William Belasco

William Belasco (July 30, 1934 - February 26, 1976) was a film producer.{{Cite news |last=McGowen |first=Deane |date=1973-03-28 |title=People in Sports: Hogan Advises Golfers Not to Age |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/03/28/archives/people-in-sports-hogan-advises-golfers-not-to-age.html |access-date=2025-03-13 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Belasco was a theatrical agent who had helped "package" the TV series Batman and The Green Hornet. His clients included Pat Boone, Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Chuck Connors.

He sold his agency Progressive Management Corp in 1968 and joined MGM as a producer for whom he made a number of films. Blake Edwards was critical of Belasco's behaviour while making The Carey Treatment.{{Cite news|title=What's Going On in the Lion's Den at MGM?: What's Going On|author=Warga, Wayne.|date=Dec 26, 1971|work=Los Angeles Times|page=q1}} Belasco moved to MGM in 1975.

Belasco formed a partnership with Sal Mineo to make a film called McCaffrey. Mineo was murdered and Belasco was going to hold a memorial for the actor at Belasco's house. However before this happened Belasco was injured in a car accident on February 22, 1976. He never recovered from his wounds and died several days later.{{cite news|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=29 February 1976|page=4|title=Crash injuries fatal to producer Belasco}}{{cite book|page=170|title= Sal Mineo : his life, murder, and mystery|last=Jeffers|first= H. Paul|year=2000}}

Select filmography

  • The Carey Treatment (1972){{Cite news |last=Kasindorf |first=Martin |date=1972-09-10 |title=How now, Dick Daring? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/09/10/archives/how-now-dick-daring.html |access-date=2025-03-13 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
  • They Only Kill Their Masters (1972){{Cite journal |last=Graham |first=Lee |date=1972-09-01 |title=Lee Graham's Man About Town |url=https://dn790000.ca.archive.org/0/items/hollywood-studio-magazine-1972-09/hollywood-studio-magazine-1972-09.pdf |journal=Hollywood Studio Magazine |volume=7 |issue=5 |pages=22}}
  • The Super Cops (1974){{Cite web |title=The Super Cops |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/55418 |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=AFI{{!}}Catalog}}
  • The Last Hard Men (1976){{Cite web |title=William Belasco |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/12919%7C0/William-Belasco#overview |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Turner Classic Movies}}

References

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