All Things Conan Doyle & Holmes

[Graham]

Edward Hardwicke took over the role from David Burke, and I thought he stayed with it until the series ended. Was it David Burke you meant, C.D.?

Graham

[c.d.]

Hi Graham,

I thought it was the other way around and that David Burke took over for Edward Hardwicke but that might have to do with the order in which they showed the programs here in America. I will accept your explanation.

Last night I started to watch "The Final Problem" which I had seen before with Edward Hardwicke. This time David Burke was in it. I thought that was rather strange that they would film it twice with a different Watson each time.

c.d.

[TomTomKent]

just picked up Doctor Jekyll and Mister Holmes. Not had a chance to read it yet, but have my fingers crossed it wont be as awful as some of the other "Holmes Meets..." books out there.

[Tom_Wescott]

Holmes was known to use the alias "Escott"

These days he goes by Wescott, thank you very much.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Tom_Wescott]

Who, What, When, Where, and Watson

Hi all,

David Burke played Watson first and to my knowledge Jeremy Brett only did ONE 'Final Problem', not redoing it with two different Watsons. Burke loved playing Watson but had other commitments when they resumed after the first season. I believe these had something to do with a project involving his wife? They were very fortunate in that they were able to find two actors who did such a great job playing Watson.

As a sort of torch passing, Hardwicke recalled once how the fellow who played Watson under Rathbone (his name skips me) was a friend of his father's and would often come to his house. In return, Jude Law (Watson under Downey Jr.) appeared on screen with Hardwicke in a Sherlock Holmes episode.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Graham]

I saw only one "Final Problem", and that was with Hardwicke as Watson.

The Watson to Rathbone's Holmes was Nigel Bruce, who played the good doctor as though he was a bumbling idiot. Edward Hardwicke's father was Sir Cedric Hardwicke, best known to Americans for playing King Arthur in A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court, and best known to Brits for playing parts that required a degree of acting skill.

Graham

[TomTomKent]

If I remember rightly the confusion may come from the reprise in the Return of Sherlock Holmes series began with scenes from the Final Problem restaged with the new Watson. Been a long time since I watched it though, so my old nogging may be playing tricks on me again.

[c.d.]

If I remember rightly the confusion may come from the reprise in the Return of Sherlock Holmes series began with scenes from the Final Problem restaged with the new Watson. Been a long time since I watched it though, so my old nogging may be playing tricks on me again.

Yes, that explains it. I should have thought of that.

c.d.

[c.d.]

I didn't think David Burke was bad in the role just that to me Edward Hardwicke was so much better and seemed more like the character of Watson that Conan Doyle described. I also thought that Jeremy Brett seemed to interact better with Hardwicke.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Watson resumed living at Baker Street after his wife died is that correct? Did Conan Doyle ever say how she died?

c.d.

[Graham]

Watson did eventually return to Baker Street, but at the time of The Empty House he was still living in his own house.

Mary Watson died as a result of her parachute not opening in a charity jump.

Graham

[Robert]

A cruel death - made crueller by the fact that no one told her beforehand to pull the cord.

[Graham]

A cruel death - made crueller by the fact that no one told her beforehand to pull the cord.

It was even crueller than that, because parachutes hadn't been invented when she was conned into agreeing to make that jump.

Graham

[Robert]

Ah, well I take that back - no one can be blamed for failing to tell her to pull a non-existent cord. In fact, I don't see what she's complaining about.

[Zodiac]

Victorian Parachutes!!!

It was even crueller than that, because parachutes hadn't been invented when she was conned into agreeing to make that jump.

Graham

Not so, my dear Graham!!! Clearly you have not read my monograph on "Parachutes and Deployable Recovery Systems."

http://www.parachutehistory.com/eng/drs.html

Best wishes,
Zodiac.