Paul West

Paul West (26 January 1871 – 30 October 1918) was an American playwright, lyricist, newspaper editor, journalist, screenwriter, author, and talent agent. After working as a journalist in Massachusetts from 1888 to 1892, he began his career in the theatre as a press representative for Charles H. Hoyt; followed by a season as the business manager for the opera singer and actress Camille D'Arville and the comedian Frank Daniels. From 1898 to 1911 he worked on the editorial staff The New York Sunday World during which time be began a career as a prolific lyricist for both Broadway musicals and Tin Pan Alley publishers of popular song; publishing more the 500 songs during his lifetime. He also worked as a playwright, penning both plays and the books for several musicals. More than 15 of his stage works were mounted on Broadway between the years 1902–1913. In 1904 his children's book The Pearl and the Pumpkin was published; a work which he later adapted into a 1905 musical.

In the later years of his life, West was dedicated to writing screenplays for silent films; penning the stories for more than 100 films; sometimes under the pseudonym Bill Blunder. In 1918 he served in the American Red Cross at the Battle of Château-Thierry among other work at the Front, and later that year committed suicide in Paris.