Morris Gest

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Morris Gest (March 15, 1875 to May 16, 1942) was a Jewish American theatrical producer. Born in Vilna, now Lithuania, the son of Leon and Elizabeth Gershonovitz. Through his mother he was a member of the middle-class Michliszanski clan which included his cousin, later renamed as Bernard Berenson, the art historian.

His niece, Anya Teixeira, recalled that the family story went that as a teenager his antics in imitating the Rabbi had embarrassed his devout parents.^{[citation needed]} Fortunately a couple were emigrating to Boston and agreed to take him with them in 1890. Later, he attracted the attention of Mr. Thompson, for whom he worked in the library of the United States District Court who saw to it that he went to school.

The theatre, was by his account, the first job that came his way and he gained experience of most of the skills involved. Some years later he went to New York and worked for Oscar Hammerstein at the Manhattan Opera House. and was promoted to foreign representative.

After some false starts in production by himself he teamed up with F. Ray Comstock and in the 1920s made his reputation by the import of Russian productions from the post-Revolutionary regime. Nikita Balieff's Chauve-Souris company and the Moscow Art Theatre directed by Stanislavski were to reign over New York drama despite the handicap of Russian dialogue. In 1923 he organised the last tour of Eleanor Duse.

In 1924 he brought over Max Reinhardt to stage "The Miracle" to which Gest brought his own talents in publicity and casting. These were well needed as the heavy costs of the sets, costumes and cast of 175 could have meant financial disaster.

The Great Depression and the parting from Comstock seem to have curbed his productions for five years but there was a last production to come, Lady Precious Stream in 1936. The same year marked the onset of a nervous breakdown. However he recovered sufficiently to be involved in the "Morris Gest's Little Miracle Town: with the world's greatest midget artistes". This was in connection with the New York World's Fair of 1939. He died in 1942, leaving Reina, daughter of David Belasco, his widow. She died in 1948.