The Mikado Highlights starring Martyn Green featured on Omnibus

Omnibus 11/09/1952 - Highlights from Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado, starring Martyn Green as Koko and Ella Halman as Katisha. This is from the premiere episode of Omnibus. To license please visit www.globalimageworks.com

[@julistarling8382]

"Katisha. I dare not hope for your love, but I will not live without it." *That's* certainly true. 😉😜😘

[@Tenortalker]

The great singers of the D'oyly carte have earned their place in history. Martyn Green was exceptional. Ella Halman, a wonderful and characterful contralto.

[@Th0ughtf0rce]

Now I can see how funny Martyn Green was in his prime. Thank you for posting this.

[@bobwoodsound]

This glorious collaboration, so full of friction between G and S, produced a language standard not seen since the Elizabethans. I saw Martyn Green- with a different Katisha, also Yeoman, Pirates - whenever they came to NYC and it activated a passion nurtured by fabulous high school English teachers - it's still alive and well. I was deeply shocked when Martyn lost his legs in the elevator accident- more poignant now seeing his motor-car skootling at the end of the duet. This endless, bottomless internet reservoir of memory makes being old so much more interesting; lets me put out of mind the awful decline of this amoral rapacious society. Thank you all- those who post these.

[@julistarling8382]

KZbin makes being not-yet-old nice too. I wasn't born yet at the time and yet I still get to hear this and see this. So glad that I do get to. This is really good. Thanks for posting. ^__^

[@williamoser5953]

I want to second Robert E. Wood's comments about Martyn Green's physicality and the loss of his leg (one only!). I was blessed to have been directed by this great man in The Mikado and Iolanthe (Guthrie Theater, 1969-70). He was convinced that I had the makings of a great G&S performer (maybe because I had fallen in love with their work as a child) and coached me in several other roles which I later got to play (Yeomen, Patience). The 1950s D'Oyly Carte recordings do not suggest how great this man must have been on stage. Thank you so much for this clip, it is way beyond wonderful!

[@artsgalore]

William Oser Has

[@julistarling8382]

Hear, hear. ^___^

[@julistarling8382]

"If that is so, sing derry down derry, we'll merrily marry, nor tardily tarry till day is done." Bravo, and, nicely done. Actually it was *very* nicely done. ^___^

[@ernestmoney7252]

An up-to-date list wouldn't be hard to compile.

[@Tenortalker]

Ella Halman passed away in a retirement home in Wales aged 80 a few years ago - I remember seeing the obituary notice in the newspaper.

[@Sam5ash]

Ella passed away in Penrith actually in 1995, she was 88 years old. She was my cousin.

[@voiceanddiction]

Thank you for posting this gem from the past.

[@begs54]

Love Martyn Green doing his famous "motorcar" business at the end. He would do that down stage by the apron, giving the impression that he was being pulled by a little cart across stage. Wonderful footage..... Thank you.

[@richardduployen6429]

Thank you. It's wonderful to see the two of them together albeit with rearranged dialogue. Green is good in the old film of "the Mikado" which unlike the later film is a film version not a filmed stage version. In "the Story of Gilbert and Sullivan" he's meant to be playing George Grossmith but doesn't. The latter is meant to have lifted a leg when in a recumbent position (end of "Yeomen"). Green sometimes went o. t. t.. D'Oyly Carte allowed the scenery climbing & Point swallowing pills. Gilbert said "falls insensible" not "falls dead" despite his supposed endorcement of Thorne's end of Act ll. In "Trial"( t. v. ) Green at one point seems to want to drop a huge tome on top of the Associate. That's nothing to some so-called Plaza-Toros who upstaged the Duchess during her song with cigars etc.. I just responded to her facially as in the traditional prompt-book but not to selfishly distract from her! I just obtained Martyn Green's "Treasury of Gilbert and Sullivan which I read when a child. I look forward to re-reading it & looking at the splendid illustrations.

[@julistarling8382]

Oh, that right elbow (the one that the people come miles to see it). Almost forgot about that line. 😉

[@philipleather3496]

Excellent...Ella Halman...the best contralto D'Olly Carte ever had.. only later patricia Leonard came up with the goods....Halmans;'recording of The Mikado and above all Iolanthe still after all these years thrill....

[@troopship12]

In 1902, or thereabouts, the Japanese ambassador in London, thought it to be very funny. The Japanese clothing presents a glorious and colourful spectacle.

[@janehoskins1366]

Ella Halman is perfect

[@ASKBiblitz]

Wish today's actors studied elocution as Martyn Green must have done. Biblitz cut his teeth on Green reading Arabian Nights. He was so very good. Ralph Fiennes pretty good but the rest require subtitles to understand.

[@julistarling8382]

This is the old traditional version of "A Little List". I hardly ever get to hear that one any more. It's become somewhat unusual.

[@MrZviswerd]

Not completely. He changed the line " the lady novelist ".

[@barrymalkin4404]

Koko must have watched the recent GOP presidential debate to know there are indeed many people of no consequence who will not be missed! Putin can handle the rest. 😋

[@EVITANDY]

So fast!

[@usedx115x]

Why did you cut the section at 2:16?

[@al1936ful]

Can't we get those credits off the screen?

[@dreamikins]

Rapture Rapture !!!