The Immortal Sherlock Holmes - Welles radio version of Wm Gillette play

[Harvey Chartrand]

Orson Welles' recording of his adaptation of William Gillette's play 'Sherlock Holmes' can be downloaded from The Sherlock Holmes Society of London Website.
http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/Radio....lls.htm

[Welles Fan]

Thanks for that link. I had not been to that site for some time, and they have added lots more broadcasts, including a few of the Gielgud/Richardson ones that I didn't have.

[Wellesnet]

From a deleted thread, "Tony's Fantastic Radio Bulletins" (2005) by Tony:

"The Immortal Sherlock Holmes" with OW as Sherlock, Ray Collins perfectly cast as Watson, and Barrier, Wilson, Alland, and others. A very nicely paced show, with a solid story taken from a stage play not by Conan Doyle but by William Gillette. Unfortunately, Welles yet again employs his high whiny voice for Sherlock, again I think a mistake. Still, his performance is good and Collins has Watson nailed.

[Wich2]

From a deleted thread, "Tony's Fantastic Radio Bulletins" (2005) by Tony:
"The Immortal Sherlock Holmes" with OW as Sherlock, Ray Collins perfectly cast as Watson, and Barrier, Wilson, Alland, and others.

True! Ray is great - and he benefits from a Watson expanded from the play's version, including more faux-Doyle material. Barrier is slimy as the heavy, and all hands do well, including my late friend Arthur Anderson as Billy.

A very nicely paced show

It is. Unlike some Merc hours, it does not start well and then flag in the stretch. They seemed to do better on this score by plays, than by novels, which need more compression/adaptation.

with a solid story taken from a stage play not by Conan Doyle but by William Gillette

Well...

1. Doyle and Gillette wrote the first draft together. But that one burnt in a fire on Gillette's ship ride home (whether the actor was to blame, has always been a matter for debate...)

2. Even as it stands, it is much taken from Doyle's prose tales, "A Scandal in Bohemia", "The Final Problem" and "A Study in Scarlet."

Unfortunately, Welles yet again employs his high whiny voice for Sherlock, again I think a mistake. Still, his performance is good

Many Holmeses have gone in that direction, including mine. For a character described as high-strung and hawklike, I think it makes sense. (My only problem, is that Orson's Sherl sounds too much like his snooty, Mid-Atlantic Lamont!)

-Craig

P.S. - Of course, we dang near got a Welles-as-Holmes series, instead of the anthology one, in '38!

[Le Chiffre]

Oh? I haven't heard that before.

This is a well-done show, but it's not one of my favorites, mainly for the reason you cited above: Welles is unappealing and unconvincing as Holmes. As you said, he sounds like Lamont Cranston (minus the Shadow), only to my ears, somewhat stiffer. Maybe I'm not being fair in comparing him to Basil Rathbone, to me the definitive Holmes on film. I haven't heard the show in many years though, so I'll have to give it another try.

[Wich2]

Chief, the story (confirmed, I believe?) goes that The CBS (as they called it then) offered Orson a new Holmes series, or an anthology.

(As far as Radio Holmes & Watsons, this Sherlock's favorite team is Carleton Hobbs & Norman Shelley.)