Giant mural of Zulu star appears in Welsh village

Nation.Cymru staff

A giant mural depicting a star of the film Zulu has been created on the side of a pub in a Welsh village.

The artwork on the side of The Colliers Arms in Pontrhydyfen depicts Welsh singing and acting star Ivor Emmanuel.

The Welshman who was great friends with Richard Burton has been immortalised at the pub with the mural painted by artist Dave ‘Gnasher’ Nash being part funded by Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund CIC.

Emmanuel is probably best remembered for his appearance as Private Owen in the 1964 film Zulu, in which he starred alongside fellow Welsh actor Stanley Baker.

His character rallies outnumbered British soldiers by leading them in the stirring Welsh battle hymn Men of Harlech to counter the Zulu war chants.

A post on the Burton Bont Festival Facebook page explained more about the mural:

It’s been amazing to watch and also great to hear the positive feedback we have had about the talented Dave Nash Gnasher Murals over the weekend. Over the weekend we met residents, locals and visitors from near and far (Nantymoel to Devon)
Today will be the final day to see this talented artist put the finishing touches to our Ivor Emmanuel mural which has been part funded by Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund CIC

Also, thanks to all our volunteers and supporters who have been brilliant AGAIN!

Back in 2024 a mural of Richard Burton was unveiled in Pontrhydyfen the village where the star was born.

Unveiled as part of a series of events to mark a century since the birth of the Hollywood star the mural was created on the side of the Miners Arms pub where Burton’s father used to drink – and his parents met and married.

The mural was also created by leading street artist Dave ‘Gnasher’ Nash.

ABOUT IVOR EMMANUEL

Born Ivor Lewis Emmanuel
7 November 1927
Margam, Port Talbot, Wales
Died 20 July 2007 (aged 79)
Málaga, Spain
Occupations Singer, actor
Years active 1948–2006

Ivor Lewis Emmanuel was a Welsh musical theatre and television singer and actor. He is probably best remembered for his appearance as Private Owen in the 1964 film Zulu, in which his character rallies outnumbered British soldiers by leading them in the stirring Welsh battle hymn Men of Harlech to counter the Zulu war chants.

After losing his parents at an early age, Emmanuel began working as a coal miner. He developed a keen interest in music and singing, however, and was drawn to the stage.

At the age of 20, he had his first professional theatre job in the musical Oklahoma!. He served as a chorister for the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1950–1951 but soon went on to play small roles in the West End productions of South Pacific, The King and I and Plain and Fancy.

His first leading role was Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees (1957), followed by a tour as Woody Mahoney in Finian’s Rainbow. In 1966, he appeared on Broadway in A Time for Singing and then in the West End in 110 in the Shade. He continued to play in summer seasons of theatre and in cabaret and variety into the 1980s.

During the late 1950s, he participated in the Welsh language singing television programme Dewch i Mewn, and from 1958 to 1964 was lead singer on the TWW show, Gwlad y Gan (Land of Song), among other TV shows.

In 1960, he performed in the first televised edition of the Royal Variety Performance. He continued to perform on TV through the 1970s. He also performed in concerts and is heard on cast recordings of Show Boat, Kiss Me, Kate, The King and I and A Time for Singing. He is also featured on the box set The Greatest Musicals of the 20th Century, on the 1966 RCA Victrola recording of The Pirates of Penzance, and in a solo album, The Best of Ivor Emmanuel.