Actors Who Have Played Sherlock Holmes

[billy farmer]

I thought i would start a new Thread to see how many Actors Brit Movie Members can think of that have played Sherlock Holmes in film, Television, Stage and Radio, i thought that once with the help of Brit Movie Members when the list of Actors who have played Sherlock Holmes is hopefully near-complete i could do two posts, one listing British Actors who have played Sherlock Holmes and another one listing non-British Actors who have played Sherlock Holmes, there is a good list on Wikipedia of Actors who have played Sherlock Holmes - List of actors who have played Sherlock Holmes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, below are two YouTube Videos featuring Basil Rathbone (my favourite Movie Sherlock and also the Actor who introduced me to the world of Sherlock Holmes) and Jeremy Brett (my favourite TV Sherlock).

[Gerald Lovell]

Although Basil Rathbone was indeed British - and it's rumoured he was knighted in around 1951, although this never seems to have been advertised - he was born in South Africa. I think Nigel Bruce was born in Mexico.

[alan french]

Hi,
As there may be a number of answers to this question, I will say that one actor who was in a television series, but is very rarely remembered for the role, is Alan Wheatley.

I think it could be mainly due to the fact that it was when there was only one television channel in the country. And possibly not everyone could receive broadcasts.

Alan French.

[Heinrich]

There is only one definitive Sherlock Holmes and that is Jeremy Brett.

[Gerald Lovell]

Hi,
As there may be a number of answers to this question, I will say that one actor who was in a television series, but is very rarely remembered for the role, is Alan Wheatley.

I think it could be mainly due to the fact that it was when there was only one television channel in the country. And possibly not everyone could receive broadcasts.

Alan French.

I think also, alan, he's not so well remembered as Holmes as no telerecordings were made of his series, which is therefore "lost". A great shame as I believe Alan Wheatley was the first BBC tv Sherlock Holmes.

[cassidy]

I just edge Peter Cushing above Basil Rathbone in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" but the dog in the Hammer film was pathetic. I dont think Jeremy Kemp ever played Holmes (I could be wrong) but I think he'd have played the part well.

[Gerald Lovell]

I just edge Peter Cushing above Basil Rathbone in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" but the dog in the Hammer film was pathetic. I dont think Jeremy Kemp ever played Holmes (I could be wrong) but I think he'd have played the part well.

Jeremy Kemp was the villain in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976) and the Jeremy Brett version of "The Speckled Band".

[Gerald Lovell]

Early British Holmes: Clive Brook and Arthur Wontner.

Canadian Holmes: Raymond Massey and Christopher Plummer.

TV Holmes: Douglas Wilmer and Roger Moore.

Radio Holmes: Carleton Hobbs and Clive Merrison.

[CaptainWaggett]

Hi,
As there may be a number of answers to this question, I will say that one actor who was in a television series, but is very rarely remembered for the role, is Alan Wheatley.

I think it could be mainly due to the fact that it was when there was only one television channel in the country. And possibly not everyone could receive broadcasts.

Alan French.

I'm sure he was completely splendid but presumably none of his episodes were recorded

[billy farmer]

A list of some of the Actors mentioned on Wikipedia who have played Sherlock Holmes.

1 Tom Baker
2 John Barrymore
3 Jeremy Brett
4 Clive Brook
5 Michael Caine
6 Benedict Cumberbatch
7 Peter Cushing
8 Rupert Everett
9 Matt Frewer
10 William Gillette
11 Stewart Granger
12 Guy Henry
13 Carleton Hobbs
14 Ronald Howard
15 Christopher Lee
16 Clive Merrison
17 Roger Moore
18 John Neville
19 Eille Norwood
20 Peter O'Toole
21 Reginald Owen
22 Christopher Plummer
23 Jonathan Pryce
24 Basil Rathbone
25 Ian Richardson
26 Nicholas Rowe
27 Richard Roxburgh
28 Robert Stephens
29 Alan Wheatley
30 Geoffrey Whitehead
31 Nicol Williamson
32 Douglas Wilmer
33 Arthur Wontner

[jimw1]

A list of some of the Actors mentioned on Wikipedia who have played Sherlock Holmes.

They seem to have Omitted John Cleese.....Arthur Lowe as Watson is Brilliant as always...

[billy farmer]

[Gerald Lovell]

I'm sure he was completely splendid but presumably none of his episodes were recorded

I've always imagined Alan Wheatley's Holmes would have been a fussy and fastidious creation, rather like Peter Cushing's portrayal.

[CaptainWaggett]

I've always imagined Alan Wheatley's Holmes would have been a fussy and fastidious creation, rather like Peter Cushing's portrayal.

Are you suggesting there might have been a bit of subtext between him and Raymond Francis ?

[Gerald Lovell]

Are you suggesting there might have been a bit of subtext between him and Raymond Francis ?

Well, I'm sure Sherlock Wheatley would've ensured Doctor Francis had no hiding place . . .

[billy farmer]

A list of some more of the Actors mentioned on Wikipedia who have played Sherlock Holmes.

1 James D'Arcy
2 John Cleese
3 Peter Cook
4 Robert Downey Jr
5 John Gielgud
6 Charlton Heston
7 Anthony Higgins
8 Frank Langella
9 John Longden
10 Vasily Livanov
11 Patrick Macnee
12 Raymond Massey
13 Keith Michell
14 Ron Moody
15 Leonard Nimoy
16 Michael Pennington
17 Robert Rendel
18 George C.Scott
19 John Wood
20 Edward Woodward

[didi-5]

Hi Billy

You might be interested in a project I have running on my blog at the moment where I am attempting to review all the extant film and TV Holmes adaptations - I'm also including Holmes 'type' characters so Larry Hagman and George C Scott are included.

See Voice of the Phoenix - Introducing the Sherlock review project.

[wadsy]

The first actor ever to play Sherlock Holmes on film was American Silent Screen idol Maurice Costello in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" in 1905.

[didi-5]

The first actor ever to play Sherlock Holmes on film was American Silent Screen idol Maurice Costello in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" in 1905.

And his son-in-law John Barrymore followed in his footsteps in 1922 ...

[Wolfgang]

Anyone know when (if) Moffat's Holmes is due back? It seems to be ages since they did those specials.