Get to the bottom of the mystery of why Sherlock Holmes is one of the most depicted fictional characters in cinema and TV, and why his appeal is so enduring. Uncover the very earliest adaptations of these famous cases and discover the role Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself played in some of these films. Plus learn how the many men from all over the world, who’ve played the great detective on the silent screen, have helped to shape his character and look.

Ever since Jeremy Brett swept onto our screens in 1984 as the great detective I’ve been obsessed with this character, so when I was asked at very short notice to provide a talk on crime fiction by Brent Council I turned to Sherlock! When Lockdown hit in 2020 I edited and expanded the talk, making it suitable for Zoom.

“A great summary of Sherlock’s long career on film” Brent Culture 

FURTHER READING:

To summarise the writings about Holmes would fill an entire book in itself!  There are many biographies of Arthur Conan Doyle as well as shelves of different editions of the original stories. To research this talk I’ve been grateful to the following works, some of which are sadly out of print, as well as the invaluable online Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopaedia: http://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A CENTENARY CELEBRATION (1986) by Allen Eyles

STARRING SHERLOCK HOLMES (2007) by David Stuart Davies

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (2017) by Mattias Bostrom

SHERLOCK HOLMES ON SCREEN (2011) by Alan Barnes

THE TELEVISION SHERLOCK HOLMES (1986) by Peter Haining

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES HANDBOOK (2009) by Ransom Riggs

CONAN DOYLE: The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes (2008) by Andrew Lycett