Belasco, David, 1853-1931; Theater -- United States
Bronson Howard’s play of “The Banker’s Daughter” (one act of which was
written by A. R. Cazauran) was produced, for the first time, November
30, 1878, at the Union Square Theatre, New York, where it held the stage
till April 16, 1879, receiving 137 performances. It was regarded as one
of the “sensations” of the time, and Maguire, desiring to secure its
presentment at the Baldwin Theatre, began negotiations to that end with
Palmer early in 1879. Palmer named terms that Maguire would not, or
could not, meet and they were rejected. But a new play was urgently
required for the Baldwin, and Maguire turned to Belasco, asking, “Can’t
you make something for us on similar lines?” Belasco readily agreed to
do this, but presently expressed doubt as to Baldwin’s consent to pay
the heavy price of certain novel expedients of stage-setting which he
wished to use.
“In my principal scene,” he said to me, “I wanted a striking, new
effect,--walls of a delicate pink, hung with rich lace, and I knew it
would cost a lot. I went to Baldwin about it, after talking to Maguire,
who thought it impossible, and told him the story of my play, and what I
wanted to do in the way of settings, and my fear about expenses. Baldwin
said, ’I understand Palmer’s coming out here, to the California, with
“The Banker’s Daughter.” I think he tried to stick us up on that piece,
and I’d like to beat him. We don’t need to go to so much expense as you
think, Davy. You say you want laces: well, I’ll let you have some lace,
such as nobody has ever seen on a stage!’ And he did. It was real
antique stuff, belonging to his daughter and himself, from their home.
I designed the scene as I wanted it, had plain set pieces painted (they
cost us only a few dollars) in delicate shades of pink, and draped
Baldwin’s lace over them. The effect was beautiful,--I’ve never seen
anything of the kind as good,--and it _looked_ like the room of ’a
millionaire’s daughter.’ But I was glad when the run was over and the
stuff safely back in Baldwin’s home: there was over $30,000 worth of it
used in that set, and it kept me anxious all the time.”
Belasco’s play of “The Millionaire’s Daughter” was produced at the
Baldwin Theatre on May 19, 1879, and it was received with much favor. It
tells the story of a woman who marries one man while believing herself
to be in love with another, but who comes, through an ordeal of sorrow
and suffering, to know the value of her husband and to love him. It is
not important, though creditable as a melodramatic specimen of what
Augustin Daly used to describe as “plays of contemporaneous human
interest.” The chief parts in it were cast as follows:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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