“The credit of the execution is due to Monsieur Oscar” [EMPT]
When watching the 2026 Academy Awards (the Oscars), we didn't expect any Sherlock Holmes connections. But then we were pleasantly surprised.
First, the announcer for the evening was Matt Berry (IMDb profile), who was being patched in from London. Matt's smooth British accent provided a sophistication that (let's be generous) isn't quite Conan O'Brien's style. For our purposes, though, Matt's inclusion brought a welcome connection to Sherlock Holmes: in the CBS drama Watson, he voiced Sherlock Holmes in Season 1, Episode 7 ("Teeth Marks").
For a more obscure Sherlock Holmes connection in his resume, Berry played Sherlock Kush in two episodes of Season 2 of Lucas Bros Moving Co: "Tales from the Hoodie" and "Escape from Momma".
What truly caught our attention, though, was a mention of Basil Rathbone during the Oscars. More on that context below.
Basil Rathbone (IMDb profile) was nominated for two Academy Awards as Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Can you name the two films for which he was nominated? We'll give you a moment.
If you guessed The Adventures of Robin Hood or Captain Blood, we're afraid we have bad news for you. Rathbone was nominated for an award in neither.
His first nomination was for his role as Tybalt in the 1937 production of Romeo and Juliet. His competition that year included Akim Tamiroff (The General Died at Dawn), Mischa Auer (My Man Godfrey), Stuart Erwin (Pigskin Parade) and winner Walter Brennan (Come and Get It).
Rathbone's second and final nomination came two years later in 1939 as Louis XI in If I Were King, when he was up against John Garfield (Four Daughters), Robert Morley (Marie Antoinette), Gene Lockhart (Algiers) and Walter Brennan, returning for a win (Kentucky).
The reason Rathbone's name came up at all? It was an exchange between O'Brien and Berry, when the host acknowledged the announcer's contributions for the evening. Watch:
Transcript
O'Brien: The Oscars are an international event. In that spirit, please welcome live from London, our announcer, Matt Berry.
Berry: Thank you, Conan. It's a huge honor and a thrill to be here tonight.
O'Brien: We're thrilled to have you, Matt. Who are you excited to see tonight?
Berry: I've always been a fan of Benecio Del Toro, Sigourney Weaver, and of course Basil Rathbone.
O'Brien: I'm sorry to tell you, Matt, Basil Rathbone died almost 60 years ago.
Berry: Is that right? Well, that's live TV for you!
0 comments:
Post a Comment