Emile Littler

Sir Emile Littler (9 September 1903 – 23 January 1985), born Emile Richeux, was an English theatrical impresario, producer and author.

Life and career Littler was born in Ramsgate, Kent, in the south east of England, the younger son in the family of five children of Jules Richeux (1863–1911), a cigar importer, and his wife, Agnes May, née Paisey (b. 1874). Richeux became a theatrical proprietor, leasing the Ramsgate Victoria Pavilion from 1906, while Agnes Richeux leased the Royal Artillery Theatre, Woolwich, from 1909. In 1914, three years after Richeux's death, his widow married the theatre manager Frank Rolison Littler (1879–1940), who adopted the five children, all of whom took his surname. The elder son Prince, and one of the daughters, Blanche, also went into theatrical management. He worked in the US for four years between 1927 and 1931, for managements including the Shuberts, and after returning to Britain he became manager and licensee of the Birmingham Rep in September 1931.

In 1933 Littler married the actress Cora Goffin; there were two daughters of the marriage. Littler presented more than two hundred Christmas pantomimes in London and the larger cities of the British Isles; he was author or co-author of many of them.

Littler retired from producing in 1973 and was knighted the following year. He died at his home in Sussex at the age of 81.