I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere: Ray Betzner

Binge-Reading 221B

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<b>"devoted some attention to this, and written a little monograph" [BOSC]</b></h4>
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Virtually every Sherlockian knows the poem "<a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2013/10/celebrate-national-poetry-day.html#.XarWOuhKjb0">221B</a>" by Vincent Starrett, BSI ("<i>A Study in Scarlet</i>").<br />
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Starrett was one of the giants in the early Sherlockian world, and his works are still remembered today. Some of them (particularly his non-Sherlockian work) may be unfamiliar to many, but that's been changing in recent years, thanks to the intrepid and tireless efforts of Ray Betzner, BSI ("The Agony Column").<br />
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Ray writes and edits <b><a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/">Studies in Starrett</a></b>, the blog dedicated to exploring the life and works of Charles Vincent Emerson Starrett. Ray is probably the foremost expert on Vincent Starrett, along with Susan Rice, BSI ("Beeswing"). You may recall that the pair appeared on <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2014/02/episode-61-private-life-of-vincent.html#.XarWPuhKjb0">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Episode 61: The Private Life of Vincent Starrett</a>.<br />
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Ray's work on Studies in Starrett has made it abundantly clear how much passion he has for his subject and how much enjoyment he derives from it. Through meticulous research — and a little Sherlockian deduction — Ray is able to discern details about books, inscriptions, and other related items that are part of the Starrettian lore.<br />
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<b>The Netflix of Sherlockian Blogs</b></h2>
Today, Ray launched a series of entries all about the origins of what it probably Vincent Starrett's most famous work among Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts: his iconic poem from 1942 titled "221B."<br />
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This is a poem that is almost universally read at Sherlockian gatherings. The line "and it is always 1895" has become synonymous with the time and place of Sherlock Holmes, and at this point is nearly Canonical in its usage and recognition.<br />
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Ray has written eleven chapters that chronicle the poem, from a background of the time and place in which it was written, to Starrett's struggles and hopes and his love for Sherlock Holmes, early origins of the verses, its dedication and first appearance, and its spread and ultimate fame.<br />
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The chapters are laid out below, each one seamlessly leading to the next. They are amply complemented with illustrations, scans, manuscripts, photos, and even audio clips. It's a delightful multimedia journey through Starrett's work.<br />
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Chapter 1:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/6/4/here-dwell-together-still-">Introduction and Prologue: ‘Where it is always 1895’</a><br />
Chapter 2:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/6/5/x97oirni6nzusfafz8hv6yqctk9id8">'So they still live for all that love them well'</a><br />
Chapter 3:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/6/6/some-of-the-most-dramatic-months-of-contemporary-history">‘Some of the most dramatic months… of contemporary history’</a><br />
Chapter 4:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/6/10/here-dwell-together-still-two-men-of-note">‘Here dwell together still’</a><br />
Chapter 5:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/6/11/he-has-done-man-little-things-for-me">‘He has done many little things for me’</a><br />
Chapter 6:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/6/16/a-wider-circulation">‘A wider circulation’</a><br />
Chapter 7:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/7/27/part-of-a-slim-volume">‘Part of a slim volume’</a><br />
Chapter 8:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/7/29/this-poem-by-my-good-friend-vincent-starrett">‘This poem by my good friend’</a><br />
Chapter 9:       <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/8/3/something-remains-of-london-in-1895">‘Something remains of London in 1895’</a><br />
Chapter 10:     <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/8/7/what-is-it-we-love-about-221b">What is it we love about ‘221B’?</a><br />
Chapter 11:     <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/2019/8/17/afterthoughts-and-acknowledgments">Afterthoughts and Acknowledgments</a><br />
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We're very glad to see this dissertation on one of the Sherlockian world's finest poems. Would it be too much to hope for this in printed form?<br />
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If you'd like to hear more about Ray's passion for Vincent Starrett, we spoke to him about the evolution of the site on <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2019/05/episode-169-studies-in-starrett.html#.XarWQ-hKjb0">Episode 169: Studies in Starrett</a>.<br />
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Binge-Reading 221B

"devoted some attention to this, and written a little monograph" [BOSC] Virtually every Sherlockian knows the poem " 221...

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by Scott Monty

From Gillette to Brett IV - Something for Everyone

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<br /><b><i>The third in our <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/search/label/%23G2B4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">series of recaps</a> of #G2B4</i></b><div>
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By Ray Betzner, BSI</div>
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There is a memorable moment in “The Red-Headed League,” where Holmes sits in St. James's Hall listening to Sarasate and “wrapped in the most perfect happiness.”<br /><br />Such was the case in the Indiana University Cinema when a theater packed with Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts and a few dozen college students were enraptured by a 75th anniversary screening of <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> starring Richard Green, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.  To be in a real movie theater, have the lights dimmed, the curtain raised and the familiar story unfold as it was designed to do would have been enough; but to be with fellow devotees who mouthed “Mr. Holmes, there were the footprints of a gigantic hound” along with the scene chewing Lionel Atwill was a “most perfect happiness" indeed.<br /><br />And that is really the point of a gathering like <a href="http://wessexpress.com/html/g2b4main.html" target="_blank">From Gillette to Brett IV</a>, which was held Sept. 12-14 at the University of Indiana under auspices of Steve Doyle and Mark Gagen's <a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/">Wessex Press</a>  While we all acknowledge the primacy of the original Canon, so many of us interact with Holmes through film, television, radio and digital media today that a weekend devoted to its explication is entirely appropriate.<br /><br />The primacy of the originals was certainly acknowledged early on, as we toured the treasures of the university’s Lilly Library. Have you ever picked up an incredibly good copy of <a href="http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/holmes/pages/pr4622-s9-1887_00001.shtml"><i>Beeton’s Christmas Annual</i> for 1887</a>?  I have. I had to give it back, of course, but Lilly Director Joel Silver was enormously generous, offering up opportunities to see treasures that a collector might take a lifetime to view. Of particular interest was the hand-written note Sherlock Holmes left at the Reichenbach and acquired by David A. Randall, the library’s first director. To have such a treasure before you brings goose-bumps.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holmes letter to Watson from "The Final Problem" - Conan Doyle Manuscript at the Lilly Library</td></tr>
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<br /><br />I won’t recount in detail each presentation from Saturday, except to say there were insights and delights galore: Bonnie MacBird, the screenwriter behind such films as the original “Tron,” thoughtfully drew parallels between the BBC <i>Sherlock</i> series and the Canon; Kristina Manente, founder of <a href="http://bakerstreetbabes.com/" target="_blank">The Baker Street Babes</a>, educated us old Sherlockians into the ways of “headcanon” and other path of the newest generation of enthusiasts; David Stuart Davies left us crying with laughter as he showed that Sherlaugh Holmes was not a misprint; and Burt Coules walked through more than 80 years of Holmes on the radio with particular attention to the BBC radio adaptations of the complete Canon starring Clive Merrison. It made me sad that radio drama no longer flourishes on U.S. airwaves. <br /><br />Finally, Paul Annett discussed his involvement in the early years of the Granada television series starring Jeremy Brett. The early adaptations were lovingly recreated from both Arthur Conan Doyle’s words and Sidney Paget’s illustrations. Which makes it strange that Brett, who so looked the part when he started, wanted to wear a putty nose and use a funny walk as Holmes. Annett wisely talked him out of those notions and the series has gone on to become a beloved touchstone. <br /><br />The huckster’s room had a nice selection of wallet-depleting treats, including <a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/html/g2b4exhibit.html">treasures</a> from the collection of Steve Doyle, which were not for sale. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basil Rathbone's tweed hat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paxton Whitehead's hat from "The Crucifer of Blood"</td></tr>
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<br />In all, it was the kind of event that blended old-school Sherlockians with new breed “Sherlock”-ians in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. <br /><br />We all hope that a fifth act of this long-running show will come along in three years or so.<div>
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<i>Photos courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.729258210500479.1073741833.487420994684203&type=1" target="_blank">Wessex Press (Facebook)</a></i></div>
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