The Feast of Fools / Happy Birthday, Sherlock Holmes

Here are two excellent fanboy reasons to celebrate this day.

To the Sherlockian world, January 6th is the accepted birthday of the World's Greatest Detective, Mr Sherlock Holmes.

And every Disney fan knows that the Sixth of Janu-ervy is Topsy-Turvy Day, aka, the Feast of Fools, according to The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

So whichever fandom you follow, or perhaps, like me, you're into both, today's a day to celebrate!

Best Sherlock Holmes Actors

More actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes than any other literary character in history. Some have been laudable, some, shall we say, less so, and everyone has their favourites. As a rabid fan of Sherlock Holmes, I present my list of the top three, based purely on my own opinion. Take that for what it's worth.

Please note: it can be difficult to separate the actor from the film, but I intend to try all the same.

Number 3:

Ronald Howard, Sherlock Holmes, 1954-55

Although the series is not nearly as accurate as it needs to be, sometimes devolving into unpardonable silliness, I am very fond of this portrayal of Holmes. Howard captures parts of Holmes's extremely complex personality that most screenwriters, with their superficial understanding of the Canon, completely miss. And he gave us the historic first meeting between Holmes and Watson, a treat for any Sherlockian.

Number 2:

Arthur Wontner, Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour, The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes and the Missing Rembrandt, The Sign of Four, Murder at the Baskervilles, 1931-1937

I haven't seen every one of these films, but the ones I've seen favorably impressed me. Wontner seems to have it all: the look, the manner, the voice...really, I can't think of a thing to change that would improve his portrayal.

Number 1

Jeremy Brett, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, 1984-1994

My favourite Holmes portrayal, bar none. Brett's Holmes has been beloved...and criticized, ever since his Sherlockian debut, and there is little for me to add. Certainly he was helped by some very Canonical scripts (and a pair of excellent Watsons); also it is difficult to watch his physical decline as the series progresses (I personally watch the episodes in reverse order so that Mr Brett grows younger and stronger). But the man himself deserves our eternal thanks for capturing so much of the Great Detective so brilliantly. To this Woman, he is always The Sherlock Holmes.

New Sherlock Holmes Comic

We've added a new strip from Mother Goose and Grimm by Mike Peters to our collection of Sherlockian comics.

View the entire collection of Sherlock Holmes comic strips.

List of the Top 3 Sherlock Holmes Pastiches

When we speak of pastiche in the literary world, we refer to a story written by an author using the characters and style of another author. And no one has more pastiches written about him than Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Some are quite excellent. Some are hideously bad. Most fall somewhere in between. Here is a list of our top three:

1. "The Adventure of the Field Theorems" by Vonda N. McIntyre
   from Sherlock Holmes In Orbit
   This short story just seems to have it all
2. "The Adventure of the Deptford Horror" by Adrian Conan Doyle & John Dickson Carr
   from The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes
   An intensely creepy short story worth reading and re-reading
3. "The Madness of Colonel Warburton" by Carole Buggé
   from Resurrected Holmes
   Not sure why we like this tale intended to mimic Dashiell Hammett instead of Conan Doyle; call it a guilty pleasure

See the entire list of pastiches.

Sherlock Holmes Pastiche List

When we speak of pastiche in the literary world, we refer to a story written by an author using the characters and style of another author. And no one has more pastiches written about him than Sherlock Holmes. Some are quite excellent. Some are hideously bad. Most fall somewhere in between.

Although no pastiche could possibly take the place of the original canon of stories as written by Sir Arthur Conana Doyle, there are those of us who can't resist a new tale of the world's greatest detective. But the sheer number of extra-canonical writings is enormous, making it impossible for anyone to compile a truly complete list. Which doesn't stop some of us from trying.

View the list of pastiches.

New Game Added to the Sherlock Holmes Board Game List

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As both a gamer and a staunch fan of the Great Detective, I try to keep track of all the Sherlock Holmes games out there. Here's a new one that, although I haven't played it personally, garnered some fine reviews. More...

Sherlock Holmes Collectibles

Devotees of the Master Detective will delight in this overview of collectibles with a Holmesian touch. More...

A Sherlock Holmes Comic Strip

This Sherlock Holmes comic strip, which appeared in Mother Goose and Grimm by Mike Peters, is so beautifully drawn that I had to preserve it for posterity. More...

Batman vs. Sherlock Holmes: a Comic Strip

I don't know the name of the creator of this comic, but the original can be found on the Where's My Sammich website. More...

Holmesian Games

Board games, card games, parlour games, all featuring the great detective Sherlock Holmes. More...

Sherlock Holmes' Top 10 Lists

10 Things You Should Never Ask Sherlock Holmes

10. "How's the weather up there?"
9. "What do you think of Matt Frewer?"
8. "Ever been to Norbury?"
7. "So, who's the smartest man in London?"

More...

The Great Mouse Detective on IMDB

The Internet Movie Data Base is a wonderful online resource for movie information, but its changeable nature makes it necessary to record the content of its plot synopsis for The Great Mouse Detective, as written by Whatsits Galore, here for posterity.

The year is 1897. The place is London. The setting is not our world, but the world of England's mouse population, who live lives not so different from ours, in the mouse holes and basements of the British Empire.

Hiram Flaversham, a master toymaker, is kidnapped on his daughter Olivia's birthday. The young girl has no one to turn to for help, so she strikes out on her own, seeking the greatest detective in all mousedom, Basil of Baker Street. More...

William Clarke Russell's Sea Stories

In The adventure of the Five Orange-Pips, Dr. Watson enjoys a novel by William Clarke Russell. Sherlock Holmes collectors might be interested to see this vintage copy of one of Russell's sea-stories, The Frozen Pirate. Granted, the binding is damaged, but the age of this book makes it at least possible that it once graced Dr. Watson's own library. This particular volume was published in America, which just might be one of the three continents of which the good doctor boasts a knowledge. More...

Free Sherlock Holmes Parody Skit

The Case of the Superfluous Skit, a short parody skit for four actors. Here's an excerpt:

Inspector: While you do that, I shall look for clues. (Takes out magnifying glass) Hmmm...fingerprints!

Whatnot: What do you deduce from that?

Inspector: That Mrs. McGillicuddy is a lousy housekeeper.

Whatnot: Brilliant deduction! Where did you learn your great detective skills?

Inspector: Elementary school, Whatnot. Elementary school. More...

Sherlock Holmes Comic Strip

This Sherlock Holmes comic strip, which appeared in Mother Goose and Grimm by Mike Peters, is far too entertaining to be forgotten. Not only is it witty, but the artwork is delightful, giving us a charming and humorous look at the sleuth of Baker Street. More...

The Sherlock Holmes Shoppe

Discover the world of the world's greatest detective, a world of foggy nights and gaslit streets, of clues, clients and criminals, a world relived through books, magazines and ephemera. The game is afoot! More...

The Real Sherlock Holmes

Lest anyone doubt that Sherlock Holmes is a real person, and still alive and living in London, just take a look at this shot from Google StreetView of London. More...

Your Sherlock Holmes Sitting Room

This Pinterest pin board highlights the furniture and ephemera you'll need to furnish your own canonical sitting room for the world's greatest private consulting detective. More...

Sherlock Holmes: Fanboy Geek

Or, The Geek Interpreter

It seems as though everyone has speculated on Sherlock Holmes' true feelings for Miss Irene Adler at one time or another. Although A Scandal in Bohemia makes Watson's opinion plain, that love was foreign to Holmes' nature, many Sherlockians (and Holmesians) have dared to go further, perhaps searching for that great heart behind the great brain. More...

Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler

Here is a print by Charles Dana Gibson.

The gentleman in the picture always reminds us of Holmes himself, which would make the lady, perhaps, The Woman? More...