Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady
Caricature
8 December 1965 (dated)
8 December 1965 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Tony Britton (b. 1922) as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady by Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe, at the Oxford New Theatre in December 1965. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.
Tony Britton was considered one of cinema's most good-looking actors when his film career took off in the 1950s, but when film roles weren't forthcoming, embarked on a two-and-a-half year stage tour of My Fair Lady in the 1960s. He became best known nationally in the 1970s and 1980s in television's Robin's Nest and Don't Wait Up.
Tony Britton was considered one of cinema's most good-looking actors when his film career took off in the 1950s, but when film roles weren't forthcoming, embarked on a two-and-a-half year stage tour of My Fair Lady in the 1960s. He became best known nationally in the 1970s and 1980s in television's Robin's Nest and Don't Wait Up.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in <i>My Fair Lady</i> (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature of Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady at the New Theatre Oxford, by Gilbert Sommerlad, 8 December 1965. |
| Physical description | Pencil, pen and ink, watercolour and wash caricature of Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady at the New Theatre Oxford. Dated 8/12/1965. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Michael Sommerlad |
| Object history | This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn (with one exception) by Gilbert J. Sommerlad (1904-1976) between December 1965 and September 1971 at the Oxford New Theatre. Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Tony Britton (b. 1922) as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady by Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe, at the Oxford New Theatre in December 1965. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn’t needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums. Tony Britton was considered one of cinema's most good-looking actors when his film career took off in the 1950s, but when film roles weren't forthcoming, embarked on a two-and-a-half year stage tour of My Fair Lady in the 1960s. He became best known nationally in the 1970s and 1980s in television's Robin's Nest and Don't Wait Up. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.134:1-2002 |
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| Record created | November 14, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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