Halliwell Hobbes

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Herbert Halliwell Hobbes (16 november 1877 - 20 february 1962) was a British-born actor who played Sherlock Holmes in 1911 on stage with Talbot Homewood (as Dr. Watson).

Herbert Hobbes was born at Stratford-on-Avon, he first appeared with F. R. Benson's company at Glasgow in 1898, and later toured South Africa with William Haviland's company, and was with Mrs. Patrick Campbell and Ellen Terry. He played many Shakespearean roles in the West End, as well as the Policeman in "The Admirable Bashville" and Dr. Rank in "A Doll's House", and in 1911 toured as Sherlock Holmes in The Speckled Band: An Adventure of Sherlock Holmes. He accompanied Lewis Waller on his Australian tour in 1913, and after the First World War toured with Phyllis Neilson-Terry as the Laird in "Trilby". He was again in great demand in the West End for such roles as Venturewell in "The Knight of the Burning Pestle", Dr. Livesey in "Treasure Island" and Edward Eversley in "Success", and in 1923 paid his first visit to New York to score one of his biggest successes as Father Hyacinth in Molnar's "The Swan". After returning to London to play Sniffle Timherry in "When Crummles Played" at the Lyric, Hammersmith, he again went to America in 1929, where he concentrated on films, with the occasional stage appearance, his tine voice and striking appearance doing much to fulfil the American idea of a typical English butler. He had been in retirement for the past six years. He is survived by his widow, the former actress Nancie Marsland. [1]


Theatre






  1. Obituary in The Stage (1 march 1962 p. 17)