i'll, but refused to let his
nurse summon doctor At 8 am. yes
terday the doctor was called and re-
manned with the stage master until the
end at Ais pm.
Hundreds of messages Of coincidence
reached his daughter. Typical were:
Lee Shubert-He was without doubt
the greatest producer the theater has
ever known.
George M. Cohan-He was the finest
combination of genuine artistry and
really showmanShip.
David Warfleld-He was a man
who never stopped at anything to
make his, production perfect and
superb.
Sam H Harris-The greatest the
atrical producer of all time.
William A. Brady-The greatest d.
rector.
Charles B. Dnlingham-Master of
them all.
Instances of Stagecraft Cited.
In the words Of Daniel Frohman, who
brought him from San Francisco to
Broadway 49 years ago, Belasco had
profound journalistic instinct, an in
born grasp of what interests people.
AS typical instances of the producers
ability to thrill an audience Mr.. Froh-
man cited Mrs. Leslie Carter swinging
from a bell in 1.-THE Heart of Mary
land" and the wounded hero in THE
Girl of the Golden West" hidden in
the loft by the heroine. being be-
trayed by blood dripping from the
ceiling.
3elasco was a realist The stairs in
his plays were real stairs. The flowers
were real flowers. In his latest sue
cess, dealing with the career of an
opera singer. the star, Helen Gahagan,
sings an operate aria.
On the stage first as a child, Belasco
had played 200 parts while still young
man. At his death he had produced
some 400 plays. Of which he had writ
ten $50.
Will Be Buried Sunday.
Among his outstanding successes
were "A Grand Army Man." THE
Easiest Way" Marie Odile," THE
Music Master THE Heart of wetonah,"
Tiger Rose Tiger. Tiger" "Deburau,"
1.-The Gold Diggers." XXI" and Lulu
Belle" He starred, among others,
Frances Starr, Mary Pickford the
changed her name from Gladys SMITH,
Ina Claire, Lenore Ulrich, Fay BANTER
and David Warfield.
Besides his daughter, Mr.. Belasco
leaves three brothers, Edward, Walter
and Solomon. all of Los Angeles.
Another daughter Mrs. William Elliott,
died 16 years ago.
He viii be buried Sunday in Linden
Hills, n. j., Cemetery by the side of
his wife, Cecilia Loverich, whom he
married in San Francisco. Services will
be conducted in Central Synagogue,
with Rabbi Jonah B. Wise officiating
Pallbearers will be Mayor walker,
Daniel Frohman, George M. Cohan, Al
JolSon, Frank Gilmore. Edward Charles
Carpenter. A. o. Brown. Mitchell L
Erlanger and Edward D. Coblentz.
Author Of Play at IA.
Mr.. Belasco's prediction for the
theater asserted itself when he was only
IL years old. At that age he became
author Of his first play, Jim Black, or
the Regulators Revenge" He fitted up
an empty coal bin at his home for
studio and shortly after obtained his
first theatrical job-calI boy at the
Baldwin Theater, San Francisco. He
eventually became stage manager at
positions at the Grand Opera House
and the Metropolitan Theater in San
Francisco
During those years Mr.. Belasco came
In contact with such stars as Edwin
Booth, John Mccullough, z. A. Soth-
ern, Edwin Adams, Adelaide Nelson
and others. Meanwhile, he had been
spending all his spare time dramatizing
novels, adapting foreign plays and doing
original work. From his position as
stage manager, he went with Dion
Boucicault. whom he served as private
secretary for time
The play. La Belle Russo" written
by Mr.. Belasco in 1879, gained recogni-
ton for him in New York when it was
successfully produced at Wallack's
Theater. Three years later he was
induced to go to New York by the
Mallory brothers, who engaged him as
stage manager and stock dramatist for
their Madison Square Theater There
he began his real climb to fame con-
tinued 1t as stage manager for Daniel
Frohman at the Old Lyceum Theater
and eventually struck out to attain his
greatest achievements on his own ac-
count.
On the seventy-fifth anniversary OF
his birthday. Mr.. Belasco was at Atlantic
City directing the production of new
play preliminary TO putting 1t on Broad
way Up TO that time it was estimated
that he had staged about 400 plays, Of
which he had written or helped TO
write $50. He announced then that his
production schedule had been planned
for the ensuing eight years with 81 plays
listed for presentation.
Acquired Theater in 1902.
It was not until 1902 that Mr.. Belasco
acquired theater OF his own. He spent
six years and nearly 81 900 900 in litiga-
ton with Klaw and Erlanger and other
theatrical syndicate managers 10 es-
tablish his independence. Later he ac-
quired interests in theaters in many Of
the principal cities AT his studio over
the Belasco Theater In New York, he
maintained for several years a Bureau
OF Playwrighting, which was said to
have cost him $50, 900 year. Thousands
Of aspiring playwrights submitted manu-
scripts, none of which was found ac-
ceptable, and he discontinued the ex-
pertinent.
His own method of writing a play
was once described by Mr., Belasco after
repeated requests to tell how he worked.
FIRST Of all he made up his mind as