David Belasco was an early 20th century American playwright, impresario, director and theatrical producer. During his long career he wrote directed, or produced over 100 Broadway plays. He is best known for his work on Madame Butterfly and The Girl of the Golden West for the stage. Giacomo Puccini later adapted both into operas. The setting for The Girl of the Golden West is a mining camp high in the Sierra Madre Mountains in 1849. Every man in the small mining town would like a kiss from the girl. She is uneducated and street smart. She plays a mean hand of cards and smokes stogies. She runs the only saloon and in many ways reminds the reader of Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke.