Remembering Jeremy Paul

by Scott Monty May 08, 2011

"Oh, my God, it is Paul!" [GREE]

Earlier this week, news of Jeremy Paul's death was shared on the Scarlet Street Forums. Interestingly, it was shared by Bert Coules, the head writer for the BBC radio adaptations of the Canon. We say "interesting," because Jeremy Paul was an award-winning writer of many Sherlock Holmes adaptations and other televised mysteries and dramas.

Bert shared the following sentiment:

I'm sorry to report that the writer Jeremy Paul has died at the age of 71. He'd been suffering from pancreatic cancer.
Paul is probably best known as one of the mainstay scriptwriters on Granada's Sherlock Holmes series but his TV credits go back to pioneering shows like No Hiding Place and much-loved favourites like Danger UXB, Upstairs, Downstairs, Out of the Unknown, Lovejoy, The Duchess of Duke Street, Midsomer Murders and the two Dominick Hyde science fiction plays. 

He also wrote for the stage (notably The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, which ran for over a year in the West End with Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke) and the cinema (Hammer's Countess Dracula).

We remember first seeing his name on the writing credits for the Granada Sherlock Holmes series with Jeremy Brett. In all, Jeremy Paul wrote the screenplay for a number of the episodes, including:

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984): "The Speckled Band" and "The Naval Treaty"
• The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1988): "The Musgrave Ritual" and "Wisteria Lodge"
• The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes (1991-1993): "The Problem of Thor Bridge," "The Master Blackmailer" and "The Last Vampyre"
• The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994): "The Three Gables" and "The Red Circle"

Mr. Paul was awarded an Edgar for his work on "The Musgrave Ritual" and was nominated for an Edgar for "The Problem of Thor Bridge."

(L to R) Mark Gagen, BSI, Jeremy Paul, Linda Garwood
and Steven Doyle, BSI

And for those who attended the 2007 conference From Gillette to Brett II (Electric Boogalo?), one of the special treats was a talk by none other than Jeremy Paul himself. The event, which is now in its third iteration, is described on the From Gillette to Brett II website as having "a film festival, Sherlockian vendors, and an all-star roster of distinguished speakers and presenters." If you're interested in another go-around, From Gillette to Brett 3 is coming up later this year. It wouldn't surprise us if the crew there pays some sort of homage to Jeremy Paul.

One of the more interesting aspects of Mr. Paul's involvement with the world of Sherlock Holmes was when Jeremy Brett commissioned him to write a play. The Secret of Sherlock Holmes ran for several hundred performances in London's West End from 1988-1989. It concentrated on the friendship of Holmes and Watson and a surprising secret that Holmes had kept for many years. Both Edward Hardwicke's and Brett's performances were highly acclaimed by critics, and the play continues to enjoy revivals every so often. Below you can see Jeremy Brett speak about the play.

In addition to his work on the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jeremy Paul made a mark as a writer on other mystery shows, including Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and Campion. Without a doubt, Mr. Paul's talents will be missed, as he certainly left an indelible mark on the world of Sherlock Holmes. For that we'll be forever grateful.

Do you have a favorite work of Mr. Paul's? Please share as a comment below.

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