Teal, Ben

(1857?-1917)

   Born in San Francisco, the playwright and director began as an actor and assistant director under David Belasco there. With George H. Jessop, he wrote The Great Metropolis (1889) and directed it. Produced by Abraham L. Erlanger, The Great Metropolis led to Teal's position as director for Erlanger and his partner, Marc Klaw. Most of the 80 New York productions staged by Teal were musicals, but his legitimate stage successes included Sweet Nell of Old Drury (1900), The Mountain Climber (1906), and The Wanderer (1917). He also directed William Young's hit stage adaptation of General Lew Wallace's novel, Ben-Hur (1899).