In 1877 Temple was engaged to create the part of Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre in the first production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Sorcerer" at the Opera Comique, produced by Richard D'Oyly Carte. The following year, he created the role of Dick Deadeye in the company's long-running international hit, "H.M.S. Pinafore". During the original runs of "The Sorcerer" and "Pinafore", Temple also took parts in the short companion pieces that accompanied these longer works. He played Fred Fancourt in the 1877–78 revival of "Dora's Dream", the title role in "The Spectre Knight" (1878), General Deelah in "Cups and Saucers" (1878–79), and Selworthy in "After All!" (1878–79). He also produced an opera season in Dublin in 1879.