Rare performances from the Golden Age of Television (1957-1963).

This compendium of rare television performances features legendary Savoyard Martyn Green in songs and scenes from HMS Pinafore, The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance and others.

Also included are the two Tennessee Ernie Ford specials devoted to scenes from The Mikado and HMS Pinafore. Although a country music legend, Ford had begun his studies as a classical bass-baritone.

Among the other highlights are excerpts from made-for-TV Productions of The Yeoman of the Guard (1957), with Alfred Drake and Barbara Cook.

Contents:
Tennessee Ernie Ford in Scenes from THE MIKADO (The Ford Show, telecast of April 16, 1959)
Part I
- If you want to know who we are (Chorus)
- Introduction (Ernie Ford)
- A wand’ring minstrel I (Nanki-Poo, Chorus)
- Three little maids from school are we (Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, Peep-Bo)
- Behold the Lord High Executioner... As some day it may happen (I’ve got a little list) (Ko-Ko, Chorus)
- Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted (Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo)
- Your revels cease!... Ye torrents roar (Katisha, Chorus, Nanki-Poo)
 Part II
- The sun, whose rays are all ablaze (Yum-Yum)
- Here’s a how-de-do! (Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko)
- Mi-ya sa-ma... A more humane Mikado (Chorus, The Mikado)
- Finale: For he’s gone and married Yum-Yum (Entire Ensemble)

Cast:
- Tennessee Ernie Ford (Ko-Ko/Narrator)
- Deltra Kamsler (Yum-Yum)
- Ken Remo (Nanki-Poo)
- Ted Wills (The Mikado)
- Joanne Burgin (Pitti-Sing)
- Donna Cooke (Peep-Bo)
- Karen Wessler (Katisha)
- and The Top Twenty
 
• • • • • • •
 
Martyn Green in Scenes from HMS PINAFORE (The Bell Telephone Hour, telecast of November 19, 1963)
- Dialogue (Capt. Corcoran, Josephine)
- Now give three cheers... I am the monarch of the sea (Capt. Corcoran, Chorus, Sir Joseph)
- Dialogue (Sir Joseph, Capt. Corcoran)
- The hours creep on apace (Josephine)
- Never mind the why and wherefore (Capt. Corcoran, Sir Joseph, Josephine, Chorus)

Cast:
- Martyn Green (Sir Joseph Porter)
- Margot Moser (Josephine)
- Mac Morgan (Capt. Corcoran)
 
• • • • • • •
 
Martyn Green and Cyril Ritchard: GILBERT & SULLIVAN MEDLEY (The Bell Telephone Hour, telecast of October 22, 1962)
- When I go out of door from PATIENCE (Green and Ritchard, with chorus)
- When a felon’s not engaged in his employment from THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Ritchard, with chorus)
- I am the very model of a modern Major-General from THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Green, with chorus)
- Behold the Lord High Executioner... As some day it may happen (I’ve got a little list) from THE MIKADO (Green and Ritchard, with Chorus)
- Willow, tit-willow from THE MIKADO (Green)
- For the merriest fellows are we from THE GONDOLIERS (Green and Ritchard, with chorus)
 
• • • • • • •
 
Selections from THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD (Hallmark Hall of Fame, live telecast of April 10, 1957)
- I have a song to sing, O! (or, “The Merryman and his Maid”) (Point, Elsie, Chorus)
- ’Tis done! I am a bride (Elsie)
- Dialogue; Hereupon we’re both agreed (Point, Wilfred)

Cast:
- Alfred Drake (Jack Point)
- Barbara Cook (Elsie Maynard)
- Henry Calvin (Wilfred Shadbolt)
 
• • • • • • •
 
Selections from THE MIKADO (The Bell Telephone Hour, telecast of April 29, 1960)
- A wand’ring minstrel I (Nanki-Poo, chorus)
- The sun, whose rays are all ablaze (Yum-Yum)
- Hearts do not break (Katisha)

Cast:
- Robert Rounseville (Nanki-Poo)
- Barbara Meister (Yum-Yum)
- Helen Traubel (Katisha)
 
• • • • • • •
 
Tennessee Ernie Ford in Scenes from HMS PINAFORE (The Ford Show, telecast of January 14, 1960)
Part I
- We sail the ocean blue (Chorus)
- Introduction (Ernie Ford)
- I’m called Little Buttercup (Buttercup)
- I am the Captain of the Pinafore (Capt. Corcoran, chorus)
- Sorry her lot (Josephine)
- Now give three cheers... I am the monarch of the sea (Sir Joseph, Chorus)
- Forbear!... Let’s give three cheers for the sailor’s bride (Dick Deadeye, Chorus)
Part II
- Introduction (Ernie Ford)
- Never mind the why and wherefore (Capt. Corcoran, Sir Joseph, Josephine)
- Carefully on tiptoe stealing... He is an English man (Ensemble)
- Finale: I shall marry with a wife in my humble rank of life (Ensemble)
- Closing

Cast:
- Tennessee Ernie Ford (Sir Joseph Porter)
- Donna Cooke (Josephine)
- Joanne Burgin (Hebe)
- Susan Lovell (Little Buttercup)
- Ken Harp (Dick Deadeye)
- Chet Fisher (Ralph Rackstraw)
- Dick Wessler (Captain Corcoran)
- Howard Chitjean (Bill Bobstay)
- Don Kent (Bob Beckett)
- Katherine Steele (Sir Joseph’s Sister)
- The Top Twenty

Running time: 96 minutes
Colour / B&W