Some of my favorite Sherlock's

Continuing on the subject of Sherlock Holmes, I thought I would compile a list of actors I really enjoyed in the role of Sherlock Holmes. It's probably been one of the most played parts. And you would probably need the fingers of several of your friends hands to count the number of actors who have played Holmes over the decades.

JEREMY BRETT: The DEFINITIVE Holmes in my opinion. To be honest, it took some time to get use to his voice with the character of Sherlock Holmes. I think that's because every actor since Basil Rathbone has been playing Holmes with this almost wooden dictation. Now I cannot read the novels and short stories without hearing Brett's voice in Sherlock Holmes's lines. Or either David Burke or Edward Hardwicke's voices in Watson's narration. Brett made Sherlock Holmes live. As Ratbone cast a shadow on the part for the longest time, I think Brett has now cast his own shadow upon the part. I have no problem with people continuing to make Sherlock Holmes films. And I love to see how other actors approach the character. I didn't mind either Richard Roxburgh or Rupert Everett's takes on the character. But Jeremy Brett is going to be a hard act to follow for a long time to come.


PETER CUSHING: Was actually considered to be the definitive Holmes by many Sherlockians for many years. Even though Hammer made The Hound of the Baskervilles somewhat unrecognizable. I still enjoyed the film for two things. Peter Cushing as Holmes and Christopher Lee as Sir Henry. What I liked about Peter Cushing is he was a man after my own heart as far as how both Holmes and Watson should be portrayed. And he got his chance to stay true to the original Conan Doyle stories playing Holmes for a second time in a BBC Sherlock Holmes series when Douglas Wilmer stepped down from the role. I got to see the Hound of the Baskervilles. And despite some weak acting from some of the supporting actors and the usual tatty sets from the BBC Productions at that time, it's a great production. I really wish that they would release the Peter Cushing series of Sherlock Holmes over here in the States.



















ROBERT STEPHENS: A somewhat forgotten Sherlock Holmes actor and a somewhat forgotten film with The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. But I enjoyed both the film and Robert Stephens's acting in the part. It should be mentioned that Robert Stephens was good friends with Jeremy Brett and actually tried to discourage Brett from taking the part because of how miserable of a time he had when filming Billy Wilder's film and the possibility of being typecasted. Although, Stephens would end up playing the part again on stage in a production of William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes.























JOHN NEVILLE: Another somewhat forgotten Sherlock Holmes actor in another favorite film of mine A Study In Terror. I was already a big fan of John Neville because of the film The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. When I had read in a Sherlock Holmes book that he had played Holmes in a film, I had to see it. The plot has Sherlock Holmes face off against Jack the Ripper. The film itself doesn't particular stick very close to some of the facts of the case. It's a very Hollywood sort of explanation behind the identity of Jack the Ripper. But it is still highly enjoyable. The film also features Robert Morley as Sherlock Holmes's brother Mycroft. Morley is probably one of my favorite actors in the role of Mycroft to date. Charles Gray who played Mycroft in the Jeremy Brett series is a very close second favorite for me.























CHRISTOPHER LEE: Unfortuntely, the films he did play Holmes in weren't the greatest as far as great Holmes films are concerned. The biggest problem with his first film as Holmes is when they dubbed it from German to English, they got this awful American voice actor to dub his dialogue. Why they wouldn't get Christopher Lee, who has one of the best voices in the world (possibly next to Tom Baker's) is beyond me. I would imagine the company that did the dubbing were cheap bastards. However, I found Sherlock Holmes and the Incident at Victoria Falls to be one of the better of the three Holmes films Lee played the role of Holmes. But what made all the films worth watching was Christopher Lee's performance. He made a very good Holmes.





SIR IAN RICHARDSON: Another actor I really enjoyed in the role of Holmes. Unfortunately both films he was in, The Hound of the Baskervilles and the Sign of Four, were horribly Americanized and the production tried to make them more exciting for an American audience. BUT Richardson was marvelous and the films aren't without their charms. Actually, Sir Ian ended up having a great deal more success in the role of the man who inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to create Sherlock Holmes: Dr. Joseph Bell in the series Murder Rooms.














CLIVE MERRISON: Although, he has never played Holmes on screen, he has the distinction of doing every Sherlock Holmes story created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on radio. If you have not had the chance to hear one of the stories, I highly recommend you go out and purchase one either on tape or CD. They're very well done and create wonderful pictures in your mind.







BASIL RATHBONE: As much as I don't like how they placed Holmes in the 1940's and how much Nigel Bruce's idiotic Doctor Watson made me want to tear my hair out, I liked both The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Both of those films are set in Victorian England. Actually, they're the only two of Rathbone's Holmes films that are set in Victorian England One must give credit where credit is due. Rathbone helped make the character popular for many years to come. And now is pretty much part of a great debate in the same way who is better, Kirk or Picard? Who is better Rathbone or Brett? I will, of course go with Jeremy Brett. But probably without the Basil Rathbone films there might have not been any of the Holmes films we see today. Perhaps.


WILLIAM GILLETTE: Okay, so I have never seen him perform Holmes. But unless you're over the age of 100, neither have you!! But I did get the opportunity to listen to him perform as Holmes in a radio play someone posted on Youtube. Why I like William Gillette is because of what he did to popularize the character in the United States. Sure, some people grit their teeth because he was the man who basically pidgeonholed Holmes to wearing the deerstalker hat and smoking the curved pipe. And famously having him fall in love. But it's his play and his portrayal as Holmes is what helped the character to become more well known here. So, with that said I think Gillette owes a great deal of respect for what has become somewhat a tradition with actors.

Somewhat like what playing James Bond or the Doctor on Doctor Who is today.