The Diogenes Documentaries: The One Fixed Point
2http://nplh.co.uk - A mini documentary examining the actors who played Watson to William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes, the first actor to play the role of Holmes.
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Main Narration by Lorna Halverson
http://www.lornahalversonaudiobooks.com/
http://www.lornahalversonvo.com/
https://www.castingcall.club/lorna-halverson-vo
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Written and Researched by
@Straker1895 and Ross K. Foad.
Directed/Edited/Produced by: Ross K. Foad
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Sherlock Holmes may have referred to Dr. Watson as "the one fixed point in a changing age" but actor and playwright, William Gillette, the first actor to ever play Holmes, performed the role over 1300 times, and it was his Holmes who was the fixed point, not Watson.
Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Name a famous Holmes, and most can probably tell you their Watson. The same can't be said about Gillette. Who played the good doctor alongside Gillette? Well, there were actually several, which is why today we are going to look at who these actors were and what became of them.
Now, here to explain more is my guest narrator, Lorna Halverson.
Bruce McRae was Gillette's first Watson. Born in Bombay, India in 1867 to English-Scottish parentage, McRae became a stage actor in Britain and America at the turn of the 20th Century. He became well known in broadway and the english theatre for many different roles, but is still best known for his time as the 1st Dr. Watson in William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes play.
Next up comes Percy Lyndall, Gillette's first Watson when the play moved to Britain. Lyndall was well known at the time for his performance in the play 'Charlie's Aunt'.
Herbert Percy was used by big time stage producer Charles Froman in a number of his broadway productions in the early 20th century. The first of these was as Watson in the 1902 revival of Gillette's play. This time Gillette would keep hold of his Watson for a longer spell, with many performances across Kansas City, Salt Lake, and San Francisco. Sadly, despite this prominent role and legacy, and considering Gillette was a huge celebrity of the era, there are no known photographs of Percy whatsoever. Almost unthinkable for an actor in the era of instagram.
William Courtley was born 1867 in Ontario, Canada. He played Watson in Gillette's 1905 revival of the play. Interestingly, he would end up having a connection with another hugely prominent Holmes actor years later, appearing in 1929's 'Judas' - Co-written by none other than Basil Rathbone, arguably one of the most beloved Holmes performers to this day.
Gillette's next known sidekick was Kenneth Rivington, who performed with him in a 1905 performance at the Duke' of York's Theatre in London. But, like many actors who appear in Sherlock Holmes productions, once is rarely enough. For he himself would go on to play Holmes in a touring production of the play. This one was especially notable for featuring a very young Charlie Chaplin in his first dramatic performance, playing Billy the page boy
CLifford Bruce was born in Toronto Canada in 1885. He is somewhat of a longhaul Watson, playing the role in 1910 and 1911 revival's of Gillette's play. But despite this lengthly stint in the iconic role, he is better remembered for his role as the Gypsly Leader in action adventure serial 'The Perils of Pauline, as well as the 1915 film 'A fool there was', where he played Tom the Friend.
Speaking of 1915, that was Edward Fielding, born 1875 in Brookyln, New York, took on the mantle of Watson for the latest revival of Gillette's play. Quite possibly a favourite of the actor, as it would be he Fielding who would end up reprising his role of Watson for the Gillette's 1916 silent Sherlock Holmes film. This performance would also mark the start of a succsufl, and lengthy, film career for Fielding with credits including Rebecca, The Pride of the Yankees, and Kitty Foyle.
Wallis Clark was born in Essex, England in 1882. He was cast as Watson by Gillette for his farewell tour of 1929-1930, as well as his FINAL farewell tour of 1931-32. And, yes, this time he meant it!
Aside his long stage career, Clark would also have film credits in over 170 pictures including Best picture oscar films such It Happened One Night, Mutinee in the Bounty, and The Great Sigfield, Gone with the Wind, and You can't take it with you.
But wait! There's more. Remeber the final final farewell tour? Yes, Gillette stuck to that like paper to dried up prit stick.
Which brings us to our next subject.
Read more: https://www.nplh.co.uk/essays.html #filmhistory #theatre #sherlockholmes #sherlock #stageshow #stagedrama #history #victorian