Not currently on display at the V&A

Tony Britton as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady

Caricature
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.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTony 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
  • Height: 25.2cm (approximately)
  • Width: 18.7cm (approximately)
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 createdNovember 14, 2003
Record URL
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