Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most famous of these include H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and one of the most frequently performed works in the history of musical theatre, The Mikado. The popularity of these works was supported for over a century by year-round performances of them, in Britain and abroad, by the repertory company that Gilbert, Sullivan and their producer Richard D'Oyly Carte founded, the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. These Savoy operas are still frequently performed in the English-speaking world and beyond.
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Biography from TMDB.
- November 18, 1836
- May 29, 1911 (aged 74)
- Strand, London, England, UK
- Writer and composer
- 9 on MovieCove · 71 credits in all
What are W.S. Gilbert's films like?
Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 4 · Earnest 4
Light 8 · Serious 0 · Dark 0
Grounded 0 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 7
Gentle 5 · Charged 3 · Intense 0
Steady 7 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 8
A split, not a type: Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1
Casual 8 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 8 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 0
Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy8
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch W.S. Gilbert's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (2).
Subscription and free streaming for W.S. Gilbert's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
71 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page.
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
The Pirates of Penzance: Live from Massachusetts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
The Pirates of Penzance(2020)
The Mikado(2019)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)The Gondoliers - The National G&S Opera Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
BBC Proms (2012): Gilbert & Sullivan - The Yeomen of the Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
The Pirates of Penzance (New Lyric Operatic Company) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
H.M.S. Pinafore & Trial by Jury (The G&S Opera Company) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
U.S.S. Metaphor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
H.M.S. Pinafore & Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
BBC Proms: H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Topsy-Turvy(1999)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all filmsGilbert & Sullivan: The Very Models (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Patience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Iolanthe: Gilbert & Sullivan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
G&S: The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
The Mikado(1982)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
The Pirates of Penzance(1983)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
The Pirate Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Princess Ida(1986)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Ruddigore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
The Yeomen of the Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
The Sorcerer(1982)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Patience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Gilbert and Sullivan: Their Greatest Hits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
The Pirates of Penzance(1980)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
The Gentlemen of Titipu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Ruddigore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
The Cool Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)
The Yeomen of the Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)
The Mikado(1939)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
Fan Fan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)
Career shape
A full career of 71 titles from 1918 to 2025.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do W.S. Gilbert's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 74th percentile, the median of the 8 of 9 with a score; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up4
- 50th to 74th4
Shape of the crowd
7 of their 8 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Divisive1
- Crowd Pleaser7
Reviewers score the dialogue 70/100 and the plot and story 52/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does W.S. Gilbert work with?
People who share at least 2 of W.S. Gilbert's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Arthur Sullivan shares the most, 6.
Directors
- Dave HeatherShared titles: Princess Ida (1986), The Sorcerer (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Dave Heather
- Wilford LeachShared titles: The Pirates of Penzance (1983), The Pirates of Penzance (1980)See all 2 shared titles with Wilford Leach
Actors
- Anne CollinsShared titles: Princess Ida (1986), The Mikado (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Anne Collins
- Nan ChristieShared titles: Princess Ida (1986), The Sorcerer (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Nan Christie
- George RoseShared titles: The Pirates of Penzance (1983), The Pirates of Penzance (1980)See all 2 shared titles with George Rose
- Kevin KlineShared titles: The Pirates of Penzance (1983), The Pirates of Penzance (1980)See all 2 shared titles with Kevin Kline
Composers
- Arthur SullivanShared titles: The Pirates of Penzance (2020), Princess Ida (1986), The Pirates of Penzance (1983), The Mikado (1982), The Sorcerer (1982), The Pirates of Penzance (1980)See all 6 shared titles with Arthur Sullivan
Producers
- George WalkerShared titles: Princess Ida (1986), The Mikado (1982), The Sorcerer (1982)See all 3 shared titles with George Walker
- Joseph PappShared titles: The Pirates of Penzance (1983), The Pirates of Penzance (1980)See all 2 shared titles with Joseph Papp
- Judith de PaulShared titles: The Mikado (1982), The Sorcerer (1982)See all 2 shared titles with Judith de Paul