SEÑOR WENCES - DOCUMENT SIGNED 11/18/1958 - HFSID 275215

BEFORE HE BECOMES FAMOUS TO AMERICAN AUDIENCES ON ED SULLIVAN'S TV VARIETY SHOW, THE SPANISH-BORN VENTRILIQUIST AND PERFORMER SIGNS A RECORDING CONTRACT
 
SEÑOR WENCES. Carbon Typed DS: "Señor Wences" in ink on page five under "Accepted and Agreed to", 5p, 8½x11, separate sheets. No place, 1958 November 18. In letter form from Joy Records Corp. to Wences in New York. Wences contracts with the record company for one year of his exclusive services. In part: "During the term of this agreement, you will render your services at recording sessions at our studios, at times which are mutually agreeable and at places to be designated by us, for the purpose of making phonograph records. The material of compositions to be recorded shall be determined by mutual agreement, and each recording shall be subject to our approval as satisfactory for the manufacture and sale of phonograph records. During the term of this agreement, you will perform for the recording of a minimum of eight (8) 78 rpm record sides, or their equivalent, and we will record your performances. We agree that approximately two minutes of recording will be the equivalent of a 78 rpm record side. Additional recordings shall be performed by you and recorded by us at our election...For your services rendered hereunder, we will make a non-refundable payment to you of Fifty ($50.00) Dollars, per side, or at the rate of union scale, whichever is greater...We will pay you a royalty of five (5%) per cent of the suggestive retail list price (exclusive of all taxes) in respect of ninety (90%) per cent of all phonograph records manufactured and sold in the United States...We shall have the right to use, and to allow others to use, your name and likeness and biographical material concerning you, for advertising and purposes of trade...You hereby grant to us four (4) successive options to extend this agreement, for a term of one (1) year each...." Also signed by a representative of Joy Records Corp. Spanish-born ventriloquist Wenceslao Moreno (1896-1999), who was known as Senor Weñces, had found fame as a matador before he gained popularity in the U.S. after frequent appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. His famous characters included Johnny, a child-like face drawn on Weñces' hand and then placed atop a headless doll, and Pedro, a disembodied head in a box, who would utter Weñces' signature line, "s'alright". His act included juggling and plate twirling - complete with heckling from Johnny and Pedro. Weñces died in New York three days after his 103rd birthday. On thin paper. Lightly creased. Staple holes and two file holes at upper blank margins. Fine condition.