DAVID BELASCO (1900-15) Set of 2 portraits

Pair of vintage original black-and-white matte photos. Stamped on verso as deaccessioned duplicates from the great theater collection of the New York Public Library, each trimmed for publication. Both very good+.

• Portrait, ca. 1900, 8 1/2 x 6 3/4″ (22 x 17.5 cm), small diagonal paper loss at extreme right bottom.
• Portrait, ca. 1915 (Belasco still has a full head of hair, but it has now turned white), 8 5/8 x 6 5/8″ (22 x 17 cm).

David Belasco (1853-1931) was a preeminent American theatrical producer, impresario, director and playwright in the early decades of the 20th century. He was the first writer to adapt the short story Madame Butterfly for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of many actors, including James O’Neill, Mary Pickford, Lenore Ulric and Barbara Stanwyck. Belasco pioneered many innovative new forms of stage lighting and special effects in order to create realism and naturalism. (Wikipedia)