Historic 1966 Standard AFTRA Engagement Contract — Cliff Robertson Signed Guest Star Covenant, Van Bernard Productions Corporate Provenance, and The Red Skelton Hour Television Broadcast Archive

This listing highlights an exceptional, museum-grade piece of classic television history, mid-century broadcasting lore, and American pop culture genealogy: an original, fully executed Standard AFTRA Engagement Contract — Network Television with its accompanying specialized rider, dated October 18, 1966. This historic labor covenant formalizes a marquee guest star performance by the distinguished Academy Award-winning actor and Hollywood titan, Cliff Robertson.

The portfolio structures the operational rules, residual compensation scales, and high-value performance rates arranged to project his cinematic profile into one of the highest-rated variety hours on American network television. Executed just two years prior to his legendary, Oscar-winning portrayal in Charly (1968), this document captures the business frameworks behind his celebrated peak-career television bookings. Complete talent manifests carrying a pristine, active-era signature and handwritten initials from this definitive American leading man represent a premier cornerstone acquisition asset for world-class broadcasting archives, television history curators, and elite entertainment manuscript collections.

Key Archive Features & Production Specifications

• THE CELEBRITY VARIETY BOOKING: The document structures his headline placement on a beloved television staple, explicitly typewritten under the title section: "THE RED SKELTON HOUR" #0627.

• THE COMPULSORY NETWORK TRANSMISSION DATE: The central ledger records the projected date for the national television broadcast, logged as: Contemplated Network Broadcast Origination Date: March 21, 1967.

• PRODUCTION TIMELINES & RECORDING SITES: The form outlines the strict calendar blocks and geographic studio coordinates assigned to the taping cycle:

  • The Taping Venue: Formally designated as CBS Studios in Los Angeles, California.

  • The Performance Day: Locked in for March 8, 1967.

  • The Rehearsal Window: Scheduled to commence on-site on March 4, 1967.

  • The Guild Rating: Tracked under the AFTRA classification of Performer.

• POWERHOUSE VAN BERNARD PRODUCTIONS PROVENANCE: The deal stems directly from the production company established by Red Skelton himself to manage his historic network properties, displaying the corporate lines: VAN BERNARD PRODUCTIONS, INC. — 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90036.

• ELITE TALENT AGENCY EMBASSY CHANNELS: The document lists the legendary entertainment agency managing the actor's elite bookings during the golden age of studio packaging, routing contract parameters to his personal handlers: CLIFF ROBERTSON c/o General Artists Corp. — 9025 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, Calif.

• HIGH-VALUE LEVEL COMPENSATION SLATES: The financial lines detail the substantial monetary terms arranged to secure the actor's guest performance, along with specialized foreign use parameters:

  • The Base Performance Fee: Formally typewritten for the premium flat sum of $7,500.00.

  • The Commercial Type: Marked as a standard Commercial broadcast funded by Various national sponsors.

  • The Foreign Market Tracks: Logs standard AFTRA union foreign use metrics, including Area 1 ($450.00), Area 2 ($21.00), Area 3 ($10.50), Area 4 ($300.00), and Area 5 ($10.50).

• TOP-TIER GUEST STAR BILLING MANDATES: Protecting the star's elite Hollywood industry standing, the billing clause dictates a strict network screen credit rider, guaranteeing that the actor: "shall receive billing on the program, in Producer's sole discretion... First or special guest star billing."

• PRODUCER EXECUTIVE COUNTER-SIGNATURE: Highlighting its successful journey through the studio administrative offices, the primary contract block is counter-signed on behalf of Van Bernard Productions, Inc. by an authorized executive who signs with an elegant, sweeping signature over the designated "Producer" block.

Meticulous Archival Contract Rider & Motion Picture Escape Clauses

The accompanying addendum page formalizes advanced financial escalators and specialized scheduling protections tailored to accommodate the high-demand film actor, titled: Rider to Agreement Dated October 18, 1966 Between Van Bernard Productions (Producer) and CLIFF ROBERTSON (Performer). The technical parameters include:

• The Sliding-Scale Replay Escalator: Section 23 structures a meticulous payment tier for broadcast replays. It mandates a fee of $3,750.00 if a replay occurs during the summer block commencing May 1 and ending September 15 of any year, and escalates to a full payment of $7,500.00 if the replay occurs during the peak television season commencing September 16 and ending April 30. Second and third replays are guaranteed at a flat rate of $1,875.00 each, with the third payment constituting payment in perpetuity.

• The Feature Film Escape Rider: Section 24 preserves the actor's cinematic mobility by enforcing a specialized Hollywood motion picture protection clause. It rules that in the event the Performer desires to accept a bona fide commitment to render services upon a feature-length motion picture whose filming dates conflict with the variety show taping, the Performer holds the right to terminate the Agreement upon written notice to the Producer not later than January 21, 1967.

Authentic Autograph Specimen & Hand-Initialed Verification Blocks

The portfolio features a stellar, dual-page presentation of the actor's early-career legal handwriting profiles:

1. THE "CLIFF ROBERTSON" PRINCIPAL AUTOGRAPH: The primary contract face houses an absolute exhibition-quality, remarkably clean and stylized cursive signature hand-pebbed by the actor: "Cliff Robertson". Positioned flawlessly across the designated "Performer" line directly over his printed identity, this clean signature stands as a gold-standard specimen of his handwriting pedigree.

2. AUTHENTIC "C.R." LEGAL INITIALS BLOCK: The attached production rider features a dedicated administrative verification block labeled Initial Here. Inside this panel, the actor has hand-penned his clean, sharp legal initials: "C.R.", validating the structural replay modifications.

Collector's Archival Condition

Dating back approximately sixty years to a definitive era in American network variety television programming, this multi-page corporate contract portfolio is in magnificent, museum-quality condition. The original premium bond paper sheets remain exceptionally clean, bright, and structurally flawless, showcasing sharp corners, clean edges, and perfectly uniform, deep typewriter typography across all recorded sections.

Cliff Robertson's signature, his hand-penned initials, and the executive studio counter-signatures are beautifully preserved on the paper face with absolute clarity, offering a spectacular visual layout for custom gallery framing, dual-sided exhibition, or permanent museum display. To maintain complete data privacy compliance, the highly sensitive personal social security digits located within the performer signature row have been safely, neatly, and completely blacked out. This highly coveted piece of classic show business history comes safely protected within archival-grade storage sleeves to ensure permanent preservation.

Disclaimer

Please be advised that the financial parameters, billing mandates, production companies, studio addresses, and historical 1966 calendar dates provided map directly to the exact physical vintage network television contract sheets and verified ink handwritings preserved within this archive portfolio. As an authentic biographical collection from an entertainment colossus whose unforgettable emotional range, towering professional integrity, and historic starring roles—spanning PT 109, The Best Man, and Charly, culminating in a new generation of pop culture immortality as Uncle Ben in the modern Spider-Man trilogy—permanently cemented his status as a legendary icon of stage and screen, the precise character of the pen strokes, the aging of the paper stock, and the structural legal phrasing are entirely unique to this individual piece of show business history.

Own an Unrivaled Piece of Television History Today!

While common modern reproduction prints, standard glossy movie stills, or generic commercial trade autographs can be found anywhere in the open marketplace, an original, fully executed corporate contract from Cliff Robertson’s peak career timeline represents the absolute zenith of premium entertainment heritage collecting. Because elite talent casting and network variety covenants require legally binding signatures from the principal entertainer to release intellectual assets, clear nationwide broadcast rights, regulate high-value exclusive replay windows, and authorize studio production funds, they offer a completely un-staged, official confirmation of a legendary icon's private daily footprint and real-world commercial power long before stepping under the live studio lights. Directly tracking to his individual identity alongside CBS broadcasting history, the Van Bernard corporate records, and a flawlessly preserved ink signature profile, this certified archive is a premier crown-jewel centerpiece for any world-class collection of fine art artifacts, classic television history, or rare twentieth-century Americana manuscripts.