Acknowledgements. I wish to express my thanks to a band of individuals who, in many different ways, have been helpful to me in putting this book together

I wish to express my thanks to a band of individuals who, in many different ways, have been helpful to me in putting this book together. Firstly I would like to thank Paul Annett, Trevor Bowen, David Burke, Michael Cox, Edward Hardwicke, and Jeremy Paul for so generously giving of their time to talk to me about Jeremy Brett and the series. I am grateful to the late Richard Lancelyn Green for allowing me to plunder his collection of stills. Others who have provided help, pictures, support, and information, are John Addy, Catherine Cooke, June Wyndham Davies, Roger Johnson, Jessie Lilley, Linda Pritchard, R. Dixon Smith, Jean Upton, Richard Valley, Pat and Jim White, and Elizabeth Wiggins. I would also like to thank Barbara and Christopher Roden of Calabash Press for their support and advice. Finally, two very special people: Kathryn, who was and is always there for me—she is always loving, skilful, and constructive in her advice; and dear Jeremy Brett for his time, his generosity, his laughter—and his Sherlock.

D.S.D.

* The artist who illustrated the Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand Magazine. In essence, lie was responsible for creating the image of the detective which is still potent today. It was Paget who, acting on Conan Doyle's reference to Holmes's travelling cap, drew the detective wearing a deerstalker. It was the intention of Michael Cox and Jeremy Brett to reproduce visual reminders of Paget’s illustrations in the series, a feat they managed with remarkable fidelity in the first thirteen episodes.

[*] An actor who later went on to portray Professor Moriarty in a dreadful TV movie, Hands of a Murderer ( 1990). Edward Woodward featured as a short, fat Holmes. John Hillerman was his dull, stiff, and starchy Watson.

[†] A comment uttered by Holmes in The Sign of Four whichis often quoted by those who are keen to prove that the detective was a misogynist.

[‡] Thorley Walters played Watson three times. He was much grounded in the Nigel Bruce huffing and puffing school of portrayal. In 1963 he appeared with Christopher Lee as Holmes in the German film Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes (Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace). He was glimpsed briefly in Gene Wilder's spoof The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975) with Douglas Wilmer as Holmes. In 1977 he repeated the role, to slightly better effect, in a short Anglia Television film of 'Silver Blaze'. His partner in this one was Christopher Plummer.

[§] Bernard Fox played Watson to Stewart Granger's Holmes in the unintentionally hilarious TV movie of The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1972 ). Apparently it was a pilot show—of the kamikaze kind!

[**] Nigel Stock played Watson on television in the 'sixties. Initially he partnered Douglas Wilmer, then Peter Cushing. In general, he was a creditable Watson, but there were still elements of the humbling oaf about his portrayal. He later toured in a one-man show, 221B, in the 'eighties. By then the actor had a line grasp of his characterisation, and gave a memorable performance as the good doctor.

[††] British comedy actress famous for her award-winning role in A Taste of Honey ( 1961).

[‡‡] The Television Sherlock Holmes, published by W. H. Alien in 1986 and revised and reprinted by Virgin in 1991 and 1994.

[§§] The actress was reunited with Brett in 1994 for his last outing as Holmes in 'The Cardboard Box'.

[***] In 1928, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made a short film for Fox-Case Movietone. In the film he discussed various topics including Spiritualism and, inevitably, Sherlock Holmes. In a rather churlish manner he described Dr Watson as 'Holmes's rather stupid friend'—not a description which fits in which his original conception of the character or the spirit of his presentation in the sixty stories.

[†††] A classic French movie of 1955 which concerns a raid on a jewellery store and features a brilliant twenty-five minute silent robbery sequence.

[‡‡‡] Freddie Lonsdale's Aren't We All withRex Harrison and Claudette Colbert.

[§§§] Edward Hardwicke is the son of the celebrated actor Sir Cedric Hardwicke, who not only appeared to great acclaim on the London stage but also in many Hollywood movies. As a child Edward was taken to meet George Bernard Shaw, who advised him against a career as an actor. After all, the young Hardwicke was told, you will never be more than a famous actor's son. This thought stayed with Edward Hardwicke through a great deal of his career.

[****] The notorious motorway which circles London, known for its frequent and lengthy traffic jams.

[††††] This is incorrect. All the BBC episodes in the 'sixties, with Wilmer and then Cushing in the role of Holmes, filled a fifty-minute slot in the schedule. Taking into account the commercial breaks, this is almost exactly the same length as the Granada episodes.

[‡‡‡‡] Sue was Jeremy's make-up artist, and was with him throughout the forty-one Granada films.

[§§§§] Ernie Wise was the diminutive partner to Eric Morecambe in the comedy double act Morecambe and Wise, who were very popular on British television during the 'seventies and early 'eighties. Morecambe always maintained that 'Little Ern' wore a wig, but you 'couldn't see the join'. Also, according to Morecambe, Wise had 'short, fat, hairy legs'.

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