Ben Teal(1857-1917)
- Writer
Born in Eugene, Oregon and raised in San Francisco, Teal was a noted
Broadway playwright and director. In the latter role, he was widely
considered a tyrant, but enjoyed a long career on Broadway. After a
serving an apprenticeship under the guidance of
David Belasco, he wrote "The Great
Metropolis" with George H. Jessop, that would become the first
production of Abraham L. Erlanger
(1859-1940) in 1889. He first directed on Broadway in 1896 and would
soon become a staff director for Klaw [Marc Klaw (1858-1936)] &
Erlanger's burgeoning company that would morph into The Theatrical
Syndicate, formed in conjunction with theatrical mogul
Charles Frohman, Al Hyman and William
Harris--- the company would virtually monopolize Broadway and it's road
show operations, until 1916. Teal staged many of the firm's musical
extravaganzas and musical comedies. As a director he didn't win many
friends among his troupes, he was explosive and prone to volatile
outbursts but entrenched himself as a money-spinner to his employers.
His most memorable success was directing the 1899 production of William
Young's "Ben Hur." Other hits included "Sweet Nell of Drury Lane"
(1900) and "The Wanderer" (1917). Teal died in 1917.
