Blanche Bates is a native of Portland, Oregon, born August 25, 1872; her father was manager of the Oro Fino Theatre, Portland, at the time of her birth. Her youth was passed in San Francisco, where she was well educated. She went on the stage in 1894, appearing at Stockwell’s Theatre (later called the Columbia), in that city, in a play called “This Picture and That.” Her novitiate was served chiefly under the management of T. Daniel Frawley. For several years she acted in cities in the Far West, playing all sorts of parts. At one time, in California, she was professionally associated with that fine comedian Frank Worthing (Francis George Pentland, 1866-1910), who materially helped to develop and train her histrionic talents. Belasco first became acquainted with her while she was yet a child, at the time of his professional alliance with her mother, Mrs. F. M. Bates. In 1896, during Mrs. Carter’s first season in “The Heart of Maryland,” Blanche visited New York, witnessed that performance, and applied to Belasco for employment. At the moment it was not possible for him to engage her, but he was neither forgetful of an old promise of his made to Mrs. Bates that he would assist her daughter, if ever he should be able to do so, nor unmindful of the beauty, talent, and charming personality of the applicant, and he assured her that she “should have a chance” at the first opportunity. That opportunity did not present itself for nearly three years. Meanwhile, Miss Bates returned to California and acted there, for about two years more, with the Frawley company. In the Spring of 1898 she was engaged by Augustin Daly and for a short time she acted under his management. On February 9, 1899, she made a single brilliantly successful appearance, at Daly’s Theatre, as the _Countess Mirtza_, on the occasion of the first presentment in this country of the popular melodrama of “The Great Ruby.” She disagreed, however, with the autocratic Daly and immediately retired from his company. On March 13, 1899, acting at the Broadway Theatre, New York, in association with Belasco’s old friend and comrade [Illustration: Photograph by Sarony. Belasco’s Collection. BELASCO, ABOUT 1899-1900] James O’Neill, she distinguished herself as _Milady_, in “The Three Guardsmen,” and on October 19, that year, at the Herald Square Theatre, she gave a notably fine performance,--splendidly effective in the principal scene,--of _Hannah Jacobs_, in Israel Zangwill’s stage synopsis of his novel of “The Children of the Ghetto.” A few weeks later Belasco informed Miss Bates that if she were willing to begin in a farce which he did not much esteem he was ready to undertake her management preparatory to “giving her her chance.” “The Children of the Ghetto” had proved a failure, and the actress joyfully accepted the manager’s proposal.