Sherlock Holmes was a character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, thus the way to determine the best or worst actor who attempted to portray the character Sherlock Holmes is wholly and solely dependent upon each actor's ability to recreate that character with all and only the qualities described in the works by Conan Doyle. On that scale, there is one above all the others, Jeremy Brett who seems to be the only actor who cared enough to read and learn the mannerisms, habits, qualities and eccentricities that made Sherlock Holmes what he was in the stories originally published in the Strand Magazine.
Absolutely agree, it’s Jeremy Brent for me. I watch all or most of the versions of Sherlock Holmes, I have to confess after watching the full two series of Benadict Cumberbatch as Holmes it did grow on me.
Agreed although I have to say Rupert Everett who only played Holmes once caught the pathos and character of Holmes as defined by Conan Doyle perfectly!
Disagree strongly. Characters are open to interpretation. The character of Holmes is supposed to be a rational thinker of supreme intelligence. Presumably highly intelligent, rational thinkers don't go prancing about, shrieking and throwing things around pointlessly. They would also likely be adverse to the Establishment. Only one Holmes pulls that off for me, Christopher Plummer.
It's important to remember that actors don't play Conan-Doyle's texts, they play a text written by an independent creator who may or may not accurately represent the character of Holmes as it appears in the original text. For example, if the author of an adaptation doesn't include tobacco use as a frequent indulgence, the actor shouldn't be faulted for not availing himself of a pipe.
The plot of this movie has similarities with the 1954 Sherlock Holmes American tv series featuring Ronald Howard. That particular episode was entitled, if I am not mistaken, "The Case of the Pennsylvania Gun ".
Those who have played Sherlock Holmes since 1893: Charles Brookfield - 1893 William Gillette - 1899-1930 - 1300 Performances over 30 yrs. Sherlock Holmes movie Baffled - 1900 Silent/Short - Max Goldberg John F. Preston - 1900 Charles Rice - 1904 Karoly Baumann - 1905 Maurice Costello - 1905 Viggo Larsen - 1908 Alwin NeuB - 1908, 1911, 1914 Otto Lagoni - 1910 Holger Rasmussen - 1911 Mack Sennett - 1911-1912 George Treville - 1912 Harry Benham - 1913 James Bragington - 1914 Francis Ford - 1914 H.A. Saintbury - 1916 Hugo Flink - 1917 Sam Robinson - 1918 Eille Norwood - 1921 Silent short movie - The Dying Detective Burt Lytell - 1921 Dennis Neillson-Terry - 1921 John Barrymore - 1922 Hamilton Deane - 1923-1932 Tod Slaughter - 1928, 1930 Richard Gordon - 1930-1933, 1936 Clive Brook - 1929/1930/1932 Arthur Wontner - 1931- 1937 - Movie Series Raymond Massey - 1931 Robert Rendel - 1932 Reginald Owen - 1933 Felix Alymer - 1933 Louis Hector - 1934-1935, 1937 Bruno Guttner - 1937, 1939, 1942-1943 Orson Welles - 1938 Basil Rathbone - 1939-1946 Cedric Hardwick - 1945 Tom Conway - 1947 Howard Marion-Crawford - 1948 John Stanley - 1948-1949 Alan Napier - 1949 John Longden - 1951 Laidman Browne - 1951 Carleton Hobbs - 1952-1969 Ronald Howard - 1954 (39 episodes) Sir John Gielgud - 1954-1955 Christopher Lee - 1962, 1970, 1992 Douglas Wilmer - 1964 Peter Cushing - 1959, 1968, 1984 John Neville - 1965, 1970, 1978 Robert Stephens - 1970 Stewart Granger - 1972 John Cleese - 1973 Larry Hagman - 1974 Robert Powell - 1974 John Wood - 1974-1975 Leonard Nimoy - 1976 Kevin McCarthy - 1977 Roger Moore - 1976 Nicol Williamson - 1976 Christopher Plummer - 1977 Peter Cook - 1977 Paxton Whitehead - 1978 Barry Foster - 1978 Geoffrey Whitehead - 1979-1980 Keith Mitchell - 1979 Charlton Heston - 1980 Frank Langella - 1980 Vasily Livanov - Russian TV - 1979-1981, 1983 & 1986 John Moffatt - 1981 Guy Henry - 1982 Tom Baker - 1982 Ian Richardson - 1983 Peter O’Toole - 1983 (animated TV films - Australian) Jeremy Brett - 1984-1994 Nicholas Rowe - 1984 Dinsdale Landen - 1987 Guy Rolfe - 1984 Tim Pigott-Smith - 1987 Anthony Higgins - 1987 Michael Pennington - 1987 Roger Rees - 1988 Ron Moody - 1988-1989 Clive Merrison - 1989-1998, 2002, 2004, 2008-2010 Edward Woodward - 1990 Simon Callow - 1990 Richard E. Grant 1992 Robert Powell - 1993 Patrick McNee - 1993 Anthony Higgins - 1993 1998-2019: John Gilbert - Episodes 1-18 Lawrence Albert - Episode 20 John Patrick Lowrie - Episodes 21-65 & 67-until Dennis Bateman - Episode 66 Jason Gray-Stanford - 1999-2001 - Animation for Kids Matt Frewer - 2000-2001 Joaquim de Almeida - 2001 Richard Roxburgh - 2002 James D’Arcy - 2002 Andrew Sachs - 2004 Rupert Everett - 2004 Jonathan Pryce - 2007 Javier Marzan - 2007 Roger Llewellyn - 2009 Ben Syder - 2010 Nicholas Briggs - 2010-2018 Johnny Lee Miller - 2012-2019 Benjamin Lawlor - 2013 Igor Petrenko - Russian TV Series - 2013 Robert Downey Jr. 2009 & 2011 Benedict Cumberbatch - 2010-2016 Nicholas Briggs - 2010-2018 Seamus Dever - 2014 Ian McKellen - 2015 Euan Morton - 2015 Gregory Wooddell - 2015 Paul Andrew Goldsmith - 2015-2016 Ewen Bremner - 2016 Jay Taylor - 2017-2018 Yuko Takeuchi - 2018 (HBO Asia - female ‘Holmes’) Orlando Wells - 2018 Samuel Tady - 2011, 2014, 2017-2018 (Tady Bros. Productions/on YTube) Johnny Depp - 2018 (animation) Will Ferrell - 2018 Nicholas Boulton - 2020 Henry Cavill - 2020 Ethan Bell - 2020 (Fan Film on RUclips) Ethan Thomas Jung - 2020 Fan Adv. (Vagabond Repertory Theater Company-RUclips) This list is not exhaustive. however, these are some of the many actors who have played Sherlock Holmes on stage, screen, radio and TV adaptations.
Gee thanks million for your effort to educate us all those played LONG and LONG years Sherlock Homes! It will take few years to watch selected best, mostly black and white older ones! Thanks so much indeed again! US
You know, I found this video after looking up Mr. Wontner from someone's list of 'Worst Sherlock Holmes' actors. I actually kind of like him, though. I think this might have just started a new spat of looking through older Holmes movies haha.
As a Holmes devotee I find Anton Wontner quite refreshing, less arrogant, more human yet still quite brilliant. I like him better than all those who follow in this role, with the possible exception of Basil Rathbone. I regret that there only a handful of Wontner Holmes films. The more contemporary versions of the great detective are for the most part unbearable.
The Granada Holmes adventures with Jeremy Brett are not unbearable. He's great and made that program possibly the best that Television has produced EVER! I will watch this movie though. I started watching everything Holmes. I like seeing how other actors portray him. Your post has made me extra curious. Be well, fellow fan of Sherlock.
@@nelsonx5326 thank you for mentioning Jeremy Brett. When I made my comment I had not watched a lot of the Brett Holmes but I think your comment is correct and I dismissed probably a few other good Sherlock’s as well. Brett deserves your praise and I spoke to soon.
@X vonPocalypse I will admit to not having watched Robert Downey and will now do so. There ARE other good Holmes actors and I amend my previous criticism of the contemporary ones. I’m old so the old ones seem the best.
The comments almost put me off, but, I persisted and am pleased to say that apart from the poor quality of an 85 year old film, I enjoyed it. Wontner was an acceptable Holmes and Watson was also good. Give it a try. Regards from "Locked Down England" Feb. 2021.
@michael Whoever is responsible for having Nigel Bruce perform his role as he did made a huge mistake. Being played as a competent person, I think would have enhanced Rathbone's character. PS: Nothing can compare to reading the books. Treasures.
@michael How refreshing to have someone agree that Bruce could have made an excellent companion. Seems only the Rathbone series made Watson such a weak character.
@michael Have you seen the modern day Sherlock portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch with his Dr. Watson, Martin Freeman. Very strong character for Martin to play.
Mr. Wontner had a great dry sense of humor in these films whereas he was "Zinging" Inspector Lestrade and/or Dr. Watson many times. With the proper mindset, you'll pick up on it.
What's the word Holmes uses when he tries to get Lastrade to read the book on the times the castle was built! It sounds like " resifuel" or something like that.
Considering Arthur Wontner’s Holmes was made in the early 30s it’s hard to make a constructive comparison with those to follow, whilst it’s amazing to be able to turn the clock back to see these wonderful actors long gone, the quality of sound, background noises and poor direction. detracts from the movie itself.as it’s bound to.
Disappointing this movie is SO inconsistent with the 1931 "The Sleeping Cardinal" wherein Moriarty is captured by the police. The canon is kinda sacred. But Wontner is the best Holmes of all the ones I've seen.
This Holmes ... not bad ,, I like it too.. I used to say never met a Holmes I didn’t like , until Wil Ferrel.. possibly worst movie I’ve ever seen .. of any kind .. ( and he got paid too ) lol ..
It's too bad every upload of this classic movie is from a garbage dupe print. I feel sorry for people seeing this movie (or any movie) for the first time like this. Arthur Wontner's highly regarded portrayal of Holmes deserves better.
This Ian Flemming isn't the author of the Bond stories. Same name, yet a different person. The actor was born in 1888, the writer in 1908, the first in Australia, the latter in England. Two different persons.
In watching the various presentations of Sherlock by others, this is the first time I seen 'Billie" the page, and a romantic interest for Sherlock. The dreadful scene as Sherlock as a woman and dubbed with a witch's voice should have been cut out before being released. Horrible. Plus the Wontner character uses the word elementary way to much.
The worst actor who utterly failed to recreate the character Sherlock Holmes originally created by Sir Artur Conan Doyle is in my humble opinion Basil Rathbone and the insipid invention of Dr. John Watson as a dull minded fat, slow witted, old and largely inactive creature and not the young war veteran recovering from a wound sustained from a Jezail Bullet he was wounded by in the war in Afghanistan as a member of the fifth Northumberland Fusilleers. If and when you finish reading the complete works of Sherlock Holmes these opinions are fairly inescapable.
Кино
Loved this video even though some of the scenes are a little dark.
Thank you posting this Amazing movie. Holmes is Timeless.
I like how Dr. Watson makes sure he is introduced.
007 is great series 2.
An excellent and amazing series
Sherlock Holmes was a character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, thus the way to determine the best or worst actor who attempted to portray the character Sherlock Holmes is wholly and solely dependent upon each actor's ability to recreate that character with all and only the qualities described in the works by Conan Doyle. On that scale, there is one above all the others, Jeremy Brett who seems to be the only actor who cared enough to read and learn the mannerisms, habits, qualities and eccentricities that made Sherlock Holmes what he was in the stories originally published in the Strand Magazine.
Absolutely agree, it’s Jeremy Brent for me. I watch all or most of the versions of Sherlock Holmes, I have to confess after watching the full two series of Benadict Cumberbatch as Holmes it did grow on me.
Agreed although I have to say Rupert Everett who only played Holmes once caught the pathos and character of Holmes as defined by Conan Doyle perfectly!
Disagree strongly. Characters are open to interpretation. The character of Holmes is supposed to be a rational thinker of supreme intelligence. Presumably highly intelligent, rational thinkers don't go prancing about, shrieking and throwing things around pointlessly. They would also likely be adverse to the Establishment. Only one Holmes pulls that off for me, Christopher Plummer.
A drug addict?
It's important to remember that actors don't play Conan-Doyle's texts, they play a text written by an independent creator who may or may not accurately represent the character of Holmes as it appears in the original text. For example, if the author of an adaptation doesn't include tobacco use as a frequent indulgence, the actor shouldn't be faulted for not availing himself of a pipe.
The plot of this movie has similarities with the 1954 Sherlock Holmes American tv series featuring Ronald Howard. That particular episode was entitled, if I am not mistaken, "The Case of the Pennsylvania Gun ".
I did enjoy Howard as Holmes as well. I have watched several of those shows.
Those who have played Sherlock Holmes since 1893:
Charles Brookfield - 1893
William Gillette - 1899-1930 - 1300 Performances over 30 yrs.
Sherlock Holmes movie Baffled - 1900 Silent/Short - Max Goldberg
John F. Preston - 1900
Charles Rice - 1904
Karoly Baumann - 1905
Maurice Costello - 1905
Viggo Larsen - 1908
Alwin NeuB - 1908, 1911, 1914
Otto Lagoni - 1910
Holger Rasmussen - 1911
Mack Sennett - 1911-1912
George Treville - 1912
Harry Benham - 1913
James Bragington - 1914
Francis Ford - 1914
H.A. Saintbury - 1916
Hugo Flink - 1917
Sam Robinson - 1918
Eille Norwood - 1921 Silent short movie - The Dying Detective
Burt Lytell - 1921
Dennis Neillson-Terry - 1921
John Barrymore - 1922
Hamilton Deane - 1923-1932
Tod Slaughter - 1928, 1930
Richard Gordon - 1930-1933, 1936
Clive Brook - 1929/1930/1932
Arthur Wontner - 1931- 1937 - Movie Series
Raymond Massey - 1931
Robert Rendel - 1932
Reginald Owen - 1933
Felix Alymer - 1933
Louis Hector - 1934-1935, 1937
Bruno Guttner - 1937, 1939, 1942-1943
Orson Welles - 1938
Basil Rathbone - 1939-1946
Cedric Hardwick - 1945
Tom Conway - 1947
Howard Marion-Crawford - 1948
John Stanley - 1948-1949
Alan Napier - 1949
John Longden - 1951
Laidman Browne - 1951
Carleton Hobbs - 1952-1969
Ronald Howard - 1954 (39 episodes)
Sir John Gielgud - 1954-1955
Christopher Lee - 1962, 1970, 1992
Douglas Wilmer - 1964
Peter Cushing - 1959, 1968, 1984
John Neville - 1965, 1970, 1978
Robert Stephens - 1970
Stewart Granger - 1972
John Cleese - 1973
Larry Hagman - 1974
Robert Powell - 1974
John Wood - 1974-1975
Leonard Nimoy - 1976
Kevin McCarthy - 1977
Roger Moore - 1976
Nicol Williamson - 1976
Christopher Plummer - 1977
Peter Cook - 1977
Paxton Whitehead - 1978
Barry Foster - 1978
Geoffrey Whitehead - 1979-1980
Keith Mitchell - 1979
Charlton Heston - 1980
Frank Langella - 1980
Vasily Livanov - Russian TV - 1979-1981, 1983 & 1986
John Moffatt - 1981
Guy Henry - 1982
Tom Baker - 1982
Ian Richardson - 1983
Peter O’Toole - 1983 (animated TV films - Australian)
Jeremy Brett - 1984-1994
Nicholas Rowe - 1984
Dinsdale Landen - 1987
Guy Rolfe - 1984
Tim Pigott-Smith - 1987
Anthony Higgins - 1987
Michael Pennington - 1987
Roger Rees - 1988
Ron Moody - 1988-1989
Clive Merrison - 1989-1998, 2002, 2004, 2008-2010
Edward Woodward - 1990
Simon Callow - 1990
Richard E. Grant 1992
Robert Powell - 1993
Patrick McNee - 1993
Anthony Higgins - 1993
1998-2019: John Gilbert - Episodes 1-18
Lawrence Albert - Episode 20
John Patrick Lowrie - Episodes 21-65 & 67-until
Dennis Bateman - Episode 66
Jason Gray-Stanford - 1999-2001 - Animation for Kids
Matt Frewer - 2000-2001
Joaquim de Almeida - 2001
Richard Roxburgh - 2002
James D’Arcy - 2002
Andrew Sachs - 2004
Rupert Everett - 2004
Jonathan Pryce - 2007
Javier Marzan - 2007
Roger Llewellyn - 2009
Ben Syder - 2010
Nicholas Briggs - 2010-2018
Johnny Lee Miller - 2012-2019
Benjamin Lawlor - 2013
Igor Petrenko - Russian TV Series - 2013
Robert Downey Jr. 2009 & 2011
Benedict Cumberbatch - 2010-2016
Nicholas Briggs - 2010-2018
Seamus Dever - 2014
Ian McKellen - 2015
Euan Morton - 2015
Gregory Wooddell - 2015
Paul Andrew Goldsmith - 2015-2016
Ewen Bremner - 2016
Jay Taylor - 2017-2018
Yuko Takeuchi - 2018 (HBO Asia - female ‘Holmes’)
Orlando Wells - 2018
Samuel Tady - 2011, 2014, 2017-2018 (Tady Bros. Productions/on YTube)
Johnny Depp - 2018 (animation)
Will Ferrell - 2018
Nicholas Boulton - 2020
Henry Cavill - 2020
Ethan Bell - 2020 (Fan Film on RUclips)
Ethan Thomas Jung - 2020 Fan Adv.
(Vagabond Repertory Theater Company-RUclips)
This list is not exhaustive. however, these are some of the
many actors who have played Sherlock Holmes on stage,
screen, radio and TV adaptations.
Amazing list.
😅😅😅😅⁸⁹9⁹ò pool ò pool òò⁰ìììì I pool
Impressive list!
Basil is our favorite ❤
Gee thanks million for your effort to educate us all those played LONG and LONG years Sherlock Homes! It will take few years to watch selected best, mostly black and white older ones! Thanks so much indeed again! US
It's a very good episode with rarely seen romance.
I would have to lend my vote to Rathbone, along with Bruce as Watson.
Totally agree.
Thank you 🤩🤩💖
Contrary to the popular belief..this is not the Ian Fleming, the author of 007 Bond books, this one here was simply an actor
You know, I found this video after looking up Mr. Wontner from someone's list of 'Worst Sherlock Holmes' actors. I actually kind of like him, though.
I think this might have just started a new spat of looking through older Holmes movies haha.
Justin Weber, I think he's good. I'm trying to study all the Holmes' actors. And Watsons'.
Justin Weber I think you meant, “Spate“?
Christopher Plummer was th worst Sherlock Holmes. Nobody could possibly be worse than him.
This is like the actors that played Charlie Chan. After Sidney Toler died they were abominable.
Justin Weber No, I think I agree with the critics, 😂😂😂
Well done.
My favorite Sherlock player.
Great movie. They don't make them like that anymore.
More's the pity.
As a Holmes devotee I find Anton Wontner quite refreshing, less arrogant, more human yet still quite brilliant. I like him better than all those who follow in this role, with the possible exception of Basil Rathbone. I regret that there only a handful of Wontner Holmes films.
The more contemporary versions of the great detective are for the most part unbearable.
The Granada Holmes adventures with Jeremy Brett are not unbearable. He's great and made that program possibly the best that Television has produced EVER!
I will watch this movie though. I started watching everything Holmes. I like seeing how other actors portray him. Your post has made me extra curious. Be well, fellow fan of Sherlock.
I believe Wonther is cast as Arthur Wontner (not Anton).
Arthur Wontner was the nice old gentleman at the end of Genevieve.
@@nelsonx5326 thank you for mentioning Jeremy Brett. When I made my comment I had not watched a lot of the Brett Holmes but I think your comment is correct and I dismissed probably a few other good Sherlock’s as well. Brett deserves your praise and I spoke to soon.
@X vonPocalypse I will admit to not having watched Robert Downey and will
now do so. There ARE other good Holmes actors and I amend my previous criticism of the contemporary ones. I’m old so the old ones seem the best.
I know to the show but I’m such a fan ❤😅🎉
The comments almost put me off, but, I persisted and am pleased to say that apart from the poor quality of an 85 year old film, I enjoyed it. Wontner was an acceptable Holmes and Watson was also good. Give it a try. Regards from "Locked Down England" Feb. 2021.
nicely different from the disney-like, newer holmes series, interesting plot, tanx
I will say Arthur Wontner is the best Sherlock Holmes; I do like Own something, cannot recall; actually the tree best or 4 best are: cannot recall.
Epic
For me Jeremy Brett is Holmes, but yes it's all down too taste
Its still interesting seeing the various actors portray Holmes. It seems only in the Basil Rathbone films that Dr. Watson is such an inept associate.
@michael Whoever is responsible for having Nigel Bruce perform his role as he did made a huge mistake. Being played as a competent person, I think would have enhanced Rathbone's character.
PS: Nothing can compare to reading the books. Treasures.
@michael Imagine how Nigel felt portraying Dr. Watson as he was directed. If he refused, no job.
@michael How refreshing to have someone agree that Bruce could have made an excellent companion. Seems only the Rathbone series made Watson such a weak character.
@michael Have you seen the modern day Sherlock portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch with his Dr. Watson, Martin Freeman. Very strong character for Martin to play.
Mr. Wontner had a great dry sense of humor in these films whereas he was
"Zinging" Inspector Lestrade and/or Dr. Watson many times. With the
proper mindset, you'll pick up on it.
What's the word Holmes uses when he tries to get Lastrade to read the book on the times the castle was built! It sounds like " resifuel" or something like that.
Where have I heard the title music at the very beginning? It sounds familiar
A bit like Brahms, Chopin, Mendelssohn?
Considering Arthur Wontner’s Holmes was made in the early 30s it’s hard to make a constructive comparison with those to follow, whilst it’s amazing to be able to turn the clock back to see these wonderful actors long gone, the quality of sound, background noises and poor direction. detracts from the movie itself.as it’s bound to.
❤❤❤❤
Didn't I just watch Holmes shoot and kill Professor Moriarty in 1932?
Modern Hollywood,Adapt or Die,Bugger History..
Disappointing this movie is SO inconsistent with the 1931 "The Sleeping Cardinal" wherein Moriarty is captured by the police. The canon is kinda sacred. But Wontner is the best Holmes of all the ones I've seen.
This Holmes ... not bad ,, I like it too.. I used to say never met a Holmes I didn’t like , until Wil Ferrel.. possibly worst movie I’ve ever seen .. of any kind .. ( and he got paid too ) lol ..
It's too bad every upload of this classic movie is from a garbage dupe print. I feel sorry for people seeing this movie (or any movie) for the first time like this. Arthur Wontner's highly regarded portrayal of Holmes deserves better.
The ending was way too dark
I kinda liked it. :D he he
Wontner was excellent. One of the better Holmes. Patrick Macnee was undoubtedly the worst.
Patrick Macnee played Watson, not Holmes.
FLEMMING LEARNED HIS SPYCRAFT FROM A MASTER
This Ian Flemming isn't the author of the Bond stories. Same name, yet a different person. The actor was born in 1888, the writer in 1908, the first in Australia, the latter in England. Two different persons.
Plus the fact that it's not Ian Flemming in this film, it's Lynn Harding.
@@Trev359 The opening credits say Ian Fleming as Dr. Watson.
@@Jo_Kuiper thanks for clearing that up.. I was wondering myself .
Yea this one was not the Ian Fleming.of the Bond books
Azaan are you here
Have to laugh at holmes's painted on hair
They really overdid it with the male actors' eye makeup in those old movies.
In watching the various presentations of Sherlock by others, this is the first time I seen 'Billie" the page, and a romantic interest for Sherlock. The dreadful scene as Sherlock as a woman and dubbed with a witch's voice should have been cut out before being released. Horrible. Plus the Wontner character uses the word elementary way to much.
The worst actor who utterly failed to recreate the character Sherlock Holmes originally created by Sir Artur Conan Doyle is in my humble opinion Basil Rathbone and the insipid invention of Dr. John Watson as a dull minded fat, slow witted, old and largely inactive creature and not the young war veteran recovering from a wound sustained from a Jezail Bullet he was wounded by in the war in Afghanistan as a member of the fifth Northumberland Fusilleers. If and when you finish reading the complete works of Sherlock Holmes these opinions are fairly inescapable.
I could not agree more! The portrayal of Watson makes the Rathbone films unwatchable for me!
Simmer down boy, it’s only uno filum. Oye vey
Terrible print and sound. Such a pity.
Um it's a 90 yo print...you expect imax here? Lol
Not at all. It was simply a comment regretting, politely, the quality of the print not the content.