Melvin Dacus was born March 15, 1923 in Fort Worth. His father, James Alexander Dacus, was head of the Texas Christian University Business School when it moved to Fort Worth. He graduated from TCU in 1944. He was a Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and participated in the landing on Iwo Jima. After the war he sung in the first two operas of the Fort Worth Opera. In 1946 he went to New York to pursue his singing career. He returned to Fort Worth in the early 50's. In 1958, he and Fort Worth oilman James H. Snowden formed the nonprofit corporation that built Casa Mañana in 1958. He became producer/general manager in 1966 and held the post until 1975. He and his wife performed on the dinner theater circuit. He died on October 6, 1999.
From the description of Dacus, Melvin oral history, 1992. (Fort Worth Library). WorldCat record id: 191194192
