George Cook (opera singer)

Upon his discharge from the Royal Navy at the close of World War II, Cook joined an amateur operatic society in Coventry.

Beginning in 1956, he added to his repertory the roles of Sergeant Bouncer in Cox and Box, the Usher in Trial, the Boatswain's Mate in Pinafore, and Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance.

[1] In addition, as understudy to Kenneth Sandford, he often played Private Willis in Iolanthe, King Hildebrand in Princess Ida, Pooh-Bah in The Mikado, Sir Despard Murgatroyd in Ruddigore, Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers.

[3] Cook was also known for crafting the Japanese-style fans used by D'Oyly Carte and numerous amateur G&S societies for productions of The Mikado throughout the UK and abroad.

Cook's roles recorded with D'Oyly Carte include the Boatswain in Pinafore (1960), Giorgio in The Gondoliers (1961), Scynthius in Princess Ida (1965), and Samuel in Pirates (1968).