Autographed Agency Representation Contract: Hand-Signed by Red Buttons (William Morris Agency 1951)
This entry showcases an authentic, primary-source piece of Golden Age television history, classic comedy lore, and vintage entertainment agency ephemera: an official two-page typed agency representation agreement, hand-signed on the execution page by Academy Award-winning comedian and actor Red Buttons.
Beginning his career as a vaudeville performer and burlesque comic, Red Buttons (1919–2006) became an overnight television sensation in 1952 with The Red Buttons Show, winning a Primetime Emmy Award and popularizing his famous catchphrase, "Strange things are happening!" He went on to achieve dramatic acclaim, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his powerful role in Sayonara (1957) opposite Marlon Brando. His distinguished career spanned six decades across television, Broadway, and classic films including The Longest Day (1962), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969).
Dated October 12, 1951, this official two-page typed contract addressed to the William Morris Agency, Inc. (1740 Broadway, New York, N.Y.) formalizes a one-year exclusive agency agreement for worldwide television representation. The contract details a 10% agency commission rate, television series extension clauses, SAG/AFTRA/AGVA cross-representation provisions, and Labor Commissioner jurisdiction rules under the California Labor Code.
On Page 2, above his pre-printed name credit on the execution line, Red Buttons has rendered a classic, flowing signature in fountain pen ink ("Red Buttons"). The document is countersigned to the left under "AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED" by an executive representative for the William Morris Agency, Inc.
Preserved in fine vintage condition on standard off-white paper stock, featuring clear typed legal text, clean margins, intact filing punch holes at the top, and a crisp ink signature, this document serves as an essential centerpiece for television comedy archivists, Red Buttons collectors, and Golden Age agency ephemera displays.
Contract Specifications
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OFFICIAL WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY CONTRACT: Authentic two-page typed agency agreement executed in New York on October 12, 1951.
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GOLDEN AGE TELEVISION REPRESENTATION: Formalizes exclusive worldwide television representation, commission rates, and guild provisions.
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EXCELLENT VINTAGE CONDITION: Preserved in fine condition with clean document stock, clear typing, and sharp unbent margins.
Autograph Specifications & Provenance
