Sherlock Holmes (play 1953)

Sherlock Holmes is an American play written by Ouida Rathbone (the wife of Basil Rathbone) and opened on 10 october 1953 at the Majestic Theatre (Boston), starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Jack Raine as Dr. Watson. 3 acts.
The play was mainly based on Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans short story with some bits of A Scandal in Bohemia and The Adventure of the Second Stain.
It was successful in Boston but in New York the critics were so bad that the play closed after 3 performances. The touring in London and around the world (as announced on the poster) never happened.
The usual Rathbone's partner as Watson, Nigel Bruce, was too ill to take the role of Watson, and had been replaced by Australian actor Jack Raine. Nigel Bruce died on 8 october 1953, two days before the premiere.
Acts
Act I
- Scene 1. 221B Baker Street, London. An evening, March, 1895.
- Scene 2. 16 Godolphin Square. The same night.
- Scene 3. A dressing-room at Queen's Hall. The same night.
Act II
- Scene 1. 221B Baker Street. The same night.
- Scene 2. 13 Caulfield Gardens. Early the following morning.
- Scene 3. A chalet overlooking the Reichenbach Falls. Three days later.
Act III
- The chalet overlooking the Reichenbach Falls. Two months later.
Photos
Photos courtesy basilrathbone.net.
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Thomas Gomez (Moriarty) and Basil Rathbone (Holmes)
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Jarmila Novotna (Irene Adler) and Basil Rathbone (Holmes)
Cast
- Sherlock Holmes : Basil Rathbone
- Dr. Watson : Jack Raine
- Professor Moriarty : Thomas Gomez
- Mrs. Hudson : Elwyn Harvey
- Lestrade : Bryan Herbert
- Gregson : Arthur Stenning
- Irene Adler : Jarmila Novotna
- Hugo Oberstein : Martin Brandt
- Rt. Hon. Trelawney Hope : John Dodsworth
- Anna : Margit Forsagren
- Villard : Alfred A. Hesse
- Walker : Terence Kilburn
- Eduardo Lucas : Gregory Morton
- Miss Alice Dumbar : Mary Orr
- Lady Hope : Eileen Peel
- Prince Bulganin : St. John Phillipe
- Captain Von Herling : Ludwig Roth
- Count Louis De Rothiere : Chester Stratton
- Andrew : Evan Thomas
- Arthur Cadogan West : Richard Wendley
Crew
- Director : Reginald Denham
- Playwright : Ouida Rathbone
- Producer : Bill Doll
- Music : Alexander Steinert
- General Manager : Ben Boyar
- General Press Representative : Robert Ullman
- Special Exploitation : Seymour Krawitz
- Production Stage Manager : Richard Wendley, Merle Albertson
- Production Assistant : Ira Mengel
- Master Carpenter : Joseph Harbuck
- Master Electrician : Ed Kavanaugh
- Sound : Harold Livington
- Assistant Electricians : Herman Kantor, Stanley Meyer
- Master of Properties : Robert Cassel
- Assistant Properties : John McSorley
Performances
- 10-25 october 1953 : Majestic Theatre (Boston)
- 30-31 october 1953 : New Century Theatre (Broadway, New York) 3 performances
Sources
Playbill (october 1953)
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Playbill (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 10 (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 11 (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 15 (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 17 (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 18 (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 20 (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 22 (october 1953)
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Playbill p. 24 (october 1953)