Restaurant Frequented by Sherlock Holmes May Vanish

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "I met him by appointment that evening at Simpson's" [ILLU]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NOrdkO7ymY0/VMukAeZmheI/AAAAAAAAbFc/f87suxlZSWI/s1600/Simpsons%2Bentrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Simpsons-in-the-Strand gate" border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NOrdkO7ymY0/VMukAeZmheI/AAAAAAAAbFc/f87suxlZSWI/s1600/Simpsons%2Bentrance.jpg" title="The entrance to Simpsons" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The unthinkable may be about to unfold.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/" target="_blank">Simpsons-in-the-Strand</a>, one of <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/london/11242692/Nine-of-Londons-oldest-restaurants.html" target="_blank">the oldest restaurants in London</a>, could disappear after 187 years. Its lease is owned by the Savoy Hotel, and under the search for a new operator, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/society/11368407/Simpsons-in-the-Strand-restaurant-could-disappear-after-187-years.html" target="_blank">the hotel will not require that the name be kept as part of the deal</a>. (<i>The Telegraph</i>)<br /> <br /> For those not familiar with the venerable establishment, here's a blurb directly from its website:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Originally opened in 1828 as a chess club and coffee house - The Grand Cigar Divan - Simpson's soon became known as the "home of chess", attracting such chess luminaries as Howard Staunton the first English world chess champion through its doors. It was to avoid disturbing the chess games in progress that the idea of placing large joints of meat on silver-domed trolleys and wheeling them to guests' tables first came into being, a practice Simpson's still continues today. One of the earliest Master Cooks insisted that everything in the restaurant be British and the Simpson's of today remains a proud exponent of the best of British food. Famous regulars include Charles Dickens, George Bernard Shaw, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (and his fictional creation, Sherlock Holmes), Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone.</blockquote> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5vb2Jn5-v4k/VMumr1gL4VI/AAAAAAAAbFw/l44pW9oEnk8/s1600/Simpsons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Your table at Simpson's is ready now" border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5vb2Jn5-v4k/VMumr1gL4VI/AAAAAAAAbFw/l44pW9oEnk8/s1600/Simpsons.jpg" title="Inside the Grand Divan at Simpson's" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Of course we know that Holmes visited the establishment in at least two stories: he suggested Simpson's as a meeting place with Watson, where the latter found him "sitting at a small table in the front window, and looking down at the rushing stream of life in the Strand". [ILLU]<br /> <br /> And again in "The Dying Detective," after his prolonged fast concluded - but not before a visit to the police station to wrap up the case against Culverton Smith.<br /> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5FSX6V5d1z8/VMulAXME-_I/AAAAAAAAbFk/liYzkmGECe8/s1600/Simpsons%2BDivan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Simpson's-in-the-Strand sign" border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5FSX6V5d1z8/VMulAXME-_I/AAAAAAAAbFk/liYzkmGECe8/s1600/Simpsons%2BDivan.jpg" title="Plaque outside of Simpson's Grand Divan" width="300" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic London from <a href="https://flic.kr/p/8dHKo8" target="_blank">Rev Stan (Flick)</a></td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> But Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was not alone in recommending Simpson's in the literary world. In <i>Something New</i>, P.G. Wodehouse wrote:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Simpson's in the Strand, is unique. Here, if he wishes, the Briton may, for the small sum of half a dollar, stupefy himself with food. The God of Fatted Plenty has the place under his protection. Its keynote is solid comfort. It is a pleasant, soothing, hearty place – a restful temple of food. No strident orchestra forces the diner to bolt beef in ragtime. No long central aisle distracts his attention with its stream of new arrivals. There he sits, alone with his food, while white-robed priests, wheeling their smoking trucks, move to and fro, ever ready with fresh supplies.</blockquote> While this temple of food contains many menu items that will soothe even the most is probably most fussy of foodies, it is most notable for its signature Roast rib of Scottish beef, Savoy cabbage, Yorkshire pudding and horseradish. If you've never experienced it, we absolutely insist that you make it part of your pilgrimage the next time you're in London.<br /> <br /> At this point, the future of the name of the establishment is not clear. But we hope that if things take a turn for the worse, we can count upon you, dear reader, to help us mount a defense of this historic and literary landmark.<br /> <br /> And in case you'd like to see what goes in to the preparing and carving of the rib of beef, here's a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2tTHbTgvmw" target="_blank">butchery masterclass</a> from Simpson's head chef Mark Farquhar:<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I2tTHbTgvmw" width="600"></iframe></center> <br /> <br /> <i>Photo credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/8np7Qb" target="_blank">Jeremy T. Hetzel (Flickr)</a></i><br /> --<br /> <br />

Restaurant Frequented by Sherlock Holmes May Vanish

"I met him by appointment that evening at Simpson's" [ILLU] The unthinkable may be about to unfold. Simpsons-in-the-Str...

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by Scott Monty

Waiting for Mr. Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "We're well up with the times in Sussex." [VALL] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvWbI4TYMjQ/VMoKsCZwliI/AAAAAAAAbEk/AMaH9e5ebxE/s1600/Ian%2BMcKellen%2BSherlock%2BHolmes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ian McKellen as an elderly Sherlock Holmes in "Mr. Holmes"" border="0" height="386" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvWbI4TYMjQ/VMoKsCZwliI/AAAAAAAAbEk/AMaH9e5ebxE/s1600/Ian%2BMcKellen%2BSherlock%2BHolmes.jpg" title="Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2014/07/first-look-at-ian-mckellen-as-sherlock.html" target="_blank">As has been reported here</a> last year year, Ian McKellen has been cast as the elderly Sherlock Holmes in the movie adaptation of Mich Cullen's excellent pastiche, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400078229/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1400078229&linkCode=as2&tag=theconblo04-20&linkId=NIPL4QDDSYGQPZBH%22" target="_blank">A Slight Trick of the Mind</a> </i>(I promise I'll have a book review done soon.).<br /> <br /> While we've seen <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2706928/Sir-Ian-McKellen-sports-hat-waistcoat-sips-hot-drink-London-set-Mr-Holmes.html" target="_blank">some press photos from the set</a>, but we've treated to a little behind the scenes tweet from Mr McKellen as Mr Holmes.<br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <div style="text-align: center;"> Meeting the locals while filming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MrHolmes?src=hash">#MrHolmes</a> in East Sussex. <a href="http://t.co/PXRRpgSy9p">pic.twitter.com/PXRRpgSy9p</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> — Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) <a href="https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen/status/509722176954462208">September 10, 2014</a></div> </blockquote> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> And more recently:<br /> <br /> <center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> First photo from my upcoming film MR HOLMES, with brilliant young actor Milo Parker who plays Roger. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MrHolmes?src=hash">#MrHolmes</a> <a href="http://t.co/wI74fO4vA5">pic.twitter.com/wI74fO4vA5</a><br /> — Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) <a href="https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen/status/555525759708962817">January 15, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></center> <br /> Filming has concluded and the film is now in post-production phase. It is expected to be released during the Berlin Film Festival in February 2015.<br /> <br /> What are your expectations for the film and its presentation of a nonagenarian Sherlock Holmes?<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Waiting for Mr. Holmes

"We're well up with the times in Sussex." [VALL] As has been reported here last year year, Ian McKellen has been cast ...

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by Tac Anderson

Horowitz's Moriarty Is an Ingenious Thriller

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Sit down, and tell me how you came alive out of that dreadful chasm." [EMPT]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lGdrp4I_PaQ/VMcQDvI67KI/AAAAAAAAbCE/T14Xn5EJlGA/s1600/Holmes%2BMoriarty%2BReichenbach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lGdrp4I_PaQ/VMcQDvI67KI/AAAAAAAAbCE/T14Xn5EJlGA/s1600/Holmes%2BMoriarty%2BReichenbach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>R</b></span>eliable narrators are a rare breed, a fact that many of Dr. Watson’s readers will endorse with a knowing grumble.  That’s why we greet gladly the first-person voice who kicks off Anthony Horowitz’s <i>Moriarty</i>, (<a href="http://amzn.to/YQc366">Amazon US</a> |<a href="http://amzn.to/1pEVJeI"> Amazon UK</a>) by asking "Does anyone really believe what happened at the Reichenbach Falls?" Pinkerton's Frederick Chase is in Switzerland five days after the final struggle between Holmes and Moriarty. He begins his tale by modestly suggesting he may well fall short of Watson’s standards of accuracy and entertainment. Watson’s standards of accuracy? Now, wait a minute. That passing reference should be enough to put the cognoscenti immediately, and as it turns out, appropriately, on guard.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <b><span style="font-size: large;">O</span></b>n the surface, Chase is following the trail of a planned alliance between Moriarty and a mysterious American criminal mastermind. But as you might suspect, there are wheels within wheels in this imaginative tale, and we soon find ourselves back in Baker Street, or at least around the corner from Baker Street. While Chase may seem out of his depth in what he describes as his first visit to Europe, Scotland Yard’s Athelney Jones is not, and we are soon rattling through the streets of 1891 London in pursuit of shadowy villains.  </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>G</b></span>ood Sherlockians may lament Holmes's absence from the scene.  Happily, the inspector from <i>The Sign of the Four</i> has learned a thing or two from his encounters with the great detective and is eager to demonstrate his new-found gifts. He reads much of the Pinkerton man's background and habits at a glance. Both Chase and the reader soon feel they are in good hands, and Chase begins to slip into a mode that might almost be called Watsonian.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <b><span style="font-size: large;">E</span></b>ager to pick up the trail of their opponent, Jones somewhat curiously lets Chase, a Bostonian working in New York, impersonate the recently-deceased Moriarty to make contact with the American gang. The critical reader may reasonably wonder about such small details.  As Chase suggests in his early dismantling of Watson’s account from "The Final Problem," these events may lend themselves to more sinister interpretations.<br /> <br /> <div> <b><span style="font-size: large;">R</span></b>eliably, however, Anthony Horowitz weaves the cinematic and well-paced tale one might expect from the screenwriter who created <i>Foyle’s War</i>, <i>Midsomer Murders</i>, and much more.  </div> <br /> <div> </div> <br /> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> <div style="margin: 0px;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l-NtcgZHvMk/VCtvGTkKJDI/AAAAAAAAYGo/03KldvqJZJs/s1600/Horowitz%2B-%2BMoriarty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l-NtcgZHvMk/VCtvGTkKJDI/AAAAAAAAYGo/03KldvqJZJs/s1600/Horowitz%2B-%2BMoriarty.jpg" width="263" /></a></div> <br /></div> <div> <br /> <b><span style="font-size: large;">A</span></b>merican gangsters have shaken up the London underworld from time to time, but none more so than the brutal and unprincipled gang whose trail Jones and Chase are following. We meet hit men and hooligans, kidnappers and assassins who imperil much of the city in new waves of violence. </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <b><span style="font-size: large;">C</span></b>onspirators and scalawags from other cases are elegantly re-introduced, adding to the chaos of a London underworld turned upside down. Along with other elements familiar to readers of Watson's chronicles, including an ingenious coded message, these familiar characters make us feel right at home.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>K</b></span>eeping us on the edge of our seats is no easy feat, and Horowitz weaves in pursuits, cliffhangers and great escapes a-plenty. Along the way the two men develop a friendship,  and we learn something of Jones's home life.  For a time it even seems possible for the inspector to become history’s second consulting detective.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <b><span style="font-size: large;">R</span></b>especting the time period, Horowitz is scrupulous with details. We learn early on that Chase is composing this account on a Remington Model Two typewriter, which was introduced in 1878 and sold through the 1890s. The requisite broughams, hansoms, and odd corners of London appear in crisp descriptions.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>O</b></span>rbiting many of Holmes’s cases were illustrious clients, a tradition that continues here as we meet Robert Todd Lincoln, son of the American president and ambassador to the Court of St. James.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Y</b></span>ears ago S.S. Van Dine and others composed various rules for detective stories, chief among them that the author must play fair, put all the clues in plain sight, and give the reader an equal opportunity to solve the mystery.  The reader, of course, is supposed to be outwitted in the end, admiring the author’s ingenuity as the tale comes to a close. Horowitz’s ending indeed demonstrates considerable ingenuity, and an epilogue of sorts suggests several of these characters may be moving on to other adventures.   </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <b><span style="font-size: large;">D</span></b>epend upon it.  We have not heard the last of the cast of <i>Moriarty</i>, or its accomplished author.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /></div> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=thebakerstree-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0062377183&asins=0062377183&linkId=RKXN7EGKNZKHTVQ4&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe>   <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=thebakstrblo-21&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=140910947X&asins=140910947X&linkId=IN2PMJ44VZ7AT6FT&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe>

Horowitz's Moriarty Is an Ingenious Thriller

"Sit down, and tell me how you came alive out of that dreadful chasm." [EMPT] R eliable narrators are a rare breed, a f...

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by Third Pillar

The Great Escape Room

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "let us escape from this weary workaday world" [RETI]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-57BnB3Ulaow/VMSMVRDDjUI/AAAAAAAAa3g/BfbUV3fD_U0/s1600/The%2BGreat%2BEscape%2BRoom%2B-%2Bheader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-57BnB3Ulaow/VMSMVRDDjUI/AAAAAAAAa3g/BfbUV3fD_U0/s1600/The%2BGreat%2BEscape%2BRoom%2B-%2Bheader.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> There are a new series of amusement centers being opened around the USA called <a href="http://thegreatescaperoom.com/" target="_blank">The Great Escape Room</a> and they offer a variety of amusing "Problems" for solution by groups.<br /> <div> <br /></div> <div> At present, Centers are open in Orlando and Miami, Florida and in Royal Oak, Michigan. New centers will be opening soon in Washington, D.C. and Tampa, Florida and plans are underway for centers in Chicago, Illinois, Grand Rapids, Michigan and other sites as well. </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Centers consist of a selection of game "Rooms," each of which offers a problem in observation, cooperation and logic to the group admitted to the room. Each group is made up of ten or more persons, selected beforehand by agreement or chosen from arrivals at the time the room opens. Each group is accompanied by an on-site monitor who will present the problem and provide occasional guidance or comments. </div> <div> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyJUSeouxNE/VMSZeEr6C8I/AAAAAAAAa3w/1Ub0T2MDKbQ/s1600/The%2BGreat%2BEscape%2BRoom%2Bgroup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyJUSeouxNE/VMSZeEr6C8I/AAAAAAAAa3w/1Ub0T2MDKbQ/s1600/The%2BGreat%2BEscape%2BRoom%2Bgroup.png" width="640" /></a></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Each group is allowed only one hour to solve the problem successfully and to discover how to exit the room. So far, only about 20% of groups have succeeded in leaving the rooms before the hour is<br /> up, and the fastest time in doing so is 37 minutes, 20 seconds. Clearly, the problems presented are simple.<br /> <br /> The first room made available in all new centers is "The Library (Sherlock's Study)" and others are added as the traffic and site construction warrant. The current problem offered is to evaluate whether the entering group have the talents and intelligence needed by "The Great Detective" to aid him in his coming conflict with "The Professor." According to the site:</div> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Put your skills of deductive reasoning to the test and see if you can be selected as an apprentice for the legendary Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is an eclectic collector of items from around the world. Although they may seem random, in Holmes’ cunning mind, they all have a purpose. It is your task to unravel the mystery set before you and join <i>The League of the Masters of Elementary Deduction</i>.</blockquote> <div> <br /></div> <div> Other rooms present other problems. As rooms are added to each center, the same problem will be presented in similar rooms at each location. As time goes on, it is planned gradually to replace problems with different scenarios at all similar rooms.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VUVj86_acfk/VMSZnQ_KoSI/AAAAAAAAa34/A03qiBvT3fI/s1600/The%2BGreat%2BEscape%2BRoom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VUVj86_acfk/VMSZnQ_KoSI/AAAAAAAAa34/A03qiBvT3fI/s1600/The%2BGreat%2BEscape%2BRoom.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> The current "Library" scenario seems made to fit the talents and interests of Sherlockian groups and management have indicated <b><u>their willingness to keep track of times achieved by various groups</u></b>, especially if those groups have common interests. This sounds like a perfect outing for your local Sherlockian group - particularly the <a href="http://ppofl.net/" target="_blank">Pleasant Places of Florida</a> and the <a href="http://www.amateurmendicantsociety.org/" target="_blank">Amateur Mendicant Society of Detroit</a>! And with further rooms coming online, <b><i>some intrepid Sherlockian should work with the management of The Great Escape Room to see which Sherlockian society has the fastest escape time</i></b>.<br /> <br /> Discounts are available for planned group outings (minimum, 10 people) and for weekday scheduled attempts. Most sites are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday with attempts scheduled at 2-hour intervals. Further, most sites are also open one weekday evening as well.<br /> <br /> You can find The Great Escape Room on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thegreatescaperoom" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/GreatEscapeRoom" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and of course at <a href="http://thegreatescaperoom.com/">thegreatescaperoom.com</a>.<br /> <br /> Happy escaping!<br /> <br /> [<i>A tip of the deerstalker to Philip Jones, who first shared this nugget on HOUNDS-L.</i>]<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br /></div>

The Great Escape Room

"let us escape from this weary workaday world" [RETI] There are a new series of amusement centers being opened around the USA...

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by Scott Monty

Saturday Matinee: Sherlock Holmes and the Sleeping Cardinal (1931)

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "the cardinal points" [MUSG]</h4> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmmZU9YpU-U/VMHv1jbH4XI/AAAAAAAAarI/HX3n2T1xmd0/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour%2Blobby%2Bcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour aka Sherlock Holmes and the Sleeping Cardinal" border="0" height="494" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmmZU9YpU-U/VMHv1jbH4XI/AAAAAAAAarI/HX3n2T1xmd0/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour%2Blobby%2Bcard.jpg" title="Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour" width="640" /></a></div> <br /></div> [<i>Editor's note: This is a first in a series of reviews by David Lee Andrews, cross-posted from <a href="http://www.comicbookandmoviereviews.com/2014/11/sherlock-holmes-and-sleeping-cardinal.html#.VMHQo_ldWSr" target="_blank">Comic Book and Movie Reviews</a></i>]<br /> <br /> Before Rathbone and Bruce donned the mantel of Sherlock and Watson, Wontner and Fleming thought they'd have a go. And they did, in the following 81-minute movie made in 1931. It was Directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starred Arthur Wontner, Ian Fleming, Jane Welsh, with Norman McKinnel.<br /> <br /> <br /> <h3> The Story</h3> I know this may sound rather far-fetched, Doctor Watson (Ian Fleming). Yet for quite some time now I've had a hunch that one solitary figure is behind most of the crimes in our city.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEtGvsZ3Y7I/VMHmWGAuUbI/AAAAAAAAaqo/M_5NqcYltVc/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Moriarty faces off in Sherlock Holmes and the Sleeping Cardinal" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEtGvsZ3Y7I/VMHmWGAuUbI/AAAAAAAAaqo/M_5NqcYltVc/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour.jpg" title="Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour - Moriarty" /></a></div> <br /> Yes. I'm not pulling your leg, old bean. I'd say a good example of this would have to be that bank robbery reported to me earlier in the day by Inspector Lestrade (Philip Hewland). You know. That one where the perpetrators got away with a printing press whilst one of the security guards perished in the act.<br /> <br /> And as for another of these crimes, well, do you remember telling me about Kathleen Adair's (Jane Welsh) older brother, Watson? What's his name again? Yes. That's the chap. That unscrupulous card-shark called Ronald (Leslie Perrins). Well, somehow, somewhere, and sometime, I have a sneaking suspicion he will meet the mastermind behind this bank robbery, and when he does, he will also get himself into a lot of trouble.<br /> <br /> That's most probably why what transpires next gets rather deductive when a shrouded figure enters the room and says to me, "Hello, Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Wontner). My name is Professor Moriarty (Norman McKinnel). Pleased to meet you." As Mrs. Hudson (Minnie Rayner) has something to say - it's never easy keeping crime at bay - a card-shark takes a disastrous shuffle - and at the end of the day, a bad man looses out in the eventful kerfuffle.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_toQotsFcKE/VMHw2UZ1EoI/AAAAAAAAarQ/lunlF43tLQc/s1600/Arthur%2BWontner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Arthur Wontner starring as Sherlock Holmes in The Sleeping Cardinal" border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_toQotsFcKE/VMHw2UZ1EoI/AAAAAAAAarQ/lunlF43tLQc/s1600/Arthur%2BWontner.png" title="Arthur Wontner as Sherlock Holmes" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <h3> The Review:</h3> If you're the type of Sherlock Holmes fan who has no qualms about watching a great mystery that appears rather dated upon the screen, then look no further, my friends, because <i>The Sleeping Cardinal</i> is definitely a film for you.<br /> <br /> Essentially it is one of those adventures that has it all, and it has it all in spades. It has an air of genuine authenticity about it that I'm sure Conan Doyle would be proud of. It has a great story-line that unfolds itself in a gradual manner, without making anything seem either too convenient or too staged by proxy. And on top of all that, every single one of the main players has some time to shine, including the mostly forgotten bit-player, Mrs Hudson.<br /> <br /> In fact, one of my most favorite scenes was the one where she was cleaning up after Sherlock and Watson, and starts moaning to them both as to why they don't tidy up after themselves. I also loved that sequence where she argued with her next door neighbour's daughter, plus how she was utilized at the very end of this piece. And the reason why I say this, my friends, is because I felt her inclusion added a very down to earth quality to these proceedings. Almost rooting the entire story-line into some sort of natural pretext.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iYXDsWWl1PU/VMHvgSmwXqI/AAAAAAAAarA/_kmbZyeFRMg/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour%2BMrs%2BHudson.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mrs. Hudson giving Holmes and Watson a scolding" border="0" height="472" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iYXDsWWl1PU/VMHvgSmwXqI/AAAAAAAAarA/_kmbZyeFRMg/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour%2BMrs%2BHudson.PNG" title="Mrs. Hudson cleans up in Sherlock Holmes Fatal Hour" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Now please don't get me wrong. Mrs Hudson isn't at the very heart of this movie. If anything, what's at the heart of this movie is Sherlock's introduction to Moriarty, as well as illustrating -- once again -- how he and Watson are a brilliant-brilliant double act. A double act, I might add, that is one part logical, one part warm, and one part incrementally challenged.<br /> <br /> A good illustration of this can be found nearing the end of this film, when Sherlock Holmes starts blathering on about one thing or another, seemingly making himself comes across like a blithering old fool. But of course, Holmes being Holmes, nothing he does throughout the duration of this movie is done in a foolish capacity. And this is highlighted at the very end of it, when he eventually explains to Watson why he acted in the way he did before.<br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XAt-y8t8usU/VMHqSoDOSYI/AAAAAAAAaqw/ffYyaZnymHU/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XAt-y8t8usU/VMHqSoDOSYI/AAAAAAAAaqw/ffYyaZnymHU/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BFatal%2BHour-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> As a matter of fact I thought this particular nuance was very commendable on Arthur's portrayal of Holmes, because it does make sense within the confines of this tale, whilst making me wonder why he isn't mentioned more often when a Sherlock Holmes project is stated in the press.<br /> <br /> Anyway. That's a subject for another day, dear reader. As I'm sure by now you got the basic gist of what I thought about this marvelous murder mystery. The tale was a solid one. The actors were on point. And even though the production values weren't the best I've ever seen, still, it could've been worse.<br /> <br /> <br /> Just look at the following cinematic facts, Ha!<br /> <ol> <li>'Julius Hagen Productions' first released this adventure in England on the exact same month the first Bela Lugosi <i>Dracula</i> movie was released. It was in February, 1931. </li> <li>Loosely translated, this project was entitled <i>The King Of The Shadows</i> in Italy, and when it was shown in America four months later, is was given the alternate title, <i>The Fatal Hour</i>, as seen in the visuals above. </li> <li>The majority of this movie was shot at Twickenham Film Studios, situated within the English county of Middlesex. </li> <li>One of the taglines used to promote this picture was: 'Read by millions: The World Greatest Detective'. </li> <li>This flick was limply based on two Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: "The Adventure of the Empty House," published in 1903 and "The Final Problem," published in 1893. </li> <li>For many years it was believed that this production was lost in the archives, yet it was eventually discovered in an unnamed location situated somewhere within the United States. </li> <li>While I'm on the subject of lost films, according to legend, this one is an adaptation of one of the very first Sherlock Holmes films ever made. It was developed in 1905 and called <i>Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</i>, starring 'Bronco Billy' Anderson as the title character. And yes, it is still presumed lost. </li> <li>After this mystery murdered a monkey, Arthur Wontner starred in the crime-drama, <i>A Gentleman of Paris</i>; Ian Fleming starred in the next Sherlock Holmes movie, <i>The Missing Rembrandt</i>; and Jane Welsh starred in the film short <i>Two Crowded Hours</i>.</li> </ol> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lyxv91UtZbg/VMHrbq39tbI/AAAAAAAAaq4/Fh-fVH-tTao/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BSleeping%2BCardinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lyxv91UtZbg/VMHrbq39tbI/AAAAAAAAaq4/Fh-fVH-tTao/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2BSleeping%2BCardinal.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Overall I'd say <i>The Sleeping Cardinal</i> was one hell of a great murder mystery for any Sherlock Holmes fan. The style seemed very authentic for its time, and in a roundabout way, it does tell of Holmes's first meeting with Moriarty. What's more, the characterizations were spot on, and as push comes to shove, I say, old chap, this is one splendid slice of Sherlockian cinema.<br /> <br /> <br /> <h3> The Rating: A-</h3> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=thebakerstree-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00772GQ02&asins=B00772GQ02&linkId=Y5JTN3HZGCDY3KCM&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe><br /> <br />

Saturday Matinee: Sherlock Holmes and the Sleeping Cardinal (1931)

"the cardinal points" [MUSG] [ Editor's note: This is a first in a series of reviews by David Lee Andrews, cross-posted ...

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by Scott Monty

The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes - A Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> "I might surprise a confession" [DYIN]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E0qqfguQ6UA/VMHcTjmG2UI/AAAAAAAAaqU/L7jV3CrRz1w/s1600/Last%2BConfession.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes by Kieran Lyne" border="0" height="464" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E0qqfguQ6UA/VMHcTjmG2UI/AAAAAAAAaqU/L7jV3CrRz1w/s1600/Last%2BConfession.png" title="The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes" width="640" /></a></div> <b><i><br /></i></b><b><i><br /></i></b> Re-imagining the Holmesian canon is an effort that can lead to mixed results: move in one direction, and you have the brilliance of the BBC's <i>Sherlock</i>; another direction might provide more mixed results. However, Kieran Lyne's <b><i><a href="http://amzn.to/1JfDPeZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes</a></i></b> (published by <a href="http://www.mxpublishing.com/category/Sherlock+Holmes+Books" target="_blank">MX Publishing</a>) belongs in the former category - a heady mix of re-imagining and re-contextualizing that provides a gripping read and a strong addition to any Sherlockian bookshelf. (<a href="http://amzn.to/1JfH5Ha" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://amzn.to/1zBwZia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>)<br /> <br /> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czrqzTsexXg/VMHcd9GTCjI/AAAAAAAAaqc/PPBBnwEZE_Q/s1600/Last%2BConfession.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czrqzTsexXg/VMHcd9GTCjI/AAAAAAAAaqc/PPBBnwEZE_Q/s1600/Last%2BConfession.jpg" width="206" /></a>Admittedly, the first few chapters can be a challenge, related from a variety of perspectives and often reframing events from stories in the canon (such as "The Adventure of the Final Problem" and "A Scandal in Bohemia." Although the use of multiple narratives early on is a bit daunting, <i>The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes</i> picks up with Watson's recounting of a great lost case....a case in which Sherlock Holmes aids Inspector Abberline in tracking down the notorious Jack the Ripper.<br /> <br /> Matching Holmes with the Ripper has been presented in a variety of media (most notably, the film <i>Murder by Decree</i>), but <a href="http://kieranlyne.com/the-last-confession-of-sherlock-holmes/" target="_blank"><i>The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes</i></a> takes the concept even further, combining Victorian gaslight detection with a hint of political intrigue. Mixing both historical and fictional figures, Lyne's story is a well-paced, well-plotted tale that does Conan Doyle's work proud. Without revealing plot points, the true identity of Jack the Ripper (in the context of <i>The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes</i>) makes almost <u>perfect</u> sense, and never feels like a cheat or an unnecessary twist.<br /> <br /> In terms of style, <i>The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes</i> is written in a great, easy-to-understand prose that often rivals Conan Doyle's Holmes work. Although it reuses (and sometimes rewrites) stories from the Conan Doyle canon, much of the book has a unique feel and tone as if Conan Doyle had inserted Holmes into a Victorian police procedural.<br /> <br /> MX Publishing's <i>The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes</i> is a well-crafted tale by Kieran Lyne that provides the comforts of a regular Holmes and Watson Victorian adventure, but with a modern sensibility that never feels out-of-place. This is a book that <i>deserves </i>your attention.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M6reApJgyQg?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div> <br /> --<br /> <br /> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=gordondymow-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1780926561&asins=1780926561&linkId=AQYYEO7M6CMJH6P6&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe>     <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=thebakstrblo-21&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=1780926561&asins=1780926561&linkId=U6HFYWFU66JBYDR3&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe>

The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes - A Review

"I might surprise a confession" [DYIN] Re-imagining the Holmesian canon is an effort that can lead to mixed results: move...

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by Gordon D

Episode 73: Playwright Ken Ludwig

<div style="text-align: center;"> <h4> <b>"on miracle plays" [SIGN]</b></h4> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3M1YbWonenk/VMD-8MFBgOI/AAAAAAAAapM/68pGR0cEaPo/s1600/Baskerville%2B-%2BOn%2Bthe%2BMoor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3M1YbWonenk/VMD-8MFBgOI/AAAAAAAAapM/68pGR0cEaPo/s1600/Baskerville%2B-%2BOn%2Bthe%2BMoor.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <center><br /></center> Theatrical Sherlockians probably know Ken Ludwig best for his play <a href="http://www.kenludwig.com/the_games_afoot/the_games_afoot.php"><i>The Game's Afoot</i></a>, which focused on William Gillette and won an Edgar® Award from the Mystery Writers of America for the best play of 2012. <div><br /></div><div>More widely cultured individuals know that he is an internationally-acclaimed and Tony® Award-winning playwright whose work has been performed in more than 30 countries in over 20 languages. He has had six shows on Broadway and six in the West End - including <i>Lend Me a Tenor</i>, <i>Moon Over Buffalo</i>, and <i>Crazy For You</i>.<br /> <br /> Ken Ludwig was kind enough to join us on the show to discuss his latest project: <i><b>Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery</b></i> directed by Amanda Dehnert, which opens the <a href="http://arenastage.org/shows-tickets/the-season/productions/baskerville-a-sherlock-holmes-mystery/" target="_blank">Arena Stage</a> in the Kreeger Theater in Washington, DC before moving along to <a href="http://www.mccarter.org/ticketoffice/eventdetail.aspx?page_id=7&event_id=9034" target="_blank">McCarter Theater Center</a> in Princeton, NJ. The previews run January 16 - 21, 2015 and <b>tonight</b> - January 22 - is its official opening night at Arena, running through February 22. The play runs at McCarter Theater from March 10 - 29, 2015.<br /> <br /> He describes the production as an adventure with comedic exuberance, and one that is as much about the theater as it is about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. And with just five actors playing 40 parts in a variety of accents and disguises. But Ludwig is quick to note that it is respectful of the characters and of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.<br /> <br /> Questions naturally arose as the discussion continued: How does one represent such various settings as railway stations, Dartmoor, Baskerville Hall, the streets of London, etc. that are vastly different from the traditional "living room / sitting room" setting we're used to seeing in the theater? How is the hound brought to life? We also probed at what initially drove Ludwig to Sherlock Holmes and discovered that he managed to work the character into his professional life fairly quickly.<br /> <br /> When we asked Ken answered to the questions of why The Hound of the Baskervilles and why now with: "There's a Hound in all of us."<br /> <br /> Listen in for the full conversation and see the links below to buy tickets in Washington or Princeton. And if you live on the west coast, Ken mentions a summer appearance in San Diego...<br /> <br /> <iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/187500907&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br /> <br /> <div style="margin: 0px;"> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock073.mp3" style="background-color: white; color: #006f85; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TL5jgdrUh_nM_zlDgxql-jKOFGUVFqhoV6A2JtYklXOu4qmVDyRVbwGV6XrwXZgnG9awSwJ7td-txL1_4KGrpSf4igJLILOim4yJmX5pGTPIdMhCBYLyImSI5gs1MOMUZPAlpAgvtPdb/s1600/podcastIcon.gif" style="border-width: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></a> Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." or simply click on the file to listen, or on the player above. (File size: 28.3 MB, 1:01:43)<br /> <div> <br /></div> </div> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/r_8RSHdvUpQ?rel=0" width="600"></iframe></center> <br /> Burt and Scott also discuss just a smidge of the BSI Weekend - including the first-ever appearance of a selfie stick at the event - and ask for your input on our programming. The Editor's Gas-Lamp this time is a variant: the poem "The Detective's Farewell" from the June 1974 issue of <i>The Baker Street Journal</i> (Vol. 34, No. 2).<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Links</b>:<br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://amzn.to/1yupibE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patrick Gowers' soundtrack</a> for the Granada Sherlock Holmes series. (Amazon)</li> <li><a href="http://kenludwig.com/" target="_blank">Ken Ludwig</a></li> <li><a href="http://arenastage.org/shows-tickets/the-season/productions/baskerville-a-sherlock-holmes-mystery/" target="_blank">Arena Stage ticket office</a> (January 16 - February 22, 2015)</li> <li><a href="http://www.mccarter.org/ticketoffice/eventdetail.aspx?page_id=7&event_id=9034" target="_blank">McCarter Theater ticket office</a> (March 10 - 29, 2015)</li> <li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/398GzCn" target="_blank">How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare</a></i> by Ken Ludwig (Amazon)</li> </ul> <br /> Many more links, articles and images are available in our <a href="http://flip.it/oxPOZ">Flipboard magazine</a> as well as through our accounts on <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/ihearofsherlock">Instagram</a>.<br /> <br /> <div> </div> <br /> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> Please <a href="http://bit.ly/ihearofsherlock">subscribe to us on iTunes</a>, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ihearofsherlock">Soundcloud</a>, <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/i-hear-of-sherlock-everywhere?refid=stpr">Stitcher</a> or <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/ihearofsherlock">Spreaker</a> and be kind enough to leave a rating or review for the show. And please tell a friend about us, in any fashion you feel comfortable.<br /> <br /> Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (ihearofsherlock AT gmail DOT com), call us at (774) 221-READ (7323).<br /> <br /> <br /> And above all, please let our sponsors know that you heard us rant and rave about their excellence during the program: <a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/">Wessex Press</a> (check out the new <a href="http://wessexpress.com/html/newspaper.html"><i>Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle in the Newspapers Volume 1</i></a>) and <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/"><i>The Baker Street Journal</i></a>, where you should get <a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/subscriptions.html">your annual subscription</a> in now to secure all four issues and a very special Christmas Annual.<br /> <br /> <br /> <div style="margin: 0px;"> --</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div> </div> </div>

Episode 73: Playwright Ken Ludwig

"on miracle plays" [SIGN] Theatrical Sherlockians probably know Ken Ludwig best for his play The Game's Afoot , whic...

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by Scott Monty

Four Irregulars Who Broke from the Ranks

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "no less than four such numbers" [SIGN] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPqzg89Nxwk/VL-78GliP8I/AAAAAAAAanI/ibh_fpucYPU/s1600/Sign%2Bof%2BFour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Indian relics from Granada's "The Sign of Four" - stained glass Taj Mahal, Buddhist statue, etc." border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPqzg89Nxwk/VL-78GliP8I/AAAAAAAAanI/ibh_fpucYPU/s1600/Sign%2Bof%2BFour.jpg" title="Asian curiosities from Granada's "The Sign of Four"" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <i><b>Editor's note:</b> From time to time, we honor the memory of Baker Street Irregulars and other significant players in the Sherlockian world who have passed beyond the Reichenbach. The duty is overseen by the BSI's own Angel of Death, Francine Kitts, BSI ("Lady Trelawney Hope") and is labeled with <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/terrace" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">terrace</a>, as in "Stand with me here upon the terrace, for it may be the last quiet talk that we shall ever have." [LAST]</i><br /> <br /> <h3> <b>Rodney Mannion</b></h3> Dr. Rodney A. Mannion died in Michigan on September 23, 2013 at the age of 82. He graduated from Loyola University Medical School and as a surgeon specializing in urology, set up private practice in the early 1960's, settling in Indiana. He retired from medical practice in 2005.<br /> <br /> Dr. Mannion published articles in the journal of the American Medical Association, including one about doctors as authors titled "The Scalpel and the Pen." He served as village president of Long Beach, Indiana in the early 1990's where one of his proudest accomplishments was approval of its first recycling ordinance. He was a devout Roman Catholic and served as a commentator at his local church for several decades. Dr. Mannion ran in both the Boston and the Chicago marathons, enjoyed bird-watching, weather forecasting, gardening, and was an avid reader of British mysteries. <br /> <br /> He was a member of Hugo's Companions and the Hounds of the Baskervilles (sic) and published articles in The Baker Street Journal in '64, '66, and '68.<br /> <br /> Dr. Mannion was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1969 as "Shoscombe Old Place."<br /> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <h3> <b>Daniel Griffin</b></h3> </div> Daniel P. Griffin died in Houston on April 25, 2012 at the age of 93. He graduated from Williston Academy, Easthampton, MA in 1936 and from Georgetown University in 1946. In the intervening years he served the country during WWII, serving on several merchant vessels and passed the required examination as Chief Engineer, in which capacity he continued to serve at sea until Japan surrendered. In addition to the customary decorations, he was cited by the British government for his part in the Battle of the Atlantic and by the government of France for his participation in the Normandy invasion and the freeing of France.<br /> <br /> Mr. Griffin served as Product Marketing Manager in what is now United Technologies and in that position he was a pioneer in the field of analog to digital conversion. He was in demand as a speaker, and wrote numerous papers, one of which was the cover article in a 1960 issue of ELECTRONICS magazine.<br /> <br /> Mr. Griffin was twice elected President of the International Parent Organization, a worldwide association of 15,000 parents of deaf children and was on its Board of Directors and Executive <br /> Committee. In 1970 he wrote and directed a documentary motion picture entitled, "Everything <br /> But Hear," which garnered a host of awards. It has been shown on 535 TV outlets in 86 countries and there are still requests for a showing.<br /> <br /> Along with Julian Wolfe and Tupper Bigelow, Daniel was a member of a literary society known as the Worshipful Company of Ailing Cockroaches. He was a member of The Paradol Chamber, a scion society directed by Elliott Kimball and in his oral history, Daniel said that the monthly meetings were sometimes serious, but mostly hilarious.<br /> <br /> Daniel Griffin was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1968 as "General de Merville."<br /> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <h3> <b>Thomas Russo</b></h3> </div> <div> <div> Thomas A. Russo died in California on April 18, 2014 at the age of 64. Tom served in the Air Force during Vietnam and Desert Storm, retired after 40 years, and continued serving as an aircraft technician. He was a member of the American Legion, volunteering with the aero club fixing planes. He was a biker and a retired member of POBOB Motorcycle Club and enjoyed wrestling. <br /> <br /> Tom's toast to Mrs. Hudson was published in The Baker Street Journal. He was a member of both Hugo's Companions and The Hounds of the Baskerville (sic) and was invested into The Baker Street Irregulars in 1983 as "The Boscombe Valley Mystery."</div> </div> <br /> <br /> <h3> <b>Samuel Gerber</b></h3> Samuel Gerber died on January 9, 2014 at the age of 94. He received his Bachelor's Degree from City College of New York, and a Master's and Doctorate from Columbia University. He was a specialist in chemistry and technology of dyes and their intermediates.<br /> <br /> Most of Sam's professional career was spent with the American Cyanamid Company, where his assignments included Chief Chemist of Dyes, among others. His professional publications and patents are largely in the field of dyes and related products. He was also a research associate in the Chemistry Department of Rutgers University. His major avocations included forensic science and the <br /> history of science and technology.<br /> <br /> Sam's interest in forensic chemistry originated with Sherlock Holmes. His lecture, "Sherlock Holmes, Chemist" had been widely presented. He edited two books of Sherlockian interest, Chemistry and Crime: from Sherlock Holmes to Today's Courtroom and More Chemistry and Crime: from Marsh Arsenic Test to DNA Profile.<br /> <br /> Sam Gerber was invested in The Baker Street Irregulars in 1980 as "The Final Problem."<br /> <div> <div> <br /> <br /></div> <div> --</div> <div> <br /></div> </div>

Four Irregulars Who Broke from the Ranks

"no less than four such numbers" [SIGN]  Editor's note: From time to time, we honor the memory of Baker Street Irregu...

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by Francine Kitts

Your #BSIWeekend Coverage

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "those weekend parties" [SOLI]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xVBrGdqH3Zw/VK9jxMZQclI/AAAAAAAAaBA/S3gdW8VEQGo/s1600/BSI%2B-%2BASH%2BWeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The unofficial kickoff of the #BSIWeekend is ASH Wednesday" border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xVBrGdqH3Zw/VK9jxMZQclI/AAAAAAAAaBA/S3gdW8VEQGo/s1600/BSI%2B-%2BASH%2BWeds.jpg" title="#BSIWeekend - ASH Wednesday" width="640" /></a></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> As you've probably heard, the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">BSI Weekend</a> is upon us.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> We've been chronicling the annual events here on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere since January 2006. As you can imagine, staying up late and chronicling what happened each day was a bit of a slog.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> The good news is that with the advent of smartphones and social media in the hands of many, the array of photos and observations has been expanded greatly, and the technology to assemble stories has gotten better.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> Therefore, consider this post (which will be updated throughout the weekend) to hold everything related to the BSI Weekend. And if you're out there taking part in the festivities, please don't forget to tag your content <b>#BSIWeekend</b> so we can find it and add it to our Storify below.</div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <center> <div class="storify"> <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" src="//storify.com/IHearofSherlock/everything-bsiweekend/embed?border=false" width="100%"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/IHearofSherlock/everything-bsiweekend.js?border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/IHearofSherlock/everything-bsiweekend" target="_blank">View the story "Everything #BSIWeekend" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div> </center> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <i>Photo credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/PrioryNYC/status/552988985770119169/photo/1" target="_blank">@PrioryNYC</a> </i></div> <div> --</div> <div> <br /></div>

Your #BSIWeekend Coverage

"those weekend parties" [SOLI] As you've probably heard, the BSI Weekend is upon us. We've been chronicling th...

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by Scott Monty

Remembering Composer Patrick Gowers

<h3 style="text-align: center;"> "a composer of no ordinary merit" [REDH]</h3> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_NFQT-_gcHQ/VLnqAGrs9OI/AAAAAAAAamQ/FlDeE_DuH0g/s1600/Patrick%2BGowers.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_NFQT-_gcHQ/VLnqAGrs9OI/AAAAAAAAamQ/FlDeE_DuH0g/s1600/Patrick%2BGowers.PNG" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> We're sad to report that composer Patrick Gowers has passed away at age 78.<br /> <br /> An accomplished composer across a variety of genres, he wrote music for guitarist John Williams, choral and organ works - particularly his "Toccata" for organ - and film and television.<br /> <br /> It is particularly <a href="https://amzn.to/3mf27nx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">his work for the Granada TV series</a> that we remember him, as he provided an additional facet to Jeremy Brett's interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. From the soulful solo violin for "Irene Adler" to the Christmas medley in "Mrs. Henry Baker's Christmas," to the stately "Holmes in Europe" and the tension-building "River Chase," Gowers managed to put a range of emotions into the production that dialogue and sets could not. Of course, his now iconic theme "221B Baker Street" set the tone for the entire series.<br /> <br /> Stand with us here upon the terrace as we remember a man who helped bring Sherlock Holmes to life for many.<br /> <br /> <center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/kv6Yjfru37U" width="600"></iframe></center> <br /> --<br /><script type="text/javascript"> amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "scottmonty-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B000008KNI"; amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "8dd1d279adf42a3829579546f5b4e40c"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script><br />

Remembering Composer Patrick Gowers

"a composer of no ordinary merit" [REDH] We're sad to report that composer Patrick Gowers has passed away at age 78. ...

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by Scott Monty

Happy 161st Birthday, Sherlock Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;"> "Age doth not wither nor custom stale my infinite variety." [EMPT]</h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FCNDUtToAJU/VKv8eEVveYI/AAAAAAAAZ_E/c3_TcZRPP3o/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2Bbirthday%2Bcake.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FCNDUtToAJU/VKv8eEVveYI/AAAAAAAAZ_E/c3_TcZRPP3o/s1600/Sherlock%2BHolmes%2Bbirthday%2Bcake.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> It's January 6th - which can mean only one thing in our world: it's the birthday of Sherlock Holmes. By all accounts, he's 161 today - and still as sprightly as ever.<br /> <br /> First popularized by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Morley">Christopher Morley</a>, the date of January 6th has become the <span style="font-style: italic;">de facto</span> accepted date for Holmes' birthday. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Canonical evidence</span><br /> Of all of the quotes in the Canon, I William Shakespeare was the most often quoted author. And there is only one Shakespearean play that Holmes quotes twice - <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743482778?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0743482778" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twelfth Night</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0743482778" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></span>. In <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sign of the Four</span>, Holmes concludes, "All is well that ends well." This is from from Act IV, Scene 4. And in 'The Empty House,' Holmes states "'Journeys end in lovers meetings,' as the old play says," from Act II, Scene 3.<br /> <br /> The reason the date was chosen is that in Christianity, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_6">January 6th</a> is the Feast of the Epiphany, or officially the twelfth day of Christmas. I suppose if we were being truly technical about it, the twelfth night of Christmas would fall on January 5th...<br /> <br /> In addition, William S. Baring-Gould in his <i><a href="http://amzn.to/14hLF8i" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Annotated Sherlock Holmes</a></i>, posited that because Holmes was a little cranky on the morning of January 7th - the date on which The Valley of Fear began - he had a hangover, induced by birthday celebrations the evening prior.<br /> <br /> Of course the quote I chose for today's post is another Shakespearean quote, but Holmes paraphrased it for his own purposes. It's from <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743482859?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0743482859" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Antony and Cleopatra</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0743482859" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></span> and properly written, it should be:<br /> "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety."<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Personality</span><br /> The second basis for Holmes' birthday being accepted as January 6 is that his personality fits into the sign of <a href="http://www.astrology-online.com/capricrn.htm">Capricorn</a> on the Zodiac. Here's an excerpt from <a href="http://www.diogenes-club.com/zodiac.htm">"The Sign of Sherlock Holmes"</a> by Tessa Roberts:<br /> <blockquote> Capricorn is ruled by Saturn the plant of discipline, structure, and isolation. We all know about Sherlock’s discipline and the practical structure he forms as he works on a problem.</blockquote> If you'd like a further explanation of all of the details, please click on the link to the paper above.<br /> <br /> <br /> And just for fun, there's nothing like trying to throw a surprise party for Sherlock Holmes (courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1813226448560" target="_blank">Jeremy Irons.com on Facebook</a>):<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="499" id="BLOGGER-video-c36e80bff7b7d8b2-11786" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxOj2f8noZpVRuaN4KKSOffz3SY4fxZKsnxiJ4_27gFJ-Bb10i5dzFYJl231XCTJ73y-CkZebDUXQmqU25Oom_mY-fS0DwtPNbBvmFb8ydrkjAFNqvvdnbOSGSaEwMooAi4Xhq9" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="600"></iframe></div> <br /> <br /> Of course, later this week Sherlockians from around the world will be gathering to celebrate his birthday in style during the <a href="http://www.bsiweekend.com/" target="_blank">BSI Weekend</a>. Check the official site for details and feel free to follow the activities of various attendees online via the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BSIWeekend&src=typd" target="_blank">#BSIWeekend</a> hashtag.<br /> <br /> We hope you'll take a moment and wish Sherlock Holmes a happy birthday in your own way. If you'd like to join in here, please feel free to leave a birthday comment below.<br /> <br /> <br /> <i>Image credit: <a href="http://kitchenoverlord.com/2014/01/17/geek-cake-friday-14-non-bbc-sherlock-cakes/" target="_blank">Kitchen Overlord</a></i><br /> --<br /> <br />

Happy 161st Birthday, Sherlock Holmes

"Age doth not wither nor custom stale my infinite variety." [EMPT] It's January 6th - which can mean only one thing in ou...

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by Scott Monty

Fight Card: Blood to the Bone - A Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <h4 style="text-align: center;"> "I've offered to fight him if he thinks I have wronged him" [VALL] </h4> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BgnM8hh2Tok/VKsGmcrp3cI/AAAAAAAAZ8w/OOCMA83fOJ0/s1600/Fight%2BCard%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Andrew Salmon's second Fight Card book about Sherlock Holmes" border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BgnM8hh2Tok/VKsGmcrp3cI/AAAAAAAAZ8w/OOCMA83fOJ0/s1600/Fight%2BCard%2B2.jpg" title="Fight Card: Blood to the Bone" width="426" /></a></div> <br /> In his previous <a href="http://www.fightcardbooks.com/"><b>Fight Card</b></a> entry <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2014/03/fight-card-sherlock-holmes-review.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b><i>Work Capitol</i></b></a>, Andrew Salmon (writing under the name <i>Jack Tunney) </i>described Sherlock Holmes' investigations in the shadowy world of Victorian bare-knuckle boxing. In his latest entry, <b><a href="http://amzn.to/1HBbZJ9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Blood to the Bone</i></a></b>, Salmon tells a tale that not only would fit within the accepted canon of Holmes, but transcends pastiche and becomes a full-blooded rival to Conan Doyle's work.<br /> <br /> Taking inspiration in part from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's own  novel <i>Rodney Stone</i>, Salmon's <i>Blood to the Bone</i> focuses on the world of <i>female</i> bare-knuckle fighters. When a female puglist's husband disappears, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson<b> </b>find themselves involved for differing reasons and motivations (Holmes belives it to be open-and-shut, and Watson gets involved in his own unique way via a circus). However, as Holmes and Watson progress, they find that a simple matter of disappearance can have the most dire consequences...<br /> <br /> Salmon writes an exceptional Holmes tale, achieving a tone that transcends pastiche and feels very much like classic Holmes. In focusing on an unknown aspect of Victorian history, Salmon creates a series of lively characters including female boxer Eby Stokes, who is one of the more unforgettable creations in recent Holmes lore. (Read the appendices after the story, and you'll learn more about <i>why</i> she is so unforgettable). The plot moves at a good pace, there are plenty of revelations, and in short - this is a <i>really</i> good Holmes story.<br /> <br /> You might think that with a header called <i>Fight Card</i>, Andrew Salmon's story might be more about conflict than deduction...but this is one tale which is a delight to read for <i>all</i> Sherlockians.<br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Fight Card: Blood to the Bone - A Review

"I've offered to fight him if he thinks I have wronged him" [VALL]  In his previous Fight Card entry Work Capitol , A...

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by Gordon D