The G&S Operas on Omnibus

Reported by Marc Kenig

The new Library of Congress web searches are marvellous. I found some interesting G&S TV references. Apparently, G&S operas were found often on the anthology show Omnibus. They usually featured Martyn Green, though there was an interesting show devoted to scenes from Pirates.

Title:

Omnibus. I, vol. 1 / TV-Radio Workshop of the Ford Foundation ; producer, William Spier ; executive producer, Robert Saudek ; director, Andrew McCullough.

Published:

United States : CBS, 1952-11-09.

LC Call No.:

VBE 5417-5418 (viewing copy)
VBD 9560-9561 (viewing copy, copy 2)
VCA 0302 (master)
VTA 0394 (master, copy 2)

More on this record

The Mikado / written by W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan ; cast, Martyn Green, Ella Halman (10 min.)

Title:

Omnibus. I, vol. 24 / TV-Radio Workshop of the Ford Foundation ; executive producer, Robert Saudek ; producer, William Spier ; director, Andrew McCullough.

Published:

United States : CBS, 1953-04-19.

LC Call No.:

VBD 5932-5933 (viewing copy)
VCA 0324 (master)

More on this record

Trial by Jury / by W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan ; cast, Martyn Green, Davis Cunningham, Arlyne Frank (23 min.).

Title:

Omnibus. III, vol. 14 / the TV-Radio Workshop of the Ford Foundation ; producer, Robert Saudek.

Published:

United States : CBS Television Network, 1955-01-16.

LC Call No.:

VBD 9594-9595 (viewing copy)
VTA 0071 (master)

More on this record

Patter songs by Gilbert and Sullivan / director, Seymour Robbie ; orchestra and chorus conducted by Ben Steinberg ; songs sung by Martyn Green (17 min)

Title:

Omnibus. IV, vol. 6 / TV-Radio Workshop of the Ford Foundation ; producer, Robert Saudek.

Published:

United States : CBS Television Network, 1955-11-13.

LC Call No.:

VBE 0880-0881 (viewing copy)
VTA 0223 (master)

More on this record

Scenes from The Pirates of Penzance / director, Charles S. Dubin ; writers, Gilbert and Sullivan; presented by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company directed by Bridget D'Oyly Carte ; cast, Joy Mornay, Joyce Wright, Neville Griffiths ; conductor, Isidore Godfrey (35 min.).

[See separate article for further details.]

Title:

Omnibus. VII, vol. 15, H.M.S. Pinafore / Robert Saudek Associates in association with NBC Television Network ; producers, Robert Saudek, George M. Benson, Walter Kerr, Mary V. Ahern, Alistair Cooke, Richard H. Thomas.

Published:

United States : NBC-TV, 1959-05-10.

LC Call No.:

VBE 2472 (viewing copy)
VTA 0386 (master)

Notes:

Copyright notice on film: Robert Saudek Associates ; 1959.
Season number and volume number from production papers.
Production designer, Henry May ; information consultant, Jack Perlis ; costume designer, Saul Bolasni ; dances and musical numbers, Dania Krupska ; musical director, Samuel Krachmalnick. Host: Alistair Cooke. Cyril Ritchard (Sir Joseph Porter), Irene Byatt (Buttercup), Nathanial Frey (Dick Deadeye), Loren Driscoll (Ralph Rackstraw), William Chapman (Captain Corcoran), Jacquelin McKeever (Josephine). Telecast date from production papers. An episode of the television cultural anthology series consisting solely of a performance of the operetta H.M.S. Pinafore by W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan.