Background
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).
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Emile Littler
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Career
Richeux became a theatrical proprietor, leasing the Ramsgate Victoria Pavilion from 1906, while Agnes Richeux leased the Royal Artillery Theatre, Woolwich, from 1909. The elder son Prince, and one of the daughters, Blanche, also went into theatrical management. After private education at Stratford-upon-Avon and a brief start as an actor, Littler turned to backstage work, serving as assistant manager of a theatre in Southend-on-Sea in 1922, and then as assistant stage manager of Sir Barry Jackson"s Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
He worked in the United States for four years between 1927-1931, for managements including the Shuberts, and after returning to Britain he became manager and licensee of the Birmingham Representative in September 1931.
In 1933 Littler married the actress Cora Goffin. There were two daughters of the marriage.
The following year he set up in management on his own accountant His theatrical productions included: Victoria Regina, 1066 and All That, Once in a Lifetime, Song of Norway, Annie Get Your Gun and Zip Goes a Million, and revivals of The Maid of the Mountains, The Quaker Girl, Lilac Time, The Student Prince and The Desert Song.
Littler was a racehorse owner, owning the horses Jack & Jill, Astafa, and Irish Balliol
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. He controlled the Palace Theatre, London from 1946 to 1983.
He had two stints as President of the Society of West End Theatre Managers: 1964-1967 and 1969-1970, and served on the Board of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon.
Littler retired from producing in 1973, was knighted the following year, and died at his home in Sussex at the age of 81.
