July. 23. He played _DeMilt_, in “Under the Gas-Light,” in a benefit, by John McCullough and others, for E. J. Buckley, at the California Theatre. September. 4. Edwin Booth began an eight weeks’ engagement in San Francisco (the first in twenty years), at the California Theatre, in “Hamlet,” “Richelieu,” “Othello,” etc., and Belasco was employed as a supernumerary in his company. October. --. Belasco was employed by James M. Ward as stage manager and playwright, at the Grand Opera House. 16. He appeared with Ward and Winnetta Montague, at the Grand Opera House, in “The Willing Hand.” 22. He appeared at Baldwin’s, as _Doctor of the_ _Hospital_, in “The Two Orphans,” for benefit of Katy Mayhew. 1877. February. 16. He appeared at Egyptian Hall (No. 22 Geary Street, near Kearny), in association with Frank Gardner and his wife (Carrie Swan), acting _The Destroyer_, in “The Haunted House,”--a play written by himself,--_Valentine_, in an abridgment of “Faust,” and _Mr. Trimeo_, in “The Mysterious Inn.” The presentments at Egyptian Hall were all built around a variant of the “Pepper’s Ghost” illusion. 17. At Egyptian Hall he appeared as _Avica_, _Spirit of Avarice_, in “A Storm of Thoughts”; _Phil Bouncer_, in “The Persecuted Traveller,” and as _The Destroyer_, in “The Haunted House.” 20. At Egyptian Hall “Our Mysterious Boarding House” was presented, in which he played _Our Guest_, replacing “The Persecuted Traveller,” in bill as on 17. April. 2. Same place, he played _Mark_, in “The Prodigal’s Return,” as well as _Avica_ and _Our Guest_, as above. The engagement of the Gardners and Belasco at Egyptian Hall continued for eight weeks.