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[[File:p-g-wodehouse-1903.jpg|thumb|250px|right|P. G. Wodehouse (1903)]]

Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (15 october 1881 - 14 february 1975) was a British writer well known for, amongst other works, the adventures of Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. Richard Usborne, in ''Wodehouse at Work to the End'' <ref>''Wodehouse at Work to the End'', by Richard Usborne (Barrie & Jenkins, London, 1976). Several mentions of Conan Doyle's influence on Wodehouse.</ref>, suggested that [[Professor Challenger]]'s servant, Austin (in Conan Doyle's novel: [[The Poison Belt]], 1913) was probably the inspiration behind Jeeves.

In december 1901 and march 1902, the 20 years-old Wodehouse, as a devoted fan of all [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s work, wrote two Sherlock Holmes parodies: [[The Strange Disappearance of Mr. Buxton-Smythe]] and [[The Adventure of the Split Infinitive]] starring ''Burdock Rose'' and ''Dr. Wotsing''. He also wrote an article: [http://www.madameulalie.org/sandow/The_Pugilist_in_Fiction.html The Pugilist in Fiction] which was mainly about the Conan Doyle's novel [[Rodney Stone]].

1903 was a prolific year, he wrote a sherlockian parody: [[Dudley Jones, Bore-Hunter]] (29 april), two sherlockian poems: [[Back to his Native Strand]] (27 may) and [http://www.madameulalie.org/dlyexp/TheParrot18.html The Parrot] (20 october), an interview of Conan Doyle: [[Grit. A Talk with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] (2 july) and a sherlockian pastiche: [[The Prodigal]] (23 september).

Wodehouse told at the end of his life : « Conan Doyle was my hero. Others might revere Hardy or Meredith. I was a Doyle man and I still am. »

Between 1903 and 1912, he played cricket with Conan Doyle in the ''Authors team'', known also as ''The Allahakbarries'' as founded by [[J. M. Barrie]]. In the team were [[J. M. Barrie]] himself, [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]], P. G. Wodehouse or [[E. W. Hornung]], the brother-in-law of Conan Doyle. In june 1902, Wodehouse admired Conan Doyle which was playing against the Royal Engineers in Chatham : « ''He was captain that day. A captain who is capable of bowling like that, and yet does not try his hand till fourth change, is no ordinary man.'' » <ref>''The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes'', by [[Andrew Lycett]] (Free Press, 2007, p. 337-338)</ref>

Match results where Wodehouse and Conan Doyle played in the same team (Authors):
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/918/918624.html Artists v Authors] (22 may 1903) : Authors won by 101 runs
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/918/918630.html Artists v Authors] (20 may 1904) : Authors won by 62 runs
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/918/918636.html Artists v Authors] (19 may 1905) : Authors won by 0 wickets
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/302/302710.html Actors v Authors] (29 june 1905) : Match drawn (Actors won on first innings)
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/918/918640.html Artists v Authors] (19 may 1906) : Artists won by 4 wickets
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/287/287358.html Actors v Authors] (15 august 1907) : Actors won by 6 wickets
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/287/287266.html Actors v Authors] (16 july 1908) : Match drawn
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/302/302762.html Authors v Publishers] (1 june 1910) : Match drawn
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/159/159201.html Authors v Publishers] (22 august 1911) : Match drawn
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/302/302794.html Authors v Publishers] (21 august 1912) : Match drawn

[[File:1903-05-22-cricket-authors-v-artists.jpg|thumb|770px|center|''Authors v Artists'' cricket teams (22 may 1903)]]

In 1905, he wrote a poem about [[Sherlock Holmes]] complaining that Conan Doyle praised the Police Force : [http://www.madameulalie.org/dchron/sherlock_holmess_lament.html Sherlock Holmes's Lament] published in [[The Daily Chronicle]].

In 1906, Wodehouse wrote a short sherlockian play: [[Among the Immortals]] published in [[The World]] on 30 october.

In august 1912, Wodehouse asked Conan Doyle if he could visit Windlesham and bring an American woman journalist: « ''I have traded so much on my friendship with you that my reputation will get a severe jolt if you refuse it.'' » Conan Doyle accepted. <ref>''The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes'', by [[Andrew Lycett]] (Free Press, 2007, p. 357)</ref>

Conan Doyle often sent laconic letter like « ''Yes. A.C.D.'' » or « ''No. A.C.D.'' » Once he sent a note to Wodehouse, who forgot to answer it and in a few days received this reminder on a post card: « ''? A.C.D.'' » <ref>[[Conan Doyle: His Life and Art]], by [[Hesketh Pearson]] (1943).</ref>.

In september 1934, Wodehouse edited "A Century of Humour" ([[Hutchinson & Co.]]), a 1000-page book collecting several stories including the Conan Doyle's short story: [[The Parish Magazine]], which was the only book in which it was collected at the time.

In the 1950s, Wodehouse wrote a comparison between Moriarty and Fu Manchu: [[Onwards and Upwards with the Fiends]] (16 february 1955), and a sherlockian pastiche: [[From A Detective's Notebook]] (20 may 1959).

There were hundred references to Sherlock Holmes/Conan Doyle in the Wodehouse writing career. See a [http://www.madameulalie.org/grp/pgwconandoyle.html comprehensive list from 1900 to 1922].

== P. G. Wodehouse's works related to Conan Doyle ==

'''1901'''
* December 1901 : [[The Strange Disappearance of Mr. Buxton-Smythe]] (Public School Magazine) ''parody''
'''1902'''
* March 1902 : [http://www.madameulalie.org/sandow/The_Pugilist_in_Fiction.html The Pugilist in Fiction] (Sandow's Magazine) ''about [[Rodney Stone]]''
* March 1902 : [[The Adventure of the Split Infinitive]] (Public School Magazine) ''parody''

'''1903'''
* 29.04.1903 : [[Dudley Jones, Bore-Hunter]] ([[Punch (London)|Punch]]) ''parody''
* 27.05.1903 : [[Back to his Native Strand]] ([[Punch (London)|Punch]]) ''poem''
* 02.07.1903 : [[Grit. A Talk with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] ([[V.C. Magazine]]) ''interview''
* 23.09.1903 : [[The Prodigal]] ([[Punch (London)|Punch]]) ''pastiche''
* 20.10.1903 : [http://www.madameulalie.org/dlyexp/TheParrot18.html The Parrot] ''poem''

'''1904'''
* 01.12.1904 : [[The Adventure of the Missing Bee]] (Vanity Fair) ''pastiche''

'''1905'''
* 03.10.1905 : [[Sherlock Holmes's Lament]] ([[The Daily Chronicle]]) ''poem''

'''1906'''
* 30.10.1906 : [[Among the Immortals]] ([[The World]]) ''play''

'''1955'''
* 16.02.1955 : [[Onwards and Upwards with the Fiends]] ([[Punch (London)|Punch]]) ''comparison between Moriarty and Fu Manchu''

'''1959'''
* 20.05.1959 : [[From A Detective's Notebook]] ([[Punch (London)|Punch]]) ''pastiche''

== Misc. studies ==

'''1967'''
* ''Elementary, My Dear Wooster!'', by J. R. Cox (BSJ, june 1967)
'''1971'''
* ''En Studie i Sherlock og Jeeves'' (Sherlockiana #16, 1971)

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<references />
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* [[Pastiches & Parodies]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

P. G. Wodehouse - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 13:02, 31 May 2024