Mr. Herbert Kelcey and Miss Effie Shannon in William Gillette's Original Version of Sherlock Holmes -- November 23, 2015

Town Talk, 03-August-1907

The first actor to become famous for playing Sherlock Holmes was American William Gillette. He played Holmes more than 1300 times, in a play he wrote himself, from 1899 to 1932. Other people toured in the play during times when Gillette was busy elsewhere or retired.  He retired frequently.  I wrote about him on my other blog:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/03/sherlock-holmes-looks-exactly-like.html

Town Talk, 03-August-1907

"This is the first time in history of stock in San Francisco that this great play has been essayed."  A stock company would perform several different plays during a period, often during the summer.  The September, 1902 Theater Magazine said Herbert Kelcey and Effie Shannon would tour with Sherlock Holmes in cities that had not yet been visited by William Gillette in the play.

Herbert Kelcey played Sherlock Holmes.

Effie Shannon played the heroine, Alice Faulkner. 

Sherlock Holmes Found -- October 22, 2014

Moving Picture World, 21-October-1916

The first actor to become famous for playing Sherlock Holmes was American William Gillette. Arthur Conan Doyle had killed Sherlock Holmes in 1893, but, needing money, was happy to let Gillette write a four act play, Sherlock Holmes, or The Strange Case of Miss Faulkner. In fact, Gillette had to write the play twice, because the first manuscript burned in the fire at Lucky Baldwin's Hotel and Theater at Powell and Market in San Francisco on 23-November-1898. Gillette played Holmes more than 1300 times, and his play was the basis for later films with John Barrymore and Basil Rathbone. The play also introduced a love interest for Holmes, Alice Faulkner. Gillette played Holmes in a 1916 feature film, which had been believed to be lost.

I was happy earlier this month when the  San Francisco Silent Film Festival announced that a print has turned up at the Cinémathèque Française.  The  Cinémathèque and the Festival are working together on a restoration.

Learn more about William Gillette on my other blog:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/03/sherlock-holmes-looks-exactly-like.html

==============================

The Royals beat the Giants 7-2.  Jake Peavy started well, but the wheels fell off in the sixth. 

A Character Which This World-Renowned Actor Has Stamped With Undying Fame -- July 26, 2014

Moving Picture World, 01-April-1916

The first actor to become famous for playing Sherlock Holmes was American William Gillette.

Arthur Conan Doyle had killed Sherlock Holmes in 1893, but, needing money, was happy to let Gillette write a four act play, Sherlock Holmes, or The Strange Case of Miss Faulkner. In fact, Gillette had to write the play twice, because the first manuscript burned in the fire at Lucky Baldwin's Hotel and Theater at Powell and Market in San Francisco on 23-November-1898. Gillette played Holmes more than 1300 times, and his play was the basis for later films with John Barrymore and Basil Rathbone. The play also introduced a love interest for Holmes, Alice Faulkner.

Gillette played Holmes in a 1916 Essanay feature film, which is believed to be lost.  Many people felt Gillette was too old by the time the film was produced. 

Mr Gillette...Was Enthusiastically Appreciated -- June 22, 2014

The manager of the Willis Wood Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri reported that the week was split between William Gillette in Sherlock Holmes and San Toy, a musical set in China.  "Mr Gillette came the first three nights, to big business and was enthusiastically appreciated."  Gillette wrote the play and went on to play the part more than 1300 times.  When Knighthood Was in Flower was a play based on a popular novel set during the reign of Henry VIII. 

Here is an article from my other blog about William Gillette and his play:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/03/sherlock-holmes-looks-exactly-like.html

Sleuthathon, a Blogathon of Gumshoes -- March 16, 2014

Moving Picture World, 21-October-1916

Fritzi at Movies Silently is hosting Sleuthathon, a Blogathon of Gumshoes.  My entry for the blogathon is on my new movies-mostly blog, The Big V Riot Squad:  Sherlock Holmes Looks Exactly Like William Gillette. 

The first actor to become famous for playing Sherlock Holmes was American William Gillette. Arthur Conan Doyle had killed Sherlock Holmes in 1893, but, needing money, was happy to let Gillette write a four act play, Sherlock Holmes, or The Strange Case of Miss Faulkner. In fact, Gillette had to write the play twice, because the first manuscript burned in the fire at Lucky Baldwin's Hotel and Theater at Powell and Market in San Francisco on 23-November-1898.  Gillette played Holmes more than 1300 times, and his play was the basis for later films with John Barrymore and Basil Rathbone.  The play also introduced a love interest for Holmes, Alice Faulkner.  Gillette played Holmes in a 1916 feature film, which is believed to be lost. 

The Speckled Band -- October 21, 2013

This set of theater ads from the 05-December-1910 New York Tribune shows that two Sherlock Holmes plays were running at the same time.  William Gillette had revived his own play Sherlock Holmes and Lewis S Stone, who later played Judge Hardy, appeared as Sherlock Holmes in The Speckled Band, adapted by Arthur Conan Doyle himself.  I have not been able to find much more about this production, so it may not have been a success.  HA Saintsbury had appeared in the play in Britain with great success.  William Gillette was making one of many farewell appearances in his play. 

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Famous Figure of Fiction -- August 23, 2013

The first actor to become famous for playing Sherlock Holmes was American William Gillette. Arthur Conan Doyle had killed Sherlock Holmes in 1893, but, needing money, was happy to let Gillette write a four act play, Sherlock Holmes, or The Strange Case of Miss Faulkner. In fact, Gillette had to write the play twice, because the first manuscript burned in the fire at Lucky Baldwin's Hotel and Theater at Powell and Market in San Francisco on 23-November-1898.  Gillette played Holmes more than 1300 times, and his play was the basis for later films with John Barrymore and Basil Rathbone.  The play also introduced a love interest for Holmes, Alice Faulkner. 

Gillette played Holmes in a 1916 feature film for Essanay, which is believed to be lost. The ad is from the 24-December-1916 Bisbee, Arizona Daily Review. Note that the film was "Released through the Big Four -- Vitagraph, Lubin, Selig, Essanay, Inc."  VLSE succeeded the Motion Pictures Patents Company, which had tried to establish a monopoly on film production and distribution. 

Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.