Emile Littler Archive

Scope and Content

Photographs, correspondence and designs collected by Emile Littler throughout his career. The correspondence includes letters to and from a number of costumiers. The designs are mostly for productions at Daly's Theatre in 1913, many of these are not connected with Littler productions. The collection also contains some scrapbooks, posters and miscellaneous business documents.

Administrative / Biographical History

Emile Littler (1903-1958) was one of the greatest British theatrical impresarios of the 20th century, particularly for pantomime and musicals. The son of theatrical managers Agnes and Jules Richoux, Emile and his siblings were adopted by Frank Littler after he married their mother. Three of the Littler children - Blanche, Prince and Emile - went on to become the most influential producers of their day who understood better than most the pitfalls of a career in show business. Emile Littler started his theatrical career as assistant stage manager at the Ambassador Theatre, Southend in 1922, moving to the Royal Court Theatre in London a year later as business manager, and in 1925 becoming assistant stage manager at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Conditions Governing Access

Individual records for designs and posters may be found on the V&A's Search the Collections. Please contact tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk for further information and details about this collection.

This collection is available for consultation in the V&A Department of Theatre & Performance's reading room, which is located at Blythe House, 23 Blythe Rd, Olympia, London, W14 0QX. The reading room is open Tuesday to Friday's between 10.15 am and 4.30 pm, access to it is by appointment only. To request an appointment please email tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk or telephone 020 7942 2698.

Conditions Governing Use

Archive material may not be photocopied. Arrangements can be made to photograph material in the search room using non-flash photography.

Related Material

See also the production file for The Marriage Market at Daly's Theatre in May 1913 in addition to core collections of the V&A Theatre and Performance Department. Material related to Emile Little, this above play and subjects involved in the production may be found in several collections, including the biographical, productions, company and photographs files.

Please ask for details.

Personal Names
Littler, Emile. ( 1903-1985)
Littler, Frank
Richoux, Agnes
Geographical Names
Royal Court Theatre, London, England
Ambassador Theatre, Southend, England
Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham, England
Daly's Theatre, London, England