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Arthur Sullivan

Arthur Sullivan

Composer and writer · Died November 22, 1900, aged 58 · Lambeth, London, England, UK

Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 operatic collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado. His works include 24 operas, 11 major orchestral works, ten choral works and oratorios, two ballets, incidental music to several plays, and numerous church pieces, songs, and piano and chamber pieces. His hymns and songs include "Onward, Christian Soldiers" and "The Lost Chord".

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 13, 1842
Died
November 22, 1900 (aged 58)
From
Lambeth, London, England, UK
Works as
Composer and writer
Titles
10 on MovieCove · 71 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 25% in 30 days

What are Arthur Sullivan's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
66%
Morality
21%
Power
9%
Self
4%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 6 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 5

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 2 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 6

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
6
Absurd
4
Romantic
3
Warm
2

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy6

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 Arthur Sullivan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 10 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (2).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Arthur Sullivan'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, 10 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Writer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Composer

  • The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Composer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Songs

  • The Pirates of Penzance: Live from Massachusetts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance(2020)

    Lyricist

  • The Mikado(2019)

    Composer

    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)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Composer

  • BBC Proms (2012): Gilbert & Sullivan - The Yeomen of the Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Writer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance (New Lyric Operatic Company) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Composer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore & Trial by Jury (The G&S Opera Company) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Songs

  • U.S.S. Metaphor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Composer

  • Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Composer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore & Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Composer

  • Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Composer

  • BBC Proms: H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Songs

  • VeggieTales: Sumo of the Opera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Composer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Songs

  • Topsy-Turvy(1999)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Wilde(1997)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Songs

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • Historietes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • Patience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Composer · Lyricist

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Composer

  • The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Musical

  • Iolanthe: Gilbert & Sullivan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • G&S: The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • The Mikado(1982)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Pirates of Penzance(1983)

    Composer · Songs

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Cox and Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Songs

  • Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Princess Ida(1986)

    Composer · Songs

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Ruddigore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Songs

  • The Gondoliers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • The Pirates of Penzance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • The Yeomen of the Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • The Sorcerer(1982)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Patience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Gilbert and Sullivan: Their Greatest Hits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Songs

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Composer · Writer

  • The Pirates of Penzance(1980)

    Composer · Musical

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Composer

  • The Naughty Victorians: An Erotic Tale of a Maiden's Revenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Composer

  • Trial by Jury (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Composer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Composer

  • The Gentlemen of Titipu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Composer

  • H.M.S. Pinafore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Composer

  • Ruddigore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • Iolanthe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • The Yeomen of the Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Songs

  • The Mikado(1939)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Lost Chord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Idea

  • The Mikado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Composer · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 71 titles from 1926 to 2025.

Biggest box office

The Pirates of Penzance (1983)

$694K worldwide

Highest rated

The Pirates of Penzance (1983)

Midcredits 81st

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing9 of 71: 6 only writing, 3 with another roleMusic52 of 71: 49 only music, 3 with another roleOther crew13 of 71: 13 only other crew, 0 with another role

71 titles, 3 with more than one role.

By decade

1920s1 · crew1930s2 · crew1950s1 · crew1960s5 · crew1970s7 · crew1980s20 · crew1990s11 · crew2000s11 · crew2010s7 · crew2020s6 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do Arthur Sullivan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 76th percentile, the median of the 9 of 10 with a score; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

22ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 9 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th4

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 9 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser8

Most divisive · composer

The Mikado (2019)

97th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer, composer

The Pirates of Penzance (1980)

Midcredits 89th · 81% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 72/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

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 Arthur Sullivan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Arthur Sullivan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; W.S. Gilbert shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Producers