For nearly 150 years,

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

have pervasively influenced

popular culture Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...

in the

English-speaking world Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the '' Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest languag ...

.See Bradley, Ian (2005), Chapter 1 an
this article at the musicals101 website
Lines and quotations from the Gilbert and Sullivan operas have become part of the English language, such as "

short, sharp shock The phrase "short, sharp shock" means "a punishment that is ... severe but only lasts for a short time". It is an example of alliteration. Although the phrase originated earlier, it was popularised in Gilbert and Sullivan's 1885 comic opera ''The ...

", "What never? Well, hardly ever!", "let the punishment fit the crime", and "A policeman's lot is not a happy one".Green, Edward
"Ballads, songs, and speeches"
''BBC News'', 20 September 2004, accessed 30 September 2009. The

Savoy operas Savoy opera was a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which imp ...

heavily influenced the course of the development of modern

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

. They have also influenced political style and discourse, literature, film and television and advertising, and have been widely parodied by humorists. Because they are well-known, and convey a distinct sense of

Britishness British national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity, as embodied in the shared and characteristic culture, languages and traditions, of the British people. It comprises the claimed qualities that bind and distin ...

(or even Victorian Britishness), and because they are in the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired ...

, songs from the operas appear "in the background" in many movies and television shows. The operas have so pervaded Western culture that events from the "lives" of their characters from the operas are memorialized by major news outlets. For instance, a 29 February 1940 article in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' noted that Frederic, from ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 187 ...

'', was finally out of his indentures (having reached his 21st birthday, as described in that opera).

Musical theatre and comedy

The American and British

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

owes a tremendous debt to Gilbert and Sullivan, who introduced innovations in content and form that directly influenced the development of

through the 20th century.Downs, Peter. "Actors Cast Away Cares". ''Hartford Courant'', 18 October 2006. Available for a fee a
courant.com archives.
/ref>Bargainnier, Earl F
"W. S. Gilbert and American Musical Theatre"
pp. 120–33, ''American Popular Music: Readings from the Popular Press'' by Timothy E. Scheurer, Popular Press, 1989 According to theatre writer

John Bush Jones John Bush Jones (August 3, 1940 – December 31, 2019) was an American author, theatre director and critic, educator and scholar. He taught theatre for more than two decades at Brandeis University and wrote widely about musical theatre, publishing ...

, Gilbert and Sullivan were "the primary progenitors of the twentieth century American musical" in which book, music and lyrics combine to form an integrated whole, and they demonstrated "that musicals can address contemporary social and political issues without sacrificing entertainment value". Gilbert's complex rhyme schemes and satirical lyrics served as a model for Edwardian musical comedy writers such as

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

and

Owen Hall Owen Hall (10 April 1853 – 9 April 1907) was the principal pen name of the Irish-born theatre writer, racing correspondent, theatre critic and solicitor, James "Jimmy" Davis, when writing for the stage. After his successive careers in law a ...

, and for such 20th century

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

lyricists as

P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, ( ; 15 October 188114 February 1975) was an English author and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeeve ...

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 2 ...

Yip Harburg Edgar Yipsel Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg; April 8, 1896 – March 5, 1981) was an American popular song lyricist and librettist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" ( ...

,Meyerson, Harold and Ernest Harburg ''Who Put the Rainbow in the Wizard of Oz?: Yip Harburg, Lyricist'', pp 15-17 (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1993, 1st paperback edition 1995)

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include "Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", " Bewitched, B ...

,Kenrick, John
"G&S in the USA" at the musicals101 website
''The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, TV and Film'' (2008), accessed 4 May 2012.

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight ...

and

Sheldon Harnick Sheldon Mayer Harnick (born April 30, 1924) is an American lyricist and songwriter best known for his collaborations with composer Jerry Bock on musicals such as ''Fiorello!'' and '' Fiddler on the Roof''. Early life Sheldon Mayer Harnick was ...

. Even some of the plot elements from G&S operas entered subsequent musicals; for example, 1937's '' Me and My Girl'' features a portrait gallery of ancestors that, like the portraits in '' Ruddigore'', come alive to remind their descendant of his duty.

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallic ...

said, "We all come from Gilbert."

Alan Jay Lerner Alan Jay Lerner (August 31, 1918 – June 14, 1986) was an American lyricist and librettist. In collaboration with Frederick Loewe, and later Burton Lane, he created some of the world's most popular and enduring works of musical theatre b ...

wrote that Gilbert "raised lyric writing from a serviceable craft to a legitimate popular art form," and, despite professing not to be a Gilbert fan,

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

wrote "Please Hello" for ''

Pacific Overtures ''Pacific Overtures'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by John Weidman, with "additional material by" Hugh Wheeler. Set in 19th-century Japan, it tells the story of the country's westernization starting in 185 ...

'' (1976), a song that has been called "an homage" to Gilbert. Yip Harburg said, "Perhaps my first great literary idol was W. S. Gilbert. ... Gilbert's satirical quality entranced us arburg and Ira Gershwinnbsp;– his use of rhyme and meter, his light touch, the marvelous way his words blended with Sullivan's music. A revelation!" In the number "Right Hand Man" from the 2015 musical ''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

'' by

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and '' In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animat ...

, George Washington refers to himself with irony as "The model of a modern major general", which he rhymes with "men are all" and "pedestal". Miranda commented: "I always felt like 'mineral' wasn't the best possible rhyme." Sullivan was also admired and copied by early composers such as

Ivan Caryll Félix Marie Henri Tilkin (12 May 1861 – 29 November 1921), better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian-born composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language, who made his career in London and later ...

, Lionel Monckton,

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is bes ...

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...

, and

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musical ...

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

wrote: According to theatre historian John Kenrick, ''

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which ...

'', in particular, "became an international sensation, reshaping the commercial theater in both England and the United States." Adaptations of ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, where it ran at the ...

'', ''Pinafore'' and ''

The Gondoliers ''The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria'' is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances (at that time the ...

'' have played on Broadway or the West End, including '' The Hot Mikado'' (1939; ''

Hot Mikado : ''Hot Mikado'' is a musical comedy, based on Gilbert and Sullivan's 1885 comic opera ''The Mikado'', adapted by David H. Bell (book and lyrics) and Rob Bowman (orchestrations and arrangements). After researching the 1939 Broadway musical, ''T ...

'' played in the West End in 1995),

George S. Kaufman George Simon Kaufman (November 16, 1889June 2, 1961) was an American playwright, theater director and producer, humorist, and drama critic. In addition to comedies and political satire, he wrote several musicals for the Marx Brothers and other ...

's 1945 '' Hollywood Pinafore'', the 1975 animated film ''

Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done ''Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done'' is a 1975 British animated musical comedy film directed by Bill Melendez and designed by Ronald Searle, based on the 19th century comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.Smith, Winfield. "Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done", ...

'' and, more recently,''Gondoliers'' (2001; a Mafia-themed adaptation) and ''Pinafore Swing'' (2004), each of which was first produced at the

Watermill Theatre The Watermill Theatre is a repertory theatre in Bagnor, Berkshire. It opened in 1967 in Bagnor Mill, a converted watermill on the River Lambourn. As a producing house, the theatre has produced works that have subsequently moved on to the West E ...

, in which the actors also served as the orchestra, playing the musical instruments. Looser adaptations include ''

Memphis Bound ''Memphis Bound'' (usually styled ''Memphis Bound!'') is a 1945 American musical based on the Gilbert and Sullivan opera ''H.M.S. Pinafore''. The score was adapted and augmented by Don Walker and Clay Warnick, with a libretto credited to Albert ...

'' (1945). Shows that use G&S songs to tell the story of the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership include a 1938 Broadway show, ''Knights of Song'', and a 1975 West End show called ''Tarantara! Tarantara!'' Many other musicals parody or pastiche the operas. However, the influence of Gilbert and Sullivan goes beyond musical theatre to comedy in general. Professor Carolyn Williams notes: "The influence of Gilbert and Sullivan – their wit and sense of irony, the send ups of politics and contemporary culture – goes beyond musical theater to comedy in general. Allusions to their work have made their way into our own popular culture". According to Gilbert and Sullivan expert and enthusiast

Ian Bradley Ian Campbell Bradley (born 28 May 1950) is a British academic, author and broadcaster. He is Emeritus Professor of Cultural and Spiritual History at the University of St Andrews, where he was Principal of St Mary's College and honorary Churc ...

Effect on amateur theatre

Cellier and Bridgeman wrote, in 1914, that prior to the creation of the

Savoy opera Savoy opera was a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which impr ...

s, amateur actors were treated with contempt by professionals. After the formation of amateur Gilbert and Sullivan troupes in the 1880s licensed to perform the operas, professionals recognised that the amateur groups "support the culture of music and the drama. They are now accepted as useful training schools for the legitimate stage, and from the volunteer ranks have sprung many present-day favourites." Cellier and Bridgeman attributed the rise in quality and reputation of the amateur groups largely to "the popularity of, and infectious craze for performing, the Gilbert and Sullivan operas".Cellier and Bridgeman, p. 394 The

National Operatic and Dramatic Association NODA has a membership of 2500 amateur theatre groups and 1000 individual enthusiasts throughout the UK, staging musicals, operas, plays, concerts and pantomimes in a wide variety of performing venues, ranging from the country's leading p ...

was founded in 1899. It reported, in 1914, that nearly 200 British amateur troupes were producing Gilbert and Sullivan operas that year. There continue to be hundreds of amateur groups or societies performing the Gilbert and Sullivan works worldwide.

Politics, government, and law

It is not surprising, given the focus of Gilbert on politics, that politicians, cartoonists and political pundits have often found inspiration in these works. The phrase "A

," from the Act I song "I am so proud" in ''

'', has been used in political manifestos. Likewise "Let the punishment fit the crime," from the title character's Act II song, is particularly mentioned in the course of British political debates. Political humour based on Gilbert and Sullivan's style and characters continues to be written. For example, in 1996, Virginia Bottomley, heritage secretary under

John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdon, formerly Hunting ...

, sent up

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of t ...

in a parody of "When I Was a Lad" from ''Pinafore''. In October 2010,

Ron Butler Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...

released a YouTube video pastiche of the Major-General's Song in character as, and mildly lampooning,

President Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

. US Supreme Court Justice

William Rehnquist William Hubbs Rehnquist ( ; October 1, 1924 – September 3, 2005) was an American attorney and jurist who served on the U.S. Supreme Court for 33 years, first as an associate justice from 1972 to 1986 and then as the 16th chief justice from ...

, a lifelong fan of Gilbert and Sullivan, quoted lyrics from the operas in law cases, parodied the lyrics in his writings at the Court and added gold stripes to his judicial robes after seeing them used by the

Lord Chancellor The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. Th ...

in a production of ''

Iolanthe ''Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri'' () is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, first performed in 1882. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh of fourteen operatic collaborations by Gilbert ...

''. The Lord Chancellor

Lord Falconer Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, (born 19 November 1951) is a British Labour peer and barrister who served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice under Prime Minister Tony Blair from 2003 to 2007. Born i ...

, on the other side of the Atlantic, objected so strongly to ''Iolanthe's'' comic portrayal of Lord Chancellors (like himself) that he supported moves to disband the office. British politicians, beyond quoting some of the more famous lines, have also delivered speeches in the form of Gilbert and Sullivan parodies. These include Conservative Peter Lilley's

pastiche A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking i ...

of "I've got a little list" from ''

'', listing those he was against, including "sponging socialists" and "young ladies who get pregnant just to jump the housing queue". In 2010 a parody version of the Major-General's song was posted as an op-ed piece in the ''

Richmond Times-Dispatch The ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'' (''RTD'' or ''TD'' for short) is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond, the capital of Virginia, and the primary newspaper of record for the state of Virginia. Circulation The ''Times-Dispatch'' has the second-h ...

'' mocking actions of the

Attorney General of Virginia The attorney general of Virginia is an elected constitutional position that holds an executive office in the government of Virginia. Attorneys general are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election. There are no te ...

Ken Cuccinelli Kenneth Thomas Cuccinelli II ( ; born July 30, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, h ...

.Hinkle, A. Barton
"Hinkle: The Attorney General's Song"
''Richmond Times-Dispatch'', 10 May 2010, accessed 14 November 2013 Other government references to Gilbert and Sullivan include postage stamps issued to memorialize the operas and various other uses by government entities. For instance, the arms granted to the

municipal borough of Penzance Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situate ...

in 1934 contain a pirate dressed in Gilbert's original costuming. The law, judges and lawyers are frequently subjects in the operas (Gilbert briefly practiced as a lawyer) and the operas have been quoted and otherwise mentioned in a large number of legal rulings and opinions. Some courts appear to reach approximately the same conclusions as Gilbert and Sullivan: "Where does this extraordinary situation leave the lower... Courts and State Courts in their required effort to apply the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States...? Like the policeman in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''

'', their 'lot is not a happy one.'" On the other hand, in the case '' Pierson v. Ray'', which established the doctrine of qualified immunity for police officers, the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

held that " policeman’s lot is not so unhappy that he must choose between being charged with dereliction of duty if he does not arrest when he had probable cause, and being punished with damages if he does." A few refer to the law as shown in Gilbert and Sullivan as being archaic. The pronouncements of the Lord Chancellor in "Iolanthe" appear to be a particular favourite in legal quotations. One U.S. Supreme Court case even discussed a contempt citation imposed on a ''

pro se ''Pro se'' legal representation ( or ) comes from Latin ''pro se'', meaning "for oneself" or "on behalf of themselves" which, in modern law, means to argue on one's own behalf in a legal proceeding, as a defendant or plaintiff in civil cases, ...

'' defendant who, among other conduct, compared the judge to something out of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Phrases from the operas

Aside from politics, the phrase "A short, sharp shock" has appeared in titles of books and songs (most notably in samples of

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...

's "

The Dark Side of the Moon ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. The album was primarily developed during live performances, and the band premiered an early version of ...

"). Likewise "Let the punishment fit the crime" is an often-used phrase in the media. For instance, in episode 80 of the television series '' Magnum, P.I.'', entitled "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime," Higgins prepares to direct a selection of pieces from ''The Mikado'' to be staged at the Estate. The phrase and the Mikado's song also are featured in the ''

Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran fo ...

'' episode, "A Soldier's Farewell." In the movie '' The Parent Trap'' (1961) the camp director quotes the same phrase before sentencing the twins to the isolation cabin together. The character of Pooh Bah in ''The Mikado'', who holds numerous exalted offices, including "First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral... Archbishop of Titipu, and Lord Mayor" and Lord High Everything Else, has inspired the use of the term Pooh-Bah as a mocking title for someone self-important or high-ranking and who either exhibits an inflated self-regard or who has limited authority while taking impressive titles."pooh-bah - Definition"
''Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary'', accessed 14 June 2009 The term "

Grand Poobah Grand Poobah is a satirical term derived from the name of the haughty character Pooh-Bah in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''The Mikado'' (1885). In this comic opera, Pooh-Bah holds numerous exalted offices, including "First Lord of the Treasury, Lord ...

" has been used on the television shows, including ''

The Flintstones ''The Flintstones'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series takes place in a romanticized Stone Age setting and follows the activities of the titular family, the Flintstones, and their next-door neighb ...

'' and ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...

'' as the title of a high-ranking official in a men's club, spoofing clubs like the

Freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

, the Shriners, and the

Elks Club The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City. History The Elks began in 1868 as a soci ...

Songs and parodies

The works of Gilbert and Sullivan, filled as they are with parodies of their contemporary culture, are themselves frequently parodied or pastiched.Bradley (2005) devotes an entire chapter (chapter 8) to parodies and pastiches of G&S used in advertising, comedy and journalism. A notable example of this is

Tom Lehrer Thomas Andrew Lehrer (; born April 9, 1928) is an American former musician, singer-songwriter, satirist, and mathematician, having lectured on mathematics and musical theater. He is best known for the pithy and humorous songs that he recorded in ...

's " The Elements", which consists of Lehrer's rhyming rendition of the names of all the chemical elements set to the music of the " Major-General's Song" from ''Pirates''. Lehrer also includes a verse parodying a G&S finale in his patchwork of stylistic creations ''Clementine'' ("full of words and music and signifying nothing", as Lehrer put it, thus parodying G&S and

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

in the same sentence). Comedian

Allan Sherman Allan may refer to: People * Allan (name), a given name and surname, including list of people and characters with this name * Allan (footballer, born 1984) (Allan Barreto da Silva), Brazilian football striker * Allan (footballer, born 1989) (Al ...

sang several parodies and pastiches of Gilbert and Sullivan songs in the 1960s, including: *"When I was a lad I went to Yale" (about a young advertising agent, based on the

patter song The patter song is characterised by a moderately fast to very fast tempo with a rapid succession of rhythmic patterns in which each syllable of text corresponds to one note. It is a staple of comic opera, especially Gilbert and Sullivan, but it ...

from ''H.M.S. Pinafore'', with a

Dixieland Dixieland jazz, also referred to as traditional jazz, hot jazz, or simply Dixieland, is a style of jazz based on the music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century. The 1917 recordings by the Original Dixieland Jass Band ...

arrangement – at the end, he thanks old Yale, he thanks the Lord, and he thanks his father "who is chairman of the board") *"Little Butterball" (to the tune of "I'm Called Little Buttercup" from ''H.M.S. Pinafore''), about Sherman's admitted corpulence. This was actually a response to a song on the same subject by Stanley Ralph Ross (who was parodying Sherman's G&S routines) called "I'm Called Little Butterball", on the album ''My Son, the Copycat''. *"You need an analyst, a psychoanalyst" (from '' Allan in Wonderland'') which is a variant of "I've got a little list" from ''The Mikado'' presenting, with a

samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havi ...

accompaniment, reasons why one might want to seek psychiatric help. *"The Bronx Bird Watcher" (from ''

My Son, the Celebrity ''My Son, the Celebrity'' is a musical comedy album by Allan Sherman, released in the United States by Warner Bros. in January 1963. The album was the second of three straight albums by Sherman to reach #1 on the Billboard album charts. It re ...

'') - a parody of the song "Titwillow" from ''The Mikado'', in which the bird sings with a stereotypical

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

accent. Sherman is so impressed by the bird's singing that he takes him "down from his branch", and home "to mein shplit-level ranch". His wife, "Blanch", misinterprets the gift and fricassees the bird, whose last words are, "Oy! Willow! Tit-willow! Willow!"

Anna Russell Anna Russell (born Anna Claudia Russell-Brown; 27 December 191118 October 2006) was an English–Canadian singer and comedian. She gave many concerts in which she sang and played comic musical sketches on the piano. Among her best-known works a ...

performed a

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...

called "How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera."

The Two Ronnies ''The Two Ronnies'' is a British television comedy sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett. It was created by Bill Cotton and aired on BBC1 from April 1971 to December 1987. The usual format included sketches, solo sections, ser ...

' Gilbert and Sullivan parodies include their 1973 Christmas special. In addition, numerous G&S song parodies and other references to G&S are made in the animated TV series, ''

Animaniacs ''Animaniacs'' is an American animated comedy musical television series created by Tom Ruegger for Fox Broadcasting Company's Fox Kids block in 1993, before moving to The WB in 1995, as part of its Kids' WB afternoon programming block, until ...

'', such as the "HMS Yakko" episode, which includes its well-known parody of the Major-General's Song, "I Am the Very Model of a Cartoon Individual", as well as pastiches of "With Cat Like Tread" (''Pirates'') and "I am the Captain of the Pinafore" and "Never Mind the Why and Wherefore" (''H.M.S. Pinafore'')."G&S in Popular Culture"
Manchester Universities Gilbert and Sullivan Society, accessed 11 January 2017 ''Animaniacs'' also presented a version of "Three Little Maids" used as an audition piece in the episode "Hello Nice Warners".

Disney's The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

'' Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers'' (2004) features four songs from ''The Pirates of Penzance''''The Pirates of Penzance''
The Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, accessed 10 September 2016 and part of the overture to ''

Princess Ida ''Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant'' is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was their eighth operatic collaboration of fourteen. ''Princess Ida'' opened at the Savoy Theatre on 5 January 1884, for a ru ...

''.YouTube clip of the Mickey Mouse ''Princess Ida'' music
/ref> Other comedians have used Gilbert and Sullivan songs as a key part of their routines, including

Hinge and Bracket Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda Bracket were characters devised by George Logan and Patrick Fyffe for their comedy and musical act. Hinge and Bracket were elderly, intellectual female musicians; in these personae the male Logan and Fyffe play ...

. From 1968 to 1978 Iain Kerr and Roy Cowen toured as "Goldberg & Solomon", including their two-man show, ''Gilbert & Sullivan Go Kosher'', which they recorded. News outlets continue to refer to the operas in news commentaries and to parody songs from the operas. Theatre parodies include a 1925

London Hippodrome The Hippodrome is a building on the corner of Cranbourn Street and Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, London. The name was used for many different theatres and music halls, of which the London Hippodrome is one of only a few s ...

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

called ''Better Days'' included an extended one-act parody entitled, ''A "G. & S." Cocktail; or, A Mixed Savoy Grill'', written by Lauri Wylie, with music by

Herman Finck Herman Finck (November 4, 1872 – April 21, 1939) was a British composer and conductor of Dutch extraction. Born Hermann Van Der Vinck in London, he began his studies training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and established a care ...

. It was also broadcast by the BBC. It concerned a nightmare experienced by a D'Oyly Carte tenor. Gilbert and Sullivan songs are sometimes used in popular music. The song " Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" is set to the tune of "With cat-like tread" from ''The Pirates of Penzance'' (in particular, the segment that starts, "Come, friends who plough the sea"). The musical group

Peter, Paul and Mary Peter, Paul and Mary was an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961 during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The trio consisted of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Paul Stookey, and contralto Mary Travers. The group's reper ...

included the song, "I have a song to sing, O!" from '' The Yeomen of the Guard'' on one of their children's albums, '' Peter, Paul and Mommy'' (1969). Oscar Brand and

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her st ...

recorded "Prithee Pretty Maiden" for the Canadian folk music TV program ''

Let's Sing Out ''Let's Sing Out'' was a Canadian music television series which aired on CTV from 1963 to 1966, then on CBC Television until 1968. Premise This series, patterned after the American ''Hootenanny'' show, featured contemporary folk music hosted by ...

'', broadcast by

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French- ...

in 1966.

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, ...

and Michele Gray Rundgren performed "Never Mind the Why and Wherefore" on the TV show '' ''Night Music'''' in 1989. The songs have also been used in musicals and other entertainments. For example, the song, "My eyes are fully open" (often referred to as the "Matter Patter Trio") from ''Ruddigore'' is used (with some changed lyrics) in Papp's

production of ''

'', and the tune of the song is used as "The Speed Test" in the musical ''

Thoroughly Modern Millie ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' is a 1967 American musical- romantic comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay, by Richard Morris based on the 1956 British musical ''Chrysanthemum'', follows a naïve yo ...

'' and is heard in a season 5 episode of ''

Spitting Image ''Spitting Image'' is a television in the United Kingdom, British satire, satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. First broadcast in 1984, the series was produced by 'Spitting Image Productio ...

'' where Labour leader

Neil Kinnock Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock (born 28 March 1942) is a British former politician. As a member of the Labour Party, he served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995, first for Bedwellty and then for Islwyn. He was the Leader of ...

is portrayed singing a self-parody to the tune.

Other references to songs in ''The Mikado''

In '' The Producers'', a terrible auditioner for the musical ''

Springtime for Hitler ''Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp With Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden'' is a fictional musical in Mel Brooks' 1967 film '' The Producers'', as well as the stage musical adaptation of the movie, and the 2005 movie adaptation of the musical. It ...

'' begins his audition with Nanki-Poo's song, "A Wand'ring Minstrel I." After only nine words, the director cuts him off abruptly, saying "THANK YOU!" In at least two episodes of ''

Blackadder Goes Forth ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Blackadder, Bald ...

'', parts of "A Wand'ring Minstrel I" are played. "There Is Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast" is performed by Richard Thompson and Judith Owen on the album ''

1000 Years of Popular Music ''1000 Years of Popular Music'' is a 2003 live album by Richard Thompson. The album was originally conceived after Richard Thompson, along with many other artists, was asked by ''Playboy'' magazine to nominate his choice of the best songs of th ...

''. The movie poster for ''

The Little Shop of Horrors ''The Little Shop of Horrors'' is a 1960 American horror comedy film directed by Roger Corman. Written by Charles B. Griffith, the film is a farce about an inadequate florist's assistant who cultivates a plant that feeds on human blood. The fi ...

'', shown to the right, parodies the song title, "The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring, tra la!" changing the word "bloom" to "kill". References to "Three Little Maids": *In the 1981 film ''

Chariots of Fire ''Chariots of Fire'' is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Colin Welland and produced by David Puttnam. It is based on the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell ...

'', Harold Abrahams first sees his future wife as one of the Three Little Maids. Also, the song is featured in the soundtrack to the 1999 Anthony Edwards film ''

Don't Go Breaking My Heart "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a 1976 duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche", respectively, and intended as an affectiona ...

''.W.S. Gilbert at the IBDB database
/ref> *Many television programs have featured the song, including the ''

Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...

'' episode, "Leapin' Lizards,""Gilbert & Sullivan in Popular Culture: ''The Mikado''"
The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, accessed 11 June 2017 the ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...

'' episode " A Hole in the World", the British TV series '' Keep It in the Family'' and ''

Fresh Fields ''Fresh Fields'' is a British sitcom starring Julia McKenzie and Anton Rodgers. A ratings success at the time, it was written by John Chapman and produced by Thames Television for ITV, running for four series between 7 March 1984 and 23 Oc ...

'', ''

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' is an American sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series aired on Disney Channel from March 18, 2005, to September 1, 2008. The series was nominated for an Emmy Award three times and was a ...

'' episode "Lost in Translation", ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'' episode "

Cape Feare "Cape Feare" is the second episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 7, 1993. The episode features guest star Kelsey Grammer ...

",Jean, Al. (2004). Commentary for "Cape Feare", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' VD 20th Century Fox ''

Alvin and the Chipmunks Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks or simply The Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band and media franchise first created by Ross Bagdasarian for novelty records in 1958. The group consists of three ...

'' 1984 episode "Maids in Japan", and ''The

Vol. 1'' episode "Hello Nice Warners." Magnum, P.I. also used the song when Higgins was putting on a production of "The Mikado". On the ''

Dinah Shore Show ''The Dinah Shore Show'' is an American variety show which was broadcast by NBC from November 1951 to July 1957, sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet division. For most of the program's run, it aired from 7:30 to 7:45 Eastern Time on Tuesday an ...

'', Shore sang the song with

Joan Sutherland Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s. She possesse ...

and

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

in 1963. *The

Capitol Steps The Capitol Steps was an American political-satire group that performed from 1981 to 2020. Most of the Capitol Steps' material parodied well-known contemporary songs, usually introduced with a short skit. The songs were interspersed with other ro ...

have performed parodies entitled "Three Little Kurds from School Are We" about conditions in Iraq an
"Three little wives of Newt"
a 2012 lampoon of candidate

Newt Gingrich Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U. ...

's marital issues. References to "Tit-Willow" ("On a tree by a river"): *Television references include

Groucho Marx Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, singer, television star and vaudeville performer. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit an ...

and

Dick Cavett Richard Alva Cavett (; born November 19, 1936) is an American television personality and former talk show host. He appeared regularly on nationally broadcast television in the United States for five decades, from the 1960s through the 2000s. In ...

singing the song on ''The Dick Cavett Show''. Groucho interrupted at the line "and if you remain callous and obdurate, I shall perish as he did" to quiz the audience on the meaning of the word "obdurate". An episode of

Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian-American singer, actor and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, after signin ...

's TV show did a parody titled "Golf Widow". A

Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...

season 1 episode (aired on 22 November 1976) featured Rowlf the Dog and Sam Eagle singing the song, with Sam clearly embarrassed at having to sing the word "tit" and asking the meaning of "obdurate". In the '' Private Snafu'' cartoon ''The Goldbrick'', a fairy named Goldie the Goldbrick sings a song that is a parody of ''Tit-Willow''. At the end of cartoon, it is revealed that Goldie is working for the Japanese. The song is featured in the 2003 TV movie ''

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself ''And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself'' is a 2003 American made-for-television western film for HBO in partnership with City Entertainment and starring Antonio Banderas as Pancho Villa, directed by Bruce Beresford, written by Larry Gelbart and ...

''. *The song is played ominously during the murder mystery film ''Music for Ladies in Retirement'' (1941). In the 1971 film ''

Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? ''Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?'' (U.S. title: ''Who Slew Auntie Roo?'') is a 1972 horror-thriller film directed by Curtis Harrington and starring Shelley Winters, Mark Lester, and Sir Ralph Richardson. Based partly on the fairy tale "Hansel and ...

'',

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

as the title character sings "Tit-Willow" just before she is murdered.Shimon, Darius Drewe
"Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971)"
, Britmovie.co.uk, 21 December 2009 In

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

's last movie ''

The Shootist ''The Shootist'' is a 1976 American Western film directed by Don Siegel and based on Glendon Swarthout's 1975 novel of the same name.Swarthout, Glendon (1975). ''The Shootist'', New York, New York: Doubleday. It is John Wayne's final film ro ...

'', made in 1976, Wayne and

Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall (; born Betty Joan Perske; September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and received an Academy Honorary ...

sing several lines from "Tit-Willow", before he departs with the intention of dying in a gunfight instead of from cancer. *Allan Sherman's album parody is described above. References to the "Little List" song: Sherman also did a variant on the song, described above. In a ''

Eureeka's Castle ''Eureeka's Castle'' is an American children's television series created by Debby Beece and Judy Katschke. It originally aired on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block from September 4, 1989 to November 10, 1991. The program featured various puppet char ...

'' Christmas special called "Just Put it on the List," the twins, Bogg and Quagmire, describe what they'd like for Christmas to the tune of the song. Richard Suart and A.S.H. Smyth released a book in 2008 called ''They'd None of 'em Be Missed,'' with 20 years of little list parodies by Suart, the

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English ...

's usual Ko-Ko. In the ''

Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their ch ...

'' episode "

Lois Kills Stewie "Stewie Kills Lois" and "Lois Kills Stewie" are a two-part episode of the sixth season of the animated comedy series ''Family Guy'', which was originally produced for the end of Season 5. Respectively, both parts are the fourth and fifth episod ...

", Stewie, after taking over the world, sings the "little list" song about those he hates, including Bill O'Reilly's dermatologist (only on the DVD edition). References to "The sun whose rays": In addition to the poignant inclusion of the song near the end of ''

Topsy-Turvy ''Topsy-Turvy'' is a 1999 British musical period drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh, starring Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jim Broadbent as W.S. Gilbert, along with Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville and Ron Cook. The ...

'' (1999; see below), the song has been heard in numerous film and TV soundtracks, including in the 2006 films '' The Zodiac'' and ''

Brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...

'' and the UK TV series ''

Lilies ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

'', in the 2007 episode "The Tallyman."

Other uses of songs in ''H.M.S. Pinafore''

Songs from ''Pinafore'' are featured in a number of films. "When I Was A Lad" is sung by characters in the

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A ...

fantasy movie ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...

''; "A British Tar" is sung in '' Star Trek: Insurrection'' (1998) and briefly sung in ''

Raiders of the Lost Ark ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. It stars Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ro ...

'' (1981);Soundtrack information for ''Raiders of the Lost Ark''
IMDB database "For he is an Englishman" is sung in ''

'' (1981), ''

An Englishman Abroad ''An Englishman Abroad'' is a 1983 BBC television drama film based on the true story of a chance meeting of actress Coral Browne with Guy Burgess, a member of the Cambridge spy ring who spied for the Soviet Union while an officer at MI6. The pr ...

'' (1983),Vineberg, Steve
"Beyond the mundane"
, ''Boston Phoenix'', 19 February 1998, accessed 21 June 2016 and in the 2009 episode " Broken" of ''

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...

''.

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Ameri ...

, as a young Edward Wilson, plays Little Buttercup in a Yale production and sings "I'm Called Little Buttercup" falsetto in '' The Good Shepherd'' (2006). Songs from ''Pinafore'' are also pastiched or referred to in television episodes, including episode #3 of ''

'', "HMS Yakko"; "

" episode of ''

''; ''

''s episode 3.1 "

The Thin White Line The third season of ''Family Guy'' first aired on the Fox network in 22 episodes from July 11, 2001, to November 9, 2003, before being released as a DVD box set and in syndication. It premiered with the episode "The Thin White Line" and finished ...

," among others; and the 1959 '' Leave it to Beaver'' episode #55, "The Boat Builders." "For he is an Englishman" is referred to both in the title's name and throughout ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...

'' episode "

And It's Surely to Their Credit The second season of the American political drama television series ''The West Wing'' aired in the United States on NBC from October 4, 2000 to May 16, 2001 and consisted of 22 episodes. Production The second season made frequent use of flashba ...

" (sic), where several staffers sing along to a recording of the song to brighten up the White House counsel's day.Davila, Florangela
"Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society Celebrates Composers' Enduring Popularity"
, KPLU, 7 July 2014 In the 1987 ''

Moonlighting Moonlighting may refer to: * Side job, a job taken in addition to one's primary employment Entertainment * ''Moonlighting'' (film), a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski * ''Moonlighting'' (TV series), 1985–1989 American television series, s ...

'' episode "Cool Hand Dave, Part 2", a prison chain gang sings its advice to Sam to the tune of "When I was a Lad". In the 2014 episode "

Daisy Daisy, Daisies or DAISY may refer to: Plants * ''Bellis perennis'', the common daisy, lawn daisy or English daisy, a European species Other plants known as daisy * Asteraceae, daisy family ** '' Euryops chrysanthemoides'', African bush daisy ** ' ...

" of ''

How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas (screenwriter), Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main c ...

'', the Captain sings most of the recit "My Gallant Crew, Good Morning" with choral responses by his maids, and later in the episode the "what never?" joke is used.

Other references to songs in ''The Pirates of Penzance''

The " Major-General's Song" is frequently parodied,

d and used in advertising. Its challenging patter has proved interesting to comics, as noted above, and has been used in numerous film and television pastiches and in political commentary. In many instances, the song, unchanged, is simply used in a film or on television as a character's audition piece, or seen in a "school play" scene. For example, in the 1983 film ''

Never Cry Wolf ''Never Cry Wolf'' is an account of the author's experience observing wolves in subarctic Canada by Farley Mowat, first published in 1963 by McClelland and Stewart. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 1983. It has been credited for dra ...

'', the hero sings the song. Similarly, in '' Kate & Leopold'', Leopold sings the song while accompanying himself on the piano; however, the scene is anachronistic in that ''

'' premiered in 1879, ''after'' Leopold had already left his own time of 1876. In the ''

Two and a Half Men ''Two and a Half Men'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS for twelve seasons from September 22, 2003, to February 19, 2015. Originally starring Charlie Sheen in the lead role alongside Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, t ...

'' episode "And the Plot Moistens" (Season 3, Episode 21), Alan sings a verse of the song to encourage Jake to join a school musical. Similarly, in season 2 of '' Slings & Arrows'', Richard Smith-Jones uses the song as an audition piece for a musical."The Modern Major-General's Song (1879) by Gilbert and Sullivan"
Popisms.com, accessed 10 September 2016 In the ''

Mad About You ''Mad About You'' is an American television sitcom starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a married couple in New York City. It initially aired on NBC from September 23, 1992, to May 24, 1999, winning numerous awards including four Golden Glob ...

'' episode "Moody Blues", Paul directs a charity production of ''Penzance'' starring his father, Burt, as the Major-General. Parts of rehearsal and performance of the song are shown. When the lyrics slip Burt's mind, he improvises a few lines about his son. The song is parodied or pastiched in other media: In the video games ''

Mass Effect 2 ''Mass Effect 2'' is an action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in 2010 and PlayStation 3 in 2011. It is the second installment in the ''Mass Effect'' series and a ...

'' and ''

Mass Effect 3 ''Mass Effect 3'' is an action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. The third major entry in the ''Mass Effect'' series and the final installment of the original trilogy, it was released in March 2012 ...

'', the character

Mordin Solus Mordin Solus is a fictional character in BioWare's ''Mass Effect'' franchise, who serves as a Party (role-playing games), party member (or "squadmate") in ''Mass Effect 2''. A salarian (one of ''Mass Effect''s alien races) physician and life scien ...

sings a short pastiche, "I am the very model of a scientist Salarian". Another pastiche of the song (among many on YouTube), also inspired by "The Elements", is the "Boy Scout Merit Badge Song", listing all the merit badges that can be earned from the

Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded in ...

. In 2012, the webcomic ''

xkcd ''xkcd'', sometimes styled ''XKCD'', is a webcomic created in 2005 by American author Randall Munroe. The comic's tagline describes it as "a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language". Munroe states on the comic's website that the name ...

'' published a pastiche of the song that lists the faults associated with undergraduate majors, called "Every Major's Terrible". This comic then became the subject of various musical adaptations. A nonsense pastiche of the song in 2017 film ''

Despicable Me 3 ''Despicable Me 3'' is a 2017 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the sequel to ''Despicable Me 2'' (2013), the third main installment, and the fourth installment overall ...

'', sung by Minions, was uploaded to YouTube by

Illumination Entertainment Illumination (formerly known as Illumination Entertainment) is an American computer animation studio, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007. Illumination is owned by Meledandri and the Illumination brand is co-owned by Universal Pictures, a divisi ...

as a singalong challenge; the video has been viewed more than 15 million times. Other examples of television renditions of the song, in addition to the

example mentioned above, include ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as ...

'' (season 3, episode 61), which staged a scene in which comedian

Gilda Radner Gilda Susan Radner (June 28, 1946 – May 20, 1989) was an American actress and comedian, and one of the seven original cast members of the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). In h ...

and a talking carrot each assayed the Major-General's song and also sampled "A Policeman's Lot" and "Poor Wand'ring One". Radner told Kermit that she had written to request a 7-foot-tall talking ''parrot'', but he misread her handwriting: she wanted to present ''The Parrots of Penzance''. In an episode of "Home Improvement",

Al Borland This article contains character information for the American television sitcom ''Home Improvement''. Taylor family Tim Taylor Timothy "Tim" Taylor (Tim Allen) – Tim Taylor (born October 1954) is the father of the family. Ever the kn ...

, thinking he was in a sound-proof booth, belts out the first stanza but is heard by everyone. Others include the ''

Babylon 5 ''Babylon 5'' is an American space opera television series created by writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski, under the Babylonian Productions label, in association with Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Warner Bros. Domestic Tele ...

'' episode "

Atonement Atonement (also atoning, to atone) is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some other ...

"; the '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode

Disaster A disaster is a serious problem occurring over a short or long period of time that causes widespread human, material, economic or environmental loss which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources ...

; the episode of ''

'' titled '' Fathers and Sons''; the episode of ''

'' entitled " Deep Space Homer"; two ''

VeggieTales ''VeggieTales'' is an American Christian media, computer generated musical children's animation, and book franchise created by Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki under Big Idea Entertainment. The series sees fruit and vegetable characters retell ...

'' episodes: "The Wonderful World of Auto-Tainment""''VeggieTales: The Wonderful World of Autotainment'' Soundtrack (2004) OST"
Ringostrack.com, accessed 10 September 2016; an
"VeggieTales Season 1 Episode 15 S1E15 ''The Wonderful World of Auto-Tainment!''"
, OVguide, accessed 10 September 2016 and "

A Snoodle's Tale This is a list of VHS and DVD releases of the animated children's television series ''VeggieTales''. Videos Original videos (1993–2015) Theatrical films Compilation videos Collections # ''Lessons From The Sock Drawer'' ...

"; the '' Married... with Children'' episode "Peggy and the Pirates" (Season 7, Episode 18); and the 2012 ''

'' episode "

Killer Queen "Killer Queen" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by lead singer Freddie Mercury and recorded for their third album ''Sheer Heart Attack'' in 1974. It reached number two in the UK Singles Chart and became their first US ...

".Pierson, Robin
"Episode 16 – 'Killer Queen'"
, ''The TV Critic'', 21 March 2012, accessed 29 August 2013 In the first episode of the 2020 British miniseries ''

Quiz A quiz is a form of game or mind sport in which players attempt to answer questions correctly on one or several specific topics. Quizzes can be used as a brief assessment in education and similar fields to measure growth in knowledge, abilities, ...

'', about the Charles Ingram cheating scandal, Ingram and another Army officer sing the Major-General's Song. Parodies or pastiches of the song in television programs have included the computer-animated series ''

ReBoot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...

'', which ended its third season with a recap of the entire season, set to the song's tune. In the ''

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip ''Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'' is an American comedy-drama television series created and primarily written by Aaron Sorkin. The series was about the production of a live comedy series, similar to ''Saturday Night Live''. Produced by Warner Br ...

'' episode "The Cold Open" (2006), the cast of ''Studio 60'' opens with a parody: "We'll be the very model of a modern network TV show".Schillinger, Liesl
"Dress British, Sing Yiddish"
''The New York Times'', 22 October 2006 In the ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...

Big Finish Productions Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include '' Doctor Who'', th ...

audio, ''

Doctor Who and the Pirates ''Doctor Who and the Pirates'', or ''The Lass That Lost a Sailor'', is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is the first musical story in the series' history. ...

'', the

Doctor Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

sings, "I am the very model of a

Gallifrey Gallifrey () is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is the original home world of the Time Lords, the civilisation to which the protagonist, the Doctor belongs. It is located in a ...

an buccaneer" (and other songs, from ''Pirates'', ''Pinafore'' and '' Ruddigore'', are parodied). When he hosted ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

'',

David Hyde Pierce David Hyde Pierce (born April 3, 1959) is an American actor and director of stage, film and television. He starred as psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom '' Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, and won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Scree ...

's monologue was a parody of the song. In the 2007 '' Scrubs'' episode "

My Musical "My Musical" is a musical episode of the American comedy-drama television series '' Scrubs''. It is the 123rd episode of the show, and was originally aired as episode 6 of season 6 on January 18, 2007 on NBC. The episode follows the story of Pa ...

Dr. Cox Percival Ulysses "Perry" Cox, M.D., is a fictional character played by John C. McGinley on the American television comedy-drama '' Scrubs''. Dr. Cox appeared in every episode except " My Last Words", " My Comedy Show", and " My Full Moon", all ...

sings a patter song in the style of the Major-General's song about why he hates J.D. Other songs from ''Pirates'' that have been referred to frequently include the chorus of ''With cat-like tread'', which begins "Come, friends, who plough the sea," which was used in the American song, " Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here", associated with

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

. For instance, "Come, friends..." is featured in ''Chariots of Fire'' (1981; discussed in more detail below). As noted above, the song was also pastiched in the "HMS Yakko" episode of ''

'', in a song about surfing a whale. In the movie "

An American Tail ''An American Tail'' is a 1986 American animated musical adventure film directed by Don Bluth from a screenplay by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss and a story by David Kirschner, Freudberg and Geiss. The film features the voices of Phillip Glass ...

," Fievel huddles over a copy of the score to "Poor Wandering One," and as he wanders the streets of New York, the song plays in the background. The

Smothers Brothers The Smothers Brothers are Thomas ("Tom" – born February 2, 1937) and Richard ("Dick" – born November 20, 1938), American folk singers, musicians, and comedians. The brothers' trademark double act was performing folk songs (Tommy on acoustic gu ...

, beginning in 1975 on their show, occasionally performed a parody version of ''Poor Wand'ring One'', which they repeated in the 1980s with the

Boston Pops The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Sym ...

(

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review '' WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

conducting). The theme song of the cartoon character ''

Popeye Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar.The Last of the Blonde Bombshells ''The Last of the Blonde Bombshells'' is a 2000 British-American television film directed by Gillies MacKinnon. The script by Alan Plater focuses on the efforts of a recently widowed woman to re-unite the members of the World War II-era swing ...

''. "Ah, leave me not to pine alone" is featured on the soundtrack of the sentimental 1998 British film ''Girls' Night'' as well as the 1997 film ''

Wilde Wilde is a surname. Notable people with the name include: In arts and entertainment In film, television, and theatre * '' Wilde'' a 1997 biographical film about Oscar Wilde * Andrew Wilde (actor), English actor * Barbie Wilde (born 1960), Canad ...

''. In the pilot episode of the 2008

CTV CTV may refer to: Television * Connected TV, or Smart TV, a TV set with integrated internet North America and South America * CTV Television Network, a Canadian television network owned by Bell Media ** CTV 2, a secondary Canadian televisio ...

series, '' Flashpoint'', a police officer and his partner sing the policeman's song. In the 2009 ''

Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...

'' episode "The Slave of Duty", Hotch quotes "Oh dry the glist'ning tear".

Literature

In addition to reminiscences, picture books and music books by performers, conductors and others connected with, or simply about, the

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. Th ...

, the

Light Opera of Manhattan Light Opera of Manhattan, known as LOOM, was an off-Broadway repertory theatre company that produced light operas, including the works of Gilbert and Sullivan and European and American operettas, 52 weeks per year, in New York City between 1968 an ...

, the J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company and other Gilbert and Sullivan repertory companies, numerous fictional works have been written using the G&S operas as background or imagining the lives of historical or fictional G&S performers. Recent examples include Cynthia Morey's novel about an amateur Gilbert and Sullivan company, ''A World That's All Our Own'' (2006); Bernard Lockett's ''Here's a State of Things'' (2007), a historical novel that intertwines the lives of two sets of London characters, a hundred years apart, but both connected with the Gilbert and Sullivan operas; and ''The Last Moriarty'' (2015) by Charles Veley, about an actress from D'Oyly Carte who seeks the help of

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

. ''Secret Words'' by Jonathan Strong uses a local production of ''

Utopia, Limited ''Utopia, Limited; or, The Flowers of Progress'', is a Savoy opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was the second-to-last of Gilbert and Sullivan's fourteen collaborations, premiering on 7 October 1893 for a ...

'' as a background. In ''The Getaway Blues'' by William Murray, the main character names all his racehorses after Gilbert and Sullivan characters and constantly quotes G&S. ''Gilbert and Sullivan Set Me Free'' is a novel by Kathleen Karr based on a historical event in 1914, when the inmates of Sherborn Women's Prison in Massachusetts, U.S., put on a performance of ''

''. In the novel, the prison's chaplain uses the transformative power of music and theater to help reform the inmates, bringing them together to work on the show as a spirited community. "

" is a villainous vigilante in the comic book superhero series '' The Question'', by

Denny O'Neil Dennis Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retir ...

and

Denys Cowan Denys B. Cowan (born January 30, 1961) is an American comics artist, television producer, media executive and one of the co-founders of Milestone Media. Early life Denys Cowan was first inspired by superheroes as a child from reruns of the 1950s ...

. He dons a Japanese mask and kills malefactors in appropriate ways – letting "the punishment fit the crime". A humorous illustrated booklet, ''A Parody on Iolanthe'', was written and published by D. Dalziel in 1883 and concerns the Chicago & Alton Railway. Psmith

There are many children's books retelling the stories of the operas, or stories about the history of the famous partnership, including two by Gilbert himself. There are also children's biographies or fictionalisations about the lives of the two men or the relationship between the two, such as the 2009 book, ''The Fabulous Feud of Gilbert & Sullivan''.

makes dozens of references to Gilbert and Sullivan in his works. Wodehouse sometimes referred to Gilbert at length, and he based his

Psmith Rupert Psmith (or Ronald Eustace Psmith, as he is called in the last of the four books in which he appears) is a recurring fictional character in several novels by British author P. G. Wodehouse, being one of Wodehouse's best-loved characters. ...

character on Rupert D'Oyly Carte or his brother. Wodehouse also parodied G&S songs. In

Jerome K Jerome Jerome Klapka Jerome (2 May 1859 – 14 June 1927) was an English writer and humourist, best known for the comic travelogue '' Three Men in a Boat'' (1889). Other works include the essay collections '' Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow'' (1886) ...

's ''

Three Men in a Boat ''Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)'',The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: ''Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog!'' published in 1889, is a humorous account by English writer Jerome K. Jerome of a two ...

'' (1889), a description is given of Harris's attempts to sing a comic song: "the Judge's song out of ''Pinafore'' – no, I don't mean ''Pinafore'' – I mean – you know what I mean – the other thing, you know.", which turns out to be a mixture of "When I, good friends" from ''

Trial by Jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are used in a significan ...

'' and "When I was a lad" from ''Pinafore''. Several novels have used the Savoy operas as backdrop for a detective story. ''

Death at the Opera ''Death at the Opera'' is a 1934 mystery detective novel by the British writer Gladys Mitchell. It was the fifth novel in her series featuring the psychoanalyst and amateur detective Mrs Bradley. It was published in the United States under the ...

'' by

Gladys Mitchell Gladys Maude Winifred Mitchell (21 April 1901 – 27 July 1983) was an English writer best known for her creation of Mrs Bradley, the heroine of 66 detective novels. She also wrote under the pseudonyms Stephen Hockaby and Malcolm Torrie. Fêt ...

(1934) involves a murder during a production of ''The Mikado''. In ''Pirate King'' by

Laurie R. King Laurie R. King (born September 19, 1952) is an American author best known for her detective fiction. Life and career Born in Oakland, California, King earned a degree in comparative religion from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1977 ...

(2011), one of the Mary Russell/

series, a production company is making a silent film of ''The Pirates of Penzance''. Other murder mysteries include ''The Ghosts' High Noon'' by John Dickson Carr (1969), named for the song of the same name in ''Ruddigore''; ''

The West End Horror ''The West End Horror: A Posthumous Memoir of John H. Watson, M.D.'' is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche novel by Nicholas Meyer, published in 1976. It takes place after two of Meyer's other Holmes pastiches, ''The Seven-Per-Cent Solution'' and ''The C ...

'', by

Nicholas Meyer Nicholas Meyer (born December 24, 1945) is an American writer and director, known for his best-selling novel ''The Seven-Per-Cent Solution'', and for directing the films '' Time After Time'', two of the ''Star Trek'' feature films, the 1983 tele ...

, a Sherlock Holmes pastiche involving a production of ''

The Grand Duke ''The Grand Duke; or, The Statutory Duel'', is the final Savoy Opera written by librettist W. S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan, their fourteenth and last opera together. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 March 1896, and ran for ...

'' (1976); ''The Plain Old Man'' by

Charlotte MacLeod Charlotte MacLeod (November 12, 1922 – January 14, 2005) was a Canadian-American mystery fiction writer. Life and work Charlotte Matilda MacLeod was born in 1922 in Bath, New Brunswick, Canada, but emigrated to the United States in 1923 and be ...

(1985; ''The Sorcerer''); ''Perish in July'' by

Mollie Hardwick Mollie Greenhalgh Hardwick (7 March 1916 in Prestwich, Lancashire – 13 December 2003), also known as Mary Atkinson, was an English author who was best known for writing books that accompanied the TV series '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Hardwi ...

(1989; ''Yeomen'') ''Ruddy Gore'' by

Kerry Greenwood Kerry Isabelle Greenwood (born 1954) is an Australian author and lawyer. She has written many plays and books, most notably a string of historical detective novels centred on the character of Phryne Fisher, which was adapted as the popular tele ...

Phryne Fisher The Honourable Phryne Fisher ( ), often called "Miss Fisher", is the main character in Australian author Kerry Greenwood's series of Phryne Fisher detective novels. The character later appeared in a television series called ''Miss Fisher's Murd ...

book, 1995; ''Ruddigore''); ''Murder and Sullivan'' by Sara Hoskinson Frommer (1997; ''Ruddigore''); ''Death of a Pooh-Bah'' by Karen Sturges (2000; ''Mikado''); and ''Vengeance Dire'' by Roberta Morrell (2001; ''Pirates''); Other mystery books and stories involve Gilbert and/or Sullivan to a lesser degree. The Dalziel and Pascoe books of Reginald Hill contain many references to G&S. One of the recurring characters, Sergeant Wield is a G & S fan. In the

Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.The Oxford Companion ...

mysteries, Chief Inspector Wexford likes to sing G&S in the shower. A series of seven novels by

Tom Holt Thomas Charles Louis Holt (born 13 September 1961) is a British novelist. In addition to fiction published under his own name, he writes fantasy under the pseudonym K. J. Parker. Biography Holt was born in London, the son of novelist Hazel H ...

, written from 2003 to 2011, concern young sorcerers who join the firm of "J. W. Wells & Co", including '' In Your Dreams'' (2004). ''Death's Bright Angel'', by Janet Neel, is named for a line in Sullivan's " The Lost Chord", which figures in the story.

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has pr ...

's '' The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg'' prominently features a pastiche from "The criminal cried" in the climactic scene. In scenes 2 and 7 of ''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...

'' Laura discusses that Jim had a starring role in a high school production of ''Pirates''. 1887SorcererRuddigoreWallpaper

Science fiction author

Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...

, a fan of Gilbert & Sullivan, found inspiration for his famous Foundation Trilogy while reading ''Iolanthe''. Asimov was fascinated by some of the paradoxes that occur in their works and mysteries surrounding their manuscripts. He wrote several stories exploring these, including one about a time-traveller who goes back in time to save the score to ''Thespis''. Another, called "The Year of the Action" (1980), concerns whether the action of ''Pirates'' took place on 1 March 1873, or 1 March 1877. That is, did Gilbert forget, or not know, that 1900 was not a leap year? In " Runaround", a story in ''

I, Robot ''I, Robot'' is a fixup (compilation) novel of science fiction short stories or essays by American writer Isaac Asimov. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines ''Super Science Stories'' and ''Astounding Science Fiction'' be ...

'', a robot, while in a state similar to drunkenness, sings snippets of "There Grew a Little Flower" (from ''Ruddigore''), "I'm Called Little Buttercup" (from ''Pinafore''), "When I First Put This Uniform On" (from ''

Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when face ...

''), and "The Nightmare Song" (from ''Iolanthe''). He also wrote a short story called "

The Up-To-Date Sorcerer "The Up-to-Date Sorcerer" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the July 1958 issue of ''Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction'' and reprinted in the 1969 collection ''Nightfall and Other St ...

" that is a parody of and homage to ''

The Sorcerer ''The Sorcerer'' is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan. It was the British duo's third operatic collaboration. The plot of ''The Sorcerer'' is based on a Christmas story, ''An Elixir of Love ...

''. In addition, Asimov wrote "

The Author's Ordeal "The Author's Ordeal" are lyrics to a song by American author Isaac Asimov. They were first published in ''Science Fiction Quarterly'', May 1957, pp. 34–36. They are included in three collections of Asimov's short stories: ''Earth Is Room En ...

" (1957), a pastiche of a Gilbert and Sullivan

similar to the Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song from ''

'', depicting the agonies that Asimov went through in thinking up a new science fiction story. Another such pastiche is "

The Foundation of S.F. Success "The Foundation of S.F. Success" is a 1954 pastiche by American writer Isaac Asimov, of the patter song "If you're anxious for to shine" from the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera ''Patience'', describing the easy way to become a successful writer. ...

" (1954). Both are included in his collection of short stories ''

Earth Is Room Enough ''Earth Is Room Enough'' is a collection of fifteen short science fiction and fantasy stories and two pieces of comic verse by American writer Isaac Asimov, published in 1957. In his autobiography ''In Joy Still Felt'', Asimov wrote, "I was st ...

''. The Rats, Bats and Vats series also includes numerous G&S character names and phrases, since the D'Oyly Carte recordings of their work provide a portion of the language material for the genetically engineered and cybernetically enhanced "rats" in the stories. Another science fiction author,

Robert A. Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein (; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accu ...

, referred to the "Little List" song in his

Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier ...

-winning 1961 novel, ''

Stranger in a Strange Land ''Stranger in a Strange Land'' is a 1961 science fiction novel by American author Robert A. Heinlein. It tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who comes to Earth in early adulthood after being born on the planet Mars and raised by ...

''. There, when a character discovers the protagonist's ability to make objects and people disappear, mulls: "I've got a little list... they'd none of them be missed."

Anne McCaffrey Anne Inez McCaffrey (1 April 1926 – 21 November 2011) was an American-Irish writer known for the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, ''Weyr Search'', 19 ...

also seems fond of ''

''—several characters pass the time with it in ''Power Play'', and references to "When the foeman bares his steel" appear in ''Crystal Line''.

Film

;Film references Aside from film adaptations of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, several films have treated the G&S partnership.

Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter and playwright. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and further at the Camberwell School of Art, the Central School of Art and Des ...

's film ''

'' (1999) is a film depiction of the team and the creation of their best known opera, ''The Mikado''. Another G&S film is the 1953 ''

The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan ''The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan'' (also known as ''Gilbert & Sullivan'' and ''The Great Gilbert and Sullivan'') is a 1953 British musical drama film dramatisation of the collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan. Librettist W. S. Gilbert a ...

'' (or ''The Great Gilbert and Sullivan'' in the U.S.), starring

Robert Morley Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, of ...

as Gilbert and Maurice Evans as Sullivan, with

Martyn Green William Martin Green (22 April 1899 – 8 February 1975), known by his stage name, Martyn Green, was an English actor and singer. He is remembered for his performances and recordings as principal comedian of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, in t ...

George Grossmith George Grossmith (9 December 1847 – 1 March 1912) was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades. As a writer and composer, he created 18 comic operas, nearly 100 musical ...

. In a short 1950 film called ''The Return of Gilbert and Sullivan'', Gilbert and Sullivan return to Earth to protest the jazz treatment of their work. In the 1951 film ''

The Magic Box ''The Magic Box'' is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivier. ...

'' Sir Arthur Sullivan, played by the film conductor

Muir Mathieson James Muir Mathieson, OBE (24 January 19112 August 1975) was a Scottish conductor and composer. Mathieson was almost always described as a "Musical Director" on many British films. Career Mathieson was born in Stirling, Scotland, in 1911. A ...

, conducts a choral concert of the Bath Choral Society. Film adaptations of the operas have included a 1926 D'Oyly Carte Opera Company short promotional film of ''The Mikado'' that featured some of the most famous Savoyards, including

Darrell Fancourt Darrell Louis Fancourt Leverson (8 March 1886 – 29 August 1953), known as Darrell Fancourt, was an English bass-baritone and actor, known for his performances and recordings of the Savoy operas. After a brief concert career, Fancourt joine ...

, Henry Lytton,

Leo Sheffield Leo Sheffield (15 November 1873 – 3 September 1951), born Arthur Leo Wilson, was an English singer and actor best known for his performances in baritone roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. He made his first stage ap ...

Elsie Griffin Elsie Griffin (6 December 1895 – 21 December 1989) was an English opera singer, best known for her performances in the soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Beginning her career by entertaining British troops ...

, and

Bertha Lewis Bertha Amy Lewis (12 May 1887 – 8 May 1931) was an English opera singer and actress primarily known for her work as principal contralto in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Life and career Early life ...

. In 1939, Universal Pictures released a ninety-minute technicolor film adaptation of ''The Mikado''. The film stars

as Ko-Ko and

Sydney Granville Sydney Granville (born Walter Dewhurst; 1880 – 27 December 1959) was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After early theatrical work in musical comedy, straight ...

as Pooh-Bah. The music was conducted by

Geoffrey Toye Edward Geoffrey Toye (17 February 1889 – 11 June 1942), known as Geoffrey Toye, was an English conductor, composer and opera producer. He is best remembered as a musical director of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and for his association with ...

, who was credited with the adaptation. William V. Skall received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for Best Cinematography. Similarly, in 1966, the D'Oyly Carte produced a film version of ''The Mikado'', which showed much of their traditional staging at the time, although there are some minor cuts. It stars John Reed (Ko-Ko),

Kenneth Sandford Kenneth Sandford (28 June 1924 – 19 September 2004) was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in baritone roles of the Savoy Operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. After service the Royal Air Force during World War II, Sand ...

(Pooh-Bah),

Valerie Masterson Margaret Valerie Masterson (born 3 June 1937), is a retired English opera singer, a lecturer and Vice-President of British Youth Opera. After study in Italy, she began to sing opera in Europe. Returning to England, Masterson performed as prin ...

(Yum-Yum), Donald Adams (the Mikado), Peggy Ann Jones (Pitti-Sing), and

Philip Potter Philip White Potter (February 6, 1936 – November 7, 2016) was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in the principal tenor roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company from 1961 to 1971. Potter recorded s ...

(Nanki-Poo). Several film scores draw heavily on the G&S repertoire, including ''

The Matchmaker ''The Matchmaker'' is a 1954 play by Thornton Wilder, a rewritten version of his 1938 play ''The Merchant of Yonkers''. History The play has a long and colorful history. John Oxenford's 1835 one-act farce ''A Day Well Spent'' had been extend ...

'' (1958; featuring ''Pinafore'' and ''Mikado'' music), '' I Could Go On Singing'' (1963; ''Pinafore'' music), ''

The Bad News Bears Go to Japan ''The Bad News Bears Go to Japan'' (also known as ''The Bad News Bears 3'') is a 1978 American sport comedy film released by Paramount Pictures and was the third and last of a series, following '' The Bad News Bears'' and '' The Bad News Bears in ...

'' (1978; many excerpts from ''The Mikado''), ''

The Adventures of Milo and Otis is a 1986 Japanese adventure comedy-drama film about two animals, Milo (an orange tabby cat) and Otis (a pug). The original Japanese version, narrated by Shigeru Tsuyuki and with poetry recitation by Kyōko Koizumi, was released on July 12, ...

'' (1989; using several G&S themes), '' The Browning Version'' (1994; music from ''The Mikado''), '' The Hand that Rocks the Cradle'' (1992; songs from ''Pinafore'' and ''Pirates'') and ''

The Pirate Movie ''The Pirate Movie'' is a 1982 Australian musical romantic comedy film directed by Ken Annakin, and starring Christopher Atkins and Kristy McNichol. Loosely based on Gilbert and Sullivan's 1879 comic opera ''The Pirates of Penzance'', the origi ...

'' (1982; spoofs of songs from ''Pirates''; in fact, the whole movie itself is a spoof of ''Pirates''!). In ''Chariots of Fire'', the protagonist,

Harold Abrahams Harold Maurice Abrahams (15 December 1899 – 14 January 1978) was an English track and field athlete. He was Olympic champion in 1924 in the 100 metres sprint, a feat depicted in the 1981 film '' Chariots of Fire''. Biography Early life ...

, marries a woman who plays Yum-Yum in ''The Mikado'' with the

. Abrahams and his friends from

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

sing "He is an Englishman" (''H.M.S. Pinafore''). The soundtrack of ''Chariots'' also features "Three Little Maids from School Are We" (''The Mikado''), "With Catlike Tread" (''Pirates''), "The Soldiers of Our Queen" (''Patience''), and "There Lived a King" (''

''). In '' The Girl Said No'' (1937), which uses songs from the operas, a dance hall girl is forced to join a Gilbert and Sullivan troupe. In ''The Naughty Victorians'', an X-rated film subtitled ''A Man with a Maid'', the entire score is G&S music, and many musical puns are made, with the G&S music underlining the dialogue appropriately for those familiar with G&S. In ''

The White Countess ''The White Countess'' is a 2005 drama film directed by James Ivory and starring Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Hiroyuki Sanada, Lynn Redgrave, Allan Corduner, and Madeleine Potter. The screenplay by Kazuo Ishiguro focuse ...

'' (2005), the overture to ''H.M.S. Pinafore'' is used in the soundtrack. In other films, characters sing songs from the operas. In '' Star Trek: Insurrection'' (1998), Captain Picard and Lt. Commander Worf sing lines from "A British Tar" from ''Pinafore'' to distract a malfunctioning Lt. Commander Data.Bradley (2005), p. 12 In '' Kate & Leopold'' (2001), among other ''Pirates'' references, Leopold sings the "Major-General's Song", accompanying himself on the piano. In '' The Good Shepherd'' (2006),

's character sings Little Buttercup's song falsetto in an all-male version of ''Pinafore'' at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

. In another Matt Damon film, '' The Talented Mr. Ripley'' (1999), the song "We're Called Gondolieri" is featured in the soundtrack. In ''

'' (1981), the character Sallah sings ''Pinafore'' tunes, including "A British Tar". In the

fantasy movie ''

'', the Darling family sings "When I Was A Lad". The 1969 film ''

Age of Consent The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is unable to legally cla ...

'' featured the song "Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes" from ''The Gondoliers''. In the 1971 film ''

'',

as the title character sings the song just before she is murdered. In the 1988 drama '' Permanent Record'', a high school class performs ''Pinafore''.

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

sings "I am the monarch of the sea" in the film, '' I Could Go On Singing''. In a number of films, a significant part of the action is set during a G&S opera. ''

With Words and Music ''The Girl Said No'' (aka ''With Words and Music'') is a 1937 American musical comedy film produced by Andrew L. Stone and Edward L. Alperson for Grand National Pictures and directed by Andrew L. Stone. The screenplay was written by Betty Laidl ...

'' (1937) involves a bookie who revives a washed-up troupe of Savoyards by mounting a production of ''The Mikado''. '' Foul Play'' (1978) features an assassination attempt that culminates during a showing of ''The Mikado''. The thwarted assassin falls into the rigging used as a backdrop for ''H.M.S. Pinafore''. Similarly, in Disney's cartoon '' Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers'' (2004), the finale occurs at the

Paris Opéra The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

during a G&S performance. The score features "With cat-like tread", "The Major General's Song", "Climbing over rocky mountain", "Poor wandering one", and part of the overture from ''Princess Ida''. The plot concerns a performance of ''The Pirates of Penzance'' that becomes the setting for the climactic battle between the Musketeers and Captain Pete. In other films, there have simply been prominent references to one or more of the operas. For instance, in ''

Pretty Woman ''Pretty Woman'' is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall, from a screenplay by J. F. Lawton. The film stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and features Héctor Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy (in his final performance) ...

'', Edward Lewis (

Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...

) covered a social gaffe by prostitute Vivian Ward (

Julia Roberts Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles in films encompassing a variety of genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and th ...

), who said that the opera ''

La Traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on '' La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his ow ...

'' was so good that she almost "peed in erpants" by pretending that she had said that she liked it almost as much as "The Pirates of Penzance." In '' Making Love'' (1982),

Michael Ontkean Michael Leonard Ontkean (born 24 January 1946) is a retired Canadian actor. Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Ontkean relocated to the United States to attend the University of New Hampshire on a hockey scholarship before pursuing ...

and

Kate Jackson Lucy Kate Jackson (born October 29, 1948) is an American actress and television producer, known for her television roles as Sabrina Duncan in the series ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1979) and Amanda King in the series ''Scarecrow and Mrs. King ...

are a happy G&S-loving couple until he leaves her for another man ( Harry Hamlin).

Television

Gilbert and Sullivan, and songs from the operas, have been included in numerous TV series, including ''

'' in several episodes, including "

", " Deep Space Homer", and "

Bart's Inner Child "Bart's Inner Child" is the seventh episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 11, 1993. In the episode, Marge — realizing ...

"; numerous ''

'' episodes; ''

Kavanagh QC ''Kavanagh QC'' is a British television series made by Central Television for ITV between 1995 and 2001. All five series are available on DVD in both Region 1 and Region 2. Plot The series starred John Thaw as barrister James Kavanagh QC, ...

'', in the episode "Briefs Trooping Gaily", ''

'' in the fifth season episode "Conviction", where Charles Gunn becomes a good lawyer, and learns a lot of G&S, because it's "great for elocution"; numerous references in

; the episode "The Cold Open" (1x02) of ''

''; the episode "

" of ''

''; in the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...

Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...

'',

Harold Bishop Harold Wayne Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ian Smith. The actor was offered the role by the show's creator and executive producer Reg Watson. Smith made his first screen appearance as ...

often makes G&S references; references in the ''

'' episodes "

Lyle the Kindly Viking This is a list of VHS and DVD releases of the animated children's television series ''VeggieTales''. Videos Original videos (1993–2015) Theatrical films Compilation videos Collections # ''Lessons From The Sock Drawer'' ...

," "The Wonderful World of Auto-Tainment", " The Star of Christmas" (a Christmas special entirely devoted to spoofing G&S and their operas), and " Sumo of the Opera"; ''

'' referred to and parodied G&S a number of times, especially in season four (beside the examples named above and below, see "

Patriot Games ''Patriot Games'' is a thriller novel, written by Tom Clancy and published in July 1987. '' Without Remorse'', released six years later, is an indirect prequel, and it is chronologically the first book featuring Jack Ryan, the main character i ...

", which includes the song from ''

'', "If you'll marry me"); and Batman sings a verse of "I'm called little Buttercup" in a 1966 episode. In the UK series ''

'', in the 2007 episode "The Tallyman" both "When I Was a Lad" and "The Sun Whose Rays" are heard. An episode of ''

Car 54, Where Are You? ''Car 54, Where Are You?'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1961 to April 1963. Filmed in black and white, the series starred Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon, two mismatched New York City p ...

'' has parodies of several G&S songs. In 1988, episodes of Australian soap opera ''

Home and Away ''Home and Away'' (often abbreviated as ''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a tri ...

'' featured a school production of ''The Mikado''. A second-season (1998) episode of the TV show ''

Millennium A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannus, kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting ...

'' titled "The Mikado" is based on the Zodiak Killer case. In a 2022 episode of ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of ...

'', titled "For Death Prepare", an amateur operatic society rehearses a charity concert of ''Pirates'', when a dead body is found in their theatre. Gilbert and Sullivan references often appeared in ''

''. Some incidents include an episode-long argument over whether "He is an Englishman" is from ''H.M.S. Pinafore'' or ''The Pirates of Penzance'', after one character's invocation of "duty," in the episode ''

''; President Bartlet's gift of a CD of ''The Yeomen of the Guard'' to his aide Charlie in ''

Stirred The third season of the American political drama television series '' The West Wing'' aired in the United States on NBC from October 3, 2001 to May 22, 2002 and consisted of 21 episodes and 2 special episodes. Production The season premiere was ...

''; references to ''The Pirates of Penzance'' in ''

Mandatory Minimums The first season of the American political drama television series ''The West Wing'' aired in the United States on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 17, 2000 and consisted of 22 episodes. Cast Main cast * Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, Deputy Wh ...

'' and '' Inauguration, Part I''; and an excerpt from "A Wand'ring Minstrel I" in ''A Change Is Gonna Come''. Character

Sam Seaborn Samuel Norman Seaborn is a fictional character played by Rob Lowe on the television serial drama ''The West Wing''. From the beginning of the series in 1999 until the middle of the fourth season in 2003, he is deputy White House Communications Di ...

, the Deputy Communications Director, is the former recording secretary of the Princeton Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Creator

Aaron Sorkin Aaron Benjamin Sorkin (born June 9, 1961) is an American playwright, screenwriter and film director. Born in New York City, he developed a passion for writing at an early age. Sorkin has earned an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, five Primetime ...

has stated that the characters' love for Gilbert and Sullivan is part of his attempt to avoid referring to current political and entertainment personalities and to set it in a "parallel universe." The following are examples of references to some of the best-known G&S operas: *''The Mikado'': In addition to those mentioned above, a '' Magnum, P.I.'' episode is entitled "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime";

Larry David Lawrence Gene David (born July 2, 1947) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He and Jerry Seinfeld created the television sitcom ''Seinfeld'', on which David was head writer and executive producer for the first seve ...

's show ''

Curb Your Enthusiasm ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' is an American television sitcom produced and broadcast by HBO since October 15, 2000, and created by Larry David, who stars as a semi-fictionalized version of himself. It follows David's life as a semi-retired televi ...

'' uses "Three Little Maids" from ''The Mikado'' as background music. The ''

'' episode, "Leapin' Lizards," the ''

'' episode "Hole in the World", ''

'' episodes "Cape Feare" and " The Bob Next Door",

episode "Maids in Japan", and ''The

Vol. 1'' episode "Hello Nice Warners" all parody "Three Little Maids". A

episode featured Rowlf the Dog and Sam Eagle singing "Tit-Willow". In the 2010 episode "

Robots Versus Wrestlers "Robots Versus Wrestlers " is the 22nd episode of the fifth season of the CBS sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'' and 110th episode overall. It aired on May 10, 2010. Plot Barney is excited to get the gang to come with him to a grandscale fig ...

" of the TV sitcom ''

'', someone's wife is compared with a 500-year-old gong that "hasn't been struck since

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...

hit it at the London premiere of ''The Mikado'' in 1885!" *''H.M.S. Pinafore'': In the "

" episode of ''

'',

Bart Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc. Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Bartho ...

stalls his would-be killer,

Sideshow Bob Robert Underdunk Terwilliger Jr., PhD, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a sel ...

, with a "final request" that Bob sing him the entire score of ''Pinafore''. Similarly, the "HMS Yakko" episode of ''

'' consists of pastiches of songs from ''H.M.S. Pinafore'' and ''

''. A ''

Pinky and the Brain ''Pinky and the Brain'' is an American animated television series that was created by Tom Ruegger that premiered on Kids' WB on September 9, 1995. It was the first animated television series to be presented in Dolby Surround and the fourth col ...

'' song called ''Meticulous Analysis of History'' is set to the tune of "When I was a lad", while the "Lord Bravery" theme song in ''

Freakazoid ''Freakazoid!'' is an American superhero comedy animated television series created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and developed by Tom Ruegger for the Kids' WB programming block of The WB. The series chronicles the adventures of the title cha ...

'' uses the tune from the chorus of "A British Tar". In ''

s episode 3.1, "

," Stewie imagines himself to be a sea captain and sings a pastiche of "My gallant crew" implying that he sleeps with his crew. In the film, '' Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story'', Stewie gives sex lessons by singing "I am the monarch of the sea" to illustrate rhythm. The scene is repeated in ''

'' episode 4.30, " Stu and Stewie's Excellent Adventure." A 1986 ''

Mr. Belvedere ''Mr. Belvedere'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985, to July 8, 1990. The series is based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel ''Belvedere'', which was later ...

'' episode, "The Play", concerns a production of ''H.M.S. Pinafore'', and several of the songs are performed. The song "He is an Englishman" is referenced both in the title's name and throughout ''

'' episode "

". In 1955, NBC broadcast a variety special including a 20-minute compressed jazz version, "H.M.S. Pinafore in Jazz", produced and directed by

Max Liebman Max Liebman (August 2, 1902 – July 21, 1981) was a Broadway theater and TV producer-director sometimes called the "Ziegfeld of TV", who helped establish early television's comedy vocabulary with ''Your Show of Shows''. He additionally helped bring ...

, starring

Buddy Hackett Buddy Hackett (born Leonard Hacker; August 31, 1924 – June 30, 2003) was an American actor, comedian and singer. His best remembered roles include Marcellus Washburn in ''The Music Man'' (1962), Benjy Benjamin in ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Wo ...

Kitty Kallen Kitty Kallen (born Katie Kallen; May 25, 1921 – January 7, 2016) was an American popular singer whose career spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s, to include the Swing era of the Big Band years, the post-World War II pop scene and the early ...

, Bill Hayes,

Pat Carroll Patricia Ann Carroll (May 5, 1927 – July 30, 2022) was an American actress and comedian. She was known for voicing Ursula in '' The Little Mermaid'' and for appearances in CBS's ''The Danny Thomas Show'', ABC's '' Laverne & Shirley'', and ...

and

Herb Shriner Herbert Arthur "Herb" Shriner (May 29, 1918 – April 23, 1970) was an American humorist, radio personality, actor, and television host. Shriner was known for his homespun monologues, usually about his home state of Indiana. He was frequently com ...

. *''Pirates'': In addition to those already mentioned above, in ''

'', a poster from "The Pirates of Penzance" hangs on Matt Albie's (

Matthew Perry Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004). As well as starring in the short-lived television series '' St ...

) office wall. In ''Family Guy'' episode 4.11, "

Peter's Got Woods "Peter's Got Woods" is the 11th episode and the mid-season premiere of the fourth season of the American animated television series '' Family Guy''. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 11, 2005. In the episode, Brian offe ...

Brian Griffin H. Brian Griffinas shown in Brian Griffin's House of Payne is a fictional character from the American animated television series ''Family Guy''. An anthropomorphic white labrador retriever voiced by Seth MacFarlane, he is one of the show's mai ...

sings "Sighing softly to the river", and in episode 10.16, "

" (2012),

Peter Griffin Peter Löwenbräu Griffin, born Justin Peter Griffin, is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American animated sitcom ''Family Guy''. He is voiced by the series' creator, Seth MacFarlane, and first appeared on television, alon ...

sings a garbled rendition of the Major-General's Song. In a 1986 episode of the animated television adaptation of '' The Wind in the Willows'' entitled ''A Producer's Lot'', several characters put on a production of ''Pirates''. In the 1992 episode "The Understudy" of ''

Clarissa Explains it All ''Clarissa Explains It All'' is an American teen sitcom created by Mitchell Kriegman for Nickelodeon. In the series, Clarissa Darling ( Melissa Joan Hart), is a teenager who addresses the audience directly to explain the things that are happenin ...

'', the title character is chosen to understudy Mabel in a school production of ''Pirates'' and is unprepared when she must go on; a scene from ''The Mikado'' is also quoted.

Other media

The operas and songs from the operas have often been used or parodied in advertising. According to Jones, "''Pinafore'' launched the first media blitz in the United States" beginning in 1879.Jones, p. 8 For example,

Gimbels Gimbel Brothers (known simply as Gimbels) was an American department store corporation that operated for over a century, from 1842 until 1987. Gimbel patriarch Adam Gimbel opened his first store in Vincennes, Indiana, in 1842. In 1887, the com ...

department store had a campaign sung to the tune of the Major-General's Song that began, "We are the very model of a modern big department store."One of these ads ran in ''The New York Times'' on 27 October 1953 as a full-page advertisement. in a 2011

Geico The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO ) is a private American auto insurance company with headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It is the second largest auto insurer in the United States, after State Farm. GEICO is a wholly owne ...

commercial, a couple that wants to save money, but still listen to musicals, finds a roommate, dressed as the Major General, who awkwardly begins the song while dancing on a coffee table. Similarly,

sang a pastiche of the song listing all of the varieties of

Campbell's Soup Campbell Soup Company, doing business as Campbell's, is an American processed food and snack company. The company is most closely associated with its flagship canned soup products; however, through mergers and acquisitions, it has grown to become ...

.Stone, David
"Martyn Green"
''Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company'', 2003, accessed 2 December 2011 Another prominent example is the elaborate illustrated book, called ''My Goodness! My Gilbert and Sullivan!'' of parodies of Gilbert's lyrics advertising

Guinness Guinness () is an Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It is one of the most successful alcohol brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries, and available in ov ...

stout. The likenesses (often in costume) of, or endorsements by, numerous Gilbert and Sullivan performers were used in advertising throughout the decades. Trading cards were also created, using images from some of the operas to advertise various products. There was also a series of

Currier and Ives Currier and Ives was a New York City printmaking business that operated between 1835 and 1907. Founded by Nathaniel Currier, the company designed and sold inexpensive, hand painted lithographic works based on news events, views of popular cult ...

prints. Several series of

cigarette cards Cigarette cards are trading cards issued by tobacco manufacturers to stiffen cigarette packaging and advertise cigarette brands. Between 1875 and the 1940s, cigarette companies often included collectible cards with their packages of cigarett ...

were issued by Player's cigarette company depicting characters from the Savoy operas wearing the costumes used by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Numerous postcards were published with photos or illustrations of D'Oyly Carte and other performers and scenes from the operas and other Gilbert plays. More recently, television ads for Terry's Chocolate Orange from the 2000s featured a pastiche of "When I Was a Lad" from ''Pinafore''. Both

Nelson Eddy Nelson Ackerman Eddy (June 29, 1901 – March 6, 1967) was an American actor and baritone singer who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclub ...

and

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and ...

recorded albums of selections from the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

Al Goodman Alfred Goodman (August 12, 1890 – January 10, 1972) was a conductor, songwriter, stage composer, musical director, arranger, and pianist. Early years Goodman was born in Nikopol, Ukraine, (another source says that he was born in Odessa, Russ ...

and

also released Gilbert and Sullivan recordings. The operas are referred to in other media, including

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...

s. For example, in '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', a casino is called "Pirates in Men's Pants", a crude play on ''Pirates of Penzance''. The 1970s singer

Gilbert O'Sullivan Raymond Edward "Gilbert" O'Sullivan (born 1 December 1946) is an Irish singer-songwriter who achieved his most significant success during the early 1970s with hits including "Alone Again (Naturally)", " Clair", and "Get Down". O'Sullivan's so ...

adopted his stage name as a pun on "Gilbert and Sullivan" when his manager suggested that it would be good marketing. In the 1950s, the British radio show '' Take It From Here'' featured parodies of Gilbert and Sullivan songs with lyrics about the buses in London.

Notes

References

* * * *Bordman, Gerald. ''American Operetta: From H. M. S. Pinafore to Sweeney Todd'' OUP 1981. *Coward, Noel (1953). ''The Noel Coward Song Book'', London: Methuen * *Dillard Philip H. ''How quaint the ways of paradox!'' Metuchen, N.J.: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. (1991) *Ganzl, Kurt. ''Ganzl's Book of the Broadway Musical: 75 Favorite Shows, from H.M.S. Pinafore to Sunset Boulevard'', 1995 Schirmer/Simon & Schuster * *Lamb, Andrew. "From Pinafore to Porter: United States-United Kingdom Interactions in Musical Theater, 1879-1929" in ''American Music'', Vol. 4, No. 1, British-American Musical Interactions (Spring, 1986), pp. 34–49 University of Illinois Press. *Lockett, Bernard (2007)
''Here's a State of Things,''
Melrose Books, Ely *Murray, William (1990)
''The Getaway Blues''
Bantam * *Suart, Richard and Smyth, A.S.H
''They'd none of 'em be missed''
Pallas Athene.

External links

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20071020045430/http://www.luxumbradei.com/parody/ The Gilbert and Sullivan Parody Archivebr>Gilbert & Sullivan song parodiesMUGSS' list of G&S cultural referencesGSVLOC's lists of G&S in popular cultureA Dull Enigma: Historians' Analysis of Gilbert and Sullivan's Impact on the Development of the American Musical Theatre
ref>by Andrew Vorder Bruegge. Published in ''Papers, Presentations and Patter: A Savoyards' Symposium'', Ralph MacPhail, ed. York, PA: International Gilbert and Sullivan Association, 2012. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert And Sullivan Creative works in popular culture Gilbert and Sullivan Music in popular culture Cultural impact by musician Cultural depictions of British men Cultural depictions of classical musicians