Character guide
King Arthur
from Camelot
King Arthur is the idealistic founder of the Round Table in Camelot, Lerner and Loewe's 1960 musical.
- Show
- Camelot
- Broadway premiere
- 1960
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Frederick Loewe
Looking for a different King Arthur? King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot
King Arthur on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1967 film
Richard Burton won a Tony Award for originating Arthur in 1960, but he did not make the film: when Warner Bros. approached him, he asked for more money than the studio would pay. Richard Harris then campaigned for the part for four months, and when director Joshua Logan balked at his lack of singing ability, Harris offered to pay for his own screen test. He got the role and won a Golden Globe for it.
The film tells the story as Arthur's memories on the eve of his battle with Lancelot. Harris kept playing Arthur after the movie, in a 1981 Broadway revival that was broadcast on HBO and in a 1982 West End revival. Andrew Burnap played Arthur in the 2023 Broadway revival.
Who is King Arthur?
Arthur begins the show as an anxious young king meeting his bride to be Guenevere for the first time, then grows into the visionary ruler who founds the Round Table on the principle that strength should serve justice rather than dominate it. His idealism is genuine, not naive, and much of the show's tragedy comes from watching that idealism survive even as his personal life collapses.
When his wife Guenevere and his best knight Lancelot fall in love, and his illegitimate son Mordred works to expose them, Arthur is forced to choose between the law he created and the people he loves most, a conflict that ultimately costs him his kingdom.
King Arthur's role in Camelot
Arthur is the show's lead role and one of the great acting challenges in the musical theatre canon, requiring more spoken authority and emotional range than pure vocal power, though he sings the title song Camelot and the reflective How to Handle a Woman. The part is often played by strong actors who may not be trained singers.
Richard Burton originated the role in 1960 and won a Tony for it, cementing Arthur as a star vehicle later taken on by performers including Richard Harris, who also starred in the 1967 film, and Andrew Burnap in the 2023 Lincoln Center revival.
King Arthur: frequently asked questions
What show is King Arthur from?
King Arthur is the lead character in Camelot, which opened in 1960.
Is King Arthur a lead or supporting role?
King Arthur is a lead role and the show's central character.
Who wrote the music for Camelot?
Frederick Loewe wrote the music, with Alan Jay Lerner writing the lyrics and book.
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