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Long John Silver

From Alfawiki
Long John Silver
Occupation(s)Pirate, Quartermaster
Known forPrincipal villain in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island
Notable workTreasure Island (1883)

Long John Silver serves as the principal villain in Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 work Treasure Island. Portrayed as a shrewd and opportunistic pirate, Silver held the position of quartermaster under the infamous Captain Flint. His wooden leg and companion parrot have become defining symbols influencing the contemporary portrayal of pirates in popular culture.

Profile

Silver’s parrot, which he has named Captain Flint in honor of his former commander, often rests on his shoulder and mimics pirate expressions such as "Pieces of Eight" and "Stand by to go about." Silver leverages the bird to build trust with Jim Hawkins by recounting thrilling stories connected to its seafaring past.

He professes to have been a Royal Navy sailor who lost his leg during service under Admiral Hawke. Physically, Silver is described as tall and robust, with a broad yet unremarkable face that conveys intelligence. He skillfully maneuvers with a crutch to offset his disability and claims to be the sole individual feared by Flint.

Although Silver is deceitful and ready to alter loyalties for self-interest, he demonstrates financial prudence by saving money instead of wasting it like many other pirates. His bravery is notable; he stands resolutely against several adversaries even when only supported by Jim.

By the conclusion of the story, Silver manages to abscond with several hundred guineas from Flint’s treasure, becoming one of just two crew members to secure any share. He is married to a woman of African heritage who oversees his business dealings and property in Bristol during his absences. Silver intends to retire comfortably after retrieving Flint’s loot, although his portion (£420) is smaller than both Ben Gunn’s (£1,000) and less than what he claims to have previously earned.

Stevenson drew partial inspiration for Long John Silver from his acquaintance William Ernest Henley, a writer and editor recognized for his vigorous spirit and use of a crutch. Stevenson credited Henley as the model for Silver’s resilient strength and commanding demeanor.

Literature

  • Arthur D. Howden Smith authored a 1924 prequel titled Porto Bello Gold expanding on Treasure Island.
  • Dennis Judd, a British historian, centers Silver in his 1977 prequel The Adventures of Long John Silver and its 1979 follow-up Return to Treasure Island.
  • Björn Larsson’s 1995 fictional autobiography, Long John Silver: The True and Eventful History of My Life of Liberty and Adventure as a Gentleman of Fortune and Enemy to Mankind, presents Silver as the lead character.
  • Edward Chupack’s 2008 novel Silver — My Own Tale as Told by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder focuses on Silver’s perspective.
  • Andrew Motion's 2012 sequel Silver: Return to Treasure Island depicts an older Silver who is partially blind and mentally unstable, living alongside his wife and daughter.
  • In Stephen King’s Firestarter, a psychic vision involving Silver warns the protagonist’s father about an antagonist.

Audio-radio

  • Orson Welles portrayed Silver in the 18 July 1938 episode of The Mercury Theatre on the Air.
  • Basil Rathbone performed both narrator and Silver roles in a 1944 audio release for Columbia Masterworks Records.
  • William Redfield voiced Silver in the 14 May 1948 adaptation on Your Playhouse of Favorites.
  • Ronald Colman hosted an adaptation aired on 27 April 1948 for the program Favorite Story.
  • James Mason played Silver opposite Bobby Driscoll’s Jim Hawkins in the Lux Radio Theatre broadcast dated 29 January 1951.
  • James Kennedy provided Silver’s voice in the Tale Spinners for Children audio version (United Artists Records, UAC 11013).
  • Two BBC Radio dramatizations featured Silver: Peter Jeffrey in 1989 and Jack Shepherd in 1995.
  • John le Carré delivered an abridged five-part reading for BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Reading series.
  • Tom Baker starred as Silver in Big Finish Productions’ 2012 audio rendition.

Theatre

Numerous prominent theatrical adaptations have been brought to life over the years:

  • Beginning in 1966, London presented yearly stagings of the musical Treasure Island, featuring a libretto by Bernard Miles and Josephine Wilson, with music composed by Cyril Ornadel and lyrics by Hal Shaper. These performances took place at the Mermaid Theatre, where Bernard Miles both directed and portrayed Long John Silver. The role was also assumed by comedian Spike Milligan (in the role of Ben Gunn) and later by Tom Baker in 1981.
  • The musical Pieces of Eight, created by Jule Styne, debuted in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1985.
  • Danish singer-songwriter Sebastian crafted an adaptation titled Skatteøen, which premiered at Copenhagen's Folketeatret in 1986.
  • In 2011, a stage version adapted by B. H. Barry and Vernon Morris featured Tom Hewitt in the lead role at Brooklyn's Irondale Center.
  • The Bristol Old Vic mounted an expansive outdoor production directed by Sally Cookson, with music composed by Benji Bower, during July 2011.
  • Between October 2013 and 2014, Mind the Gap Theatre Company toured a nationwide production retold by Olivier Award-winning playwright Mike Kenny.
  • YouthPlays released Long Joan Silver in 2013, a play by Arthur M. Jolly spotlighting an all-female pirate ensemble.
  • From December 2014 through April 2015, Arthur Darvill took on the role of Silver in the National Theatre’s rendition, adapted by Bryony Lavery and directed by Polly Findlay.
  • The Broadway show SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical features the character within the song "Poor Pirates".
  • The Stratford Festival in Canada introduced a fresh adaptation penned by Canadian playwright Nicolas Billon as part of their 2017 lineup.

Film

  • In the silent film of 1920, Charles Ogle portrayed Silver.
  • The first actor to speak as Long John Silver on screen was Wallace Beery in the 1934 film that starred Lionel Barrymore.
  • Disney’s live-action adaptation from 1950 made Robert Newton’s portrayal of Silver iconic; he reprised this role in both the 1954 film and its television iteration.
  • The 1971 anime Animal Treasure Island presents Silver as an anthropomorphic pig equipped with a hook prosthetic on his left hand.
  • That same year, the Soviet adaptation Ostrov sokrovishch starred Boris Andreyev as Silver.
  • In the 1972 live-action film, Silver was played by Orson Welles.
  • The Soviet animated feature from 1988 included voice work by Armen Dzhigarkhanyan as Silver.
  • For the 1994 film The Pagemaster, Silver’s voice was provided by Jim Cummings.
  • Disney’s 1996 Muppets musical version cast Tim Curry as Silver.
  • In the 1999 movie, Silver was portrayed by Jack Palance.
  • The character is voiced by Brian Murray as an alien cyborg in Disney’s 2002 animated sci-fi adventure Treasure Planet.
    • Screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio drew inspiration from Treasure Planet when creating Captain Jack Sparrow, basing Sparrow and Hector Barbossa on Robert Newton’s interpretation of Long John Silver. According to The Guardian, many contemporary pirate figures are essentially variations on Long John Silver, exemplified most notably by Jack Sparrow.
  • In the 2006 film Pirates of Treasure Island, Silver was played by Lance Henriksen.
  • The German adaptation Die Schatzinsel from 2007 featured Tobias Moretti in the role of Silver.
  • Woody Harrelson’s character Tobias Beckett in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) drew inspiration from Long John Silver.

Television

Other print media

  • John Masefield’s poem A Ballad of John Silver, published in 1921, demonstrates early literary engagement with the character.[2]
  • The Franco-Belgian comic series Long John Silver, scripted by Xavier Dorison with artwork by Mathieu Laufray, was released in both French and English editions.[3]
  • Within the Italian comic Nathan Never, a space pirate named John Silver—characterized by a mechanical leg and inspired by the original figure—appears.[4]

Additional References

  • During May 1960, the group known as The Silver Beetles—who would later become The Beatles—served as the backing band for musician Johnny Gentle on his tour across Scotland, each adopting stage names; during this time, John Lennon was referred to as "Long John."
  • The rock ensemble Jefferson Airplane issued the album Long John Silver in the year 1972.
  • The seafood-focused fast-food franchise Long John Silver's derives its name from this character and maintains numerous outlets.
  • Within the role-playing game Cyberpunk and its video game version Cyberpunk 2077, the prominent figure Johnny Silverhand serves as an homage to John Silver.
  • In the strategy game Tropico 2: Pirate Cove, players can assume the role of Long John Silver.
  • The Swedish cigarette brand John Silver takes its name from this fictional persona.

Bibliography

  • Elwin, Malcolm (1939). Old Gods Falling. New York: The Macmillan Company. .
  • Prince, Alison (1994). Kenneth Grahame: An Innocent in the Wild Wood. London: Allison & Busby. .
  • Karg, Barbara; Spaite, Arjean (2007). The Everything Pirates Book: A Swashbuckling History of Adventure on the High Seas. Avon, MA: Adams Media. .
  • Jolly, Arthur M (2013). Long Joan Silver. Los Angeles: YouthPLAYS, Inc. .

Further reading

  • Stevenson, Robert Louis; Colvin, Sidney, Sir (1899). Letters to his family and friends. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

External links

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  3. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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