1910 Patrick Short Olympic Century Theatres St. Louis Signed Performance Letter

From the end of the 1800s through the early 1900s, most theatre and opera house managers in the United States and Canada had to book their entertainment through Syndicates which controlled the touring schedules of most traveling shows and entertainers. One of the most prominent Syndicates was run by Marc Klaw and Abraham Lincoln Erlanger in New York City. This lot is a letter sent in 1910 to Klaw and Erlanger from Patrick Short, manager of the Olympic Theatre and the Century Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri. In the letter, Short outlines the financial arrangements for an upcoming performance.

Patrick “Pat” Short was a prominent figure in the St. Louis theater scene during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He managed both the Olympic Theatre and the Century Theatre, two of the city’s leading venues for live performances. Short’s career in theater management spanned over four decades, during which he was instrumental in bringing high-quality productions to St. Louis audiences.

The handwritten letter is on Olympic and Century Theatre letterhead and is approximately 9.25″ tall by 6″ wide. It is hand-signed by Patrick Short.