I Hear Of Sherlock Everywhere

"a single large airy sitting-room" [STUD]    It's always fun to take a Sherlockian field trip. The British are fortunate in that they can hop on a train or in a car and find themselves at some of the original locations that inspired places in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Or certainly to Ground Zero: the rooms at 221B Baker Street in London.   In the U.S., it's not always quite so easy (even though the Baker Street Irregulars have hosted excursions in Salt Lake City, the Vermissa Valley, and elsewhere). Which is why it's a pleasure to be able to step back in time and through the doors of 221B Baker Street in the home of Denny Dobry, BSI ("A Single Large Airy Sitting-Room") in Reading, Pennsylvania.   Burt traveled to Denny's home and descended those 17 steps to talk with Denny about a number of things, including the inspiration behind his remarkable collection of items, the Sherlockian group dedicated to recreating the famous sitting room, the BSI Trust, the Beacon Society, and more.   Please try your hand at

"the well-wrought crisis of a play" [SIXN]  Lee Eric Shackleford is a man of many talents. So many, in fact, that we don't have time to get into all of them in a single episode.    Suffice it to say that between his play Holmes & Watson, his secret desire (and success!) in writing for Star Trek, and the web series Herlock, we find much to cover with Lee. A Sherlockian from his earliest years, we go on a journey with Lee from his fascination with Sherlock Holmes that spanned from the Basil Rathbone era to the Nicholas Meyer reincarnations during Lee's formative years.    Lee took a one-man play and his own interest in acting, and turned it inward to focus on the finer points of the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in his insightful and exciting play. And he brandished his own sense of humor for years in the Baker Street Journal as a cartoonist.    We have some of his cartoons available exclusively for our Patreon supporters.    Please try your hand at the latest Canonical Couplet and try

"I will cable to Mrs. Hudson" [LADY]  Mrs. Hudson. We know her as one of the stalwarts of the Baker Street Scene. Together with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Mycroft, Inspector Lestrade, and Professor Moriarty, she's one of the most popular recurring characters in the Canon.  But what do we really know about her? She only made an appearance in nine of the Sherlock Holmes stories. And other than her "stately tread," we don't have any knowledge about her physical being.  Wendy Heyman-Marsaw is the author of Memoirs from Mrs. Hudson's Kitchen, a book that combines culinary curiosity with a new take on this independent and strong woman. Wendy is a longtime Sherlockian whose interests and career has taken her from the United States to England to Canada, and she joins us to talk about that journey and how it ultimately led to Mrs. Hudson's kitchen. And the book is comprised of columns that she wrote for Canadian Holmes, the publication of the Bootmakers of Toronto.    Please try your hand at the latest Canonical Cou

""Excellent!" I cried. "Elementary," said he." [CROO]    We'll be honest. The CBS drama series Elementary, starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu doesn't get enough attention here on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere.   It's largely because Scott and Burt haven't carved out the time to watch it. As a weekly series, there's much more to absorb than the three-episode series that the BBC produced every few years.   Fortunately, James O'Leary, a regular contributor on the IHOSE site, has made it his business to watch, follow, and dissect Elementary on behalf of all Sherlockians. And we welcome him to the show to talk about its strengths, its longevity, and how the writers are doing a wonderful job of engaging Sherlock Holmes fans along the way.   Please try your hand at the latest Canonical Couplet and try to win a prize – you don't need to be a Patron of the Arts – every listener is eligible to participate! (But we could still use your support.)   Please do consider becoming a Patron of the Arts. Your support help

"requisitioned for the defense" [VALL]    Conan Doyle's real-life turn as Sherlock Holmes has typically been shared through the George Edalji case. But there was another case involving one Oscar Slater that has been more of a footnote than a feature. Author Margalit Fox set out to change that.   In Conan Doyle for the Defense: The True Story of a Sensational British Murder, a Quest for Justice, and the World's Most Famous Detective Writer, she has crafted a fascinating true-crime narrative thanks to her career as an explanatory writer (most notably as a senior writer for The New York Times).   Our conversation with Ms. Fox ranges from the origin of her fascination with this story, to the societal prejudices and corruption that weighed on the victim and verdict, to Conan Doyle's own revulsion with the actions of the innocent man, and takes us from the streets of Glasgow to the barren north shore of Scotland, home of a gulag-like prison that held an innocent man for 18 years.   It's a fascinating and tragic sto

"a most united couple" [DANC]     Another episode in our Florin Society series, this time with Roger Johnson, BSI ("The Pall Mall Gazette") and Jean Upton ("Elsie Cubitt"). The Florin Society of course refers to spouses who each have received an investiture from the Baker Street Irregulars.   Roger's and Jean's story was a fun one to explore, not the least of which was because they're deeply involved in the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. During our conversation, they shared some of the early history of the Society and its members and the secret behind how they're able to regularly access the legendary 221B Baker Street sitting room at the Sherlock Holmes Pub.   Plus, we learn that Roger got an intro to the world of Sherlock Holmes in a Pontine manner, Jean grew up in a house once inhabited by a legendary Baker Street Irregular, and had her photos used as official documentation of the Granada set. It's a love story and a story of mutual affection for Sherlock Holmes — something we can all appreciate.   And

"no ordinary merit" [REDH]  In 2014, the Sherlockian world was taken by complete and utter surprise when William Gillette's 1916 film Sherlock Holmes was discovered. It was the closest thing we'd ever have to seeing Gillette on stage, and Russell Merritt, BSI ("The Trepoff Murder") was part of the team that restored it.   We carried the news on our site, but now we're pleased to share the backstory of how it came to be, thanks to an interview with Russell Merritt, a University of California Berkeley film professor and an expert on silent films. In this episode, Russell also discusses the impact of Eille Norwood and the whereabouts of his 45 movies, the recently rediscovered 1929 German film Der Hund von Baskerville, and how he is likely the last person to first read A Study in Scarlet in an original Beeton's.   And don't forget to try your hand at the latest Canonical Couplet and win a prize – you don't need to be a Patron of the Arts – now every listener is eligible to participate! (But we could still use yo

"a slight nick" [SILV]    If you're a regular Sherlockian, you've likely discovered that many other people in this hobby also enjoy Star Trek (which makes the Spock / Leonard Nimoy connections all the more...fascinating, as Spock would say). But how often do you hear from a guest that Irene Adler was the Boba Fett of the Sherlock Holmes stories?   That's exactly one of the unusual and unique takes we got from Nick Martorelli, BSI ("Seventeen Steps"), the Headmaster of the Priory Scholars of New York, audio producer, and all-around good humored Sherlockian. Nick reminds us that looking across works as a whole, rather than at individual parts, can help us make more sense of things. He shares the premise of a major talk he recently gave at A Scintillation of Scions, which looked at the four long stories in the Sherlock Holmes Canon.    Plus, if you listen closely, you might hear Nick take a stab at the Priory Scholars school song and tease an upcoming Sherlockian audio book.   And don't forget to try your hand a

"at this conference" [MAZA]     Steven Doyle, BSI ("Western Morning News") is many things, among them half of the publishing team at Wessex Press and the Baker Street Journal. But more importantly for our topic on this episode, he's one of the sparking plugs behind From Gillette to Brett V.    We haven't been able to make it to the previous four installments, so we asked Steve all about this conference dedicated to Sherlock Holmes of the stage, screen and radio. He shared the foggy origins of the show, along with some of his favorite moments from throughout the years, and even a special preview of the exhibit that will be on display there.    And don't forget to try your hand at the latest Canonical Couplet and win a prize – now you don't need to be a Patron of the Arts – every listener is eligible to participate!    Information on sponsors, links, and notes available below.      Please do consider becoming a Patron of the Arts. Your support helps us to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering fi

 "The date being—?" [CREE]    We all owe a debt of gratitude to the more clever, adventurous, and tireless among us – because this is the profile of the Canonical chronologist. The most famous among them is certain William S. Baring-Gould ("The Gloria Scott"), but he was flanked by other greats such as Bell, Christ, Blakeney, Zeisler, Dakin and more.     Add to that list one of our contemporaries: Vincent Wright. Hailing from Indianapolis, this intrepid researcher and proprietor of Historical Sherlock joins us to tell us why the dating of the Sherlock Holmes stories never gets old. He brings us along on the journey of a true researcher, shares a stumbling block, and posits how the future of Sherlockian chronology may lie in the standard template of a teenage book genre from the early 1980s.     Vincent's speaking engagements are far and wide, and he's always ruminating on a variety of topics, either in private or on his blog. The passion he brings to this hobby is infectious.       And don't forget

"fixed like a plum" [SIXN]     The casual reader wouldn't necessarily associate Sherlock Holmes with P.G. Wodehouse. Or P.G. Woodhouse with Sherlock Holmes. Fortunately, we're more of the formal types.    And so are our guests!     Three – count 'em, three – guests join us this time around. They are Curtis Armstrong, Elliot Milstein, and Ashley Polasek, and they are the two authors and editor of A Plum Assignment: Discourses on P.G. Wodehouse and His World. They are Wodehouse experts who also happen to (mostly) have more than a passing familiarity with Sherlock Holmes.  We spend some time with them looking at the intersection of Plum and Conan Doyle's works, and also look at why Wodehouse was so universally enjoyable and why we keep returning to his stories again and again. And how Sherlockians and Wodehousians are remarkably similar in their interactions. The book itself has a survey of opening lines from Wodehouse works, where you'll find such gems as:  I reached out a hand from under the blankets and rang

"he was a young schoolmaster" [MUSG]    We're constantly impressed at the onion-like tendencies of Sherlockians. That's not to say that they're pungent or make you cry, but rather that like the genus Allium, when peeled, has a surprising number of layers.   So it is with Rob Nunn, a relatively recent Sherlockian who has come blazing into our sites. Rob has been a contributor here on the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere site and has created his own blog. But his involvement with the Beacon Society and a unique Sherlock Holmes novel have propelled him into the realm of other Sherlockians as well.   Rob takes us on a journey that helps frame how he managed to conceive of Sherlock Holmes not as the master detective, but as The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street.    And don't forget to try your hand at the latest Canonical Couplet and win a prize, as long as you're a Patron of the Arts, supporting us on PayPal or Patreon.   Notes 1:38 Hello there! 5:22 Wessex Press 6:44 Undergraduate pagan rituals 8:30 Welcome Rob

"He's a man who is not to be beat." [SIGN]    Baker Street Beat is many things: it's a book. It's a website. But more importantly, it's Dan's personal passion that combines many of his life interests.   In this episode, Dan Andriacco — author, Sherlockian, journalist and more — joins us to talk about his fascinating history with Sherlock Holmes, how he came to write a number of successful books, from the Sebastian McCabe / Jeff Cody series to a variety of Sherlockian pastiches, the people he has met, and the many interests that fuel his passion. And given that we're posting this on Easter weekend, it's completely appropriate that Dan co-founded a Sherlockian society called The Vatican Cameos.   Tune in to hear the greatest compliment about Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes that Dan ever heard and how a session at a library record player started it all...   And don't forget to try your hand at the latest Canonical Couplet, as long as you're a Patron of the Arts, supporting us on PayPal or Patreon.   Informati

"Has anything escaped me?" [HOUN]    Sherlock Holmes has been associated with the stage since Charles Brookfield was the first to play the character in Under the Clock in 1893. Since that time, the great detective has been portrayed countless times by hundreds of actors in big productions from the West End to Broadway, as well as in community theaters everywhere.   In this episode, we spoke with playwright David MacGregor, who is a resident artist at Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, Michigan. He has written for the stage and film and his inspiration includes Shakespeare, Dickens, and of course, Conan Doyle. David's latest work is an intriguing tale called Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear.   David doesn't give away the plot, but he did tell us that Oscar Wilde, Vincent van Gough and others find themselves in the presence of the great detective, and the result is a mixture of comedy, tragedy, romance, adventure and more. Directed by Guy Sanville and holding previews on March 29,

"the rushing stream of life in the Strand" [ILLU]    The Strand Magazine and Sherlock Holmes are inextricably linked. It was the stories of the immortal detective, carried each month in that publication, that made it as popular as it was in the late 19th century and early 20th century. When the magazine published its last issue in 1950, it was the end of an era that spanned nearly 60 years.   In the late 1990s, The Strand was given a new life by Andrew Gulli, who determined that the world was prepared for more literature around detective fiction. Andrew sat down with us to talk about his unique beginnings with Sherlock Holmes in Greece, a television program (not the one you think) and what led him to editing an iconic mystery magazine.   And don't forget to try your hand at the latest Canonical Couplet, as long as you're a Patron of the Arts.   Information on sponsors, links, and notes available below.     Sponsors This episode includes our two longtime sponsors. Please support our sponsors by visiting their

"in and among the trenches" [SIGN]    In the previous episode, we talked with Ross Davies about supporting the fighting men of World War I. Now we look at one man in particular and his service during the Great War: Sherlock Holmes.    We of course know all about Holmes's long game, leading up to the capture of Baron Von Bork in "His Last Bow." But there's so much more information regarding his whereabouts, the doings of the government, the international forces at play, and even wine that deserves a deeper look.    Hence, the Baker Street Irregulars took the opportunity to do just that in Trenches: The War Service of Sherlock Holmes with the manuscript to "His Last Bow," edited by Bob Katz and Andy Solberg. They join us for a fifth time to talk about their work. The reason this one is so different from other versions is that the manuscript to "His Last Bow" is incomplete, and the owner of the manuscript wished to remain — and still remains — completely anonymous.    And don't forget to try your hand at the lat

"one of those boxes" [REDH]  At the start of the First World War, there was a mass outpouring of sympathy and charity for the men fighting for Britain. The Royal family were not immune to this and in October 1914, the young Princess Mary, inspired by her visits to hospitals for injured soldiers, wanted to show her support. So she publicly announced her intentions to provide a gift for 'every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front'. Such decorative boxes were fine for enlisted men, but what about the spies? They couldn't be seen with readily identifiable hardware. Ross Davies, BSI ("The Temple") joined us to talk about just what these boxes were and how they may have included an item or two related to Sherlock Holmes. But digging a little deeper, he discovered the possibility that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and publisher George H. Doran may have been collaborating to provide propaganda to the troops.    This, as well as the next major BSI Excursion, our couplet competition, and more await in the latest epis

"the faded script" [HOUN]  We've all had experience listening to Sherlock Holmes audio programs. Right? RIGHT??   And just as we have favorite screen adaptations, we also have our special audio heroes as well. Rathbone and Bruce, Gielgud and Richardson, Shelley and Hobbes, Merrison and Williams... they all bring to mind a feeling of nostalgia for the stories.   But there are many original episodes that have gone missing. And our guest, Ian Dickerson, has managed to track down some of the original scripts of the Rathbone/Bruce radio series that were lost to the ages. Between the Edith Meiser era and the Anthony Boucher / Dennis Green era, there was another writer — one known more for his stories about Simon Templar than anything else. And Ian managed to unearth them and put together a fine book on the topic.   Information on sponsors, links, and notes available below.   And please consider becoming a Patron of the Arts. Your support helps us to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs,

"that glamour of mystery and of experience" [VALL]  Generations of Sherlockians are the beneficiaries of the poems penned by Helene Yuhasova. Yet this enigmatic individual has remained something of a legendary, even ethereal presence in the history of the Baker Street Irregulars.   Who was Helene Yuhas(ova)? And were the poems, later ascribed to Edgar W. Smith of the Baker Street Irregulars, actually written by her? Whatever became of this this prolific poetess laureate, this Founding Mother?   Sonia Fetherston, BSI ("The Solitary Cyclist") and Julie McKuras, BSI ("The Duchess of Devonshire") edited the 2017 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual, "A Woman of Mystery": Helene Yuhasova, Poetess Laureate of the Baker Street Irregulars and they joined us to give us a sense of the mighty detective work that went in to tracking down the full story of a woman who left the Sherlockian movement some 70 years ago, leaving a long but thin shadow.   For our Gas-Lamp this time around, Julie and Sonia treat us to some of H

"Beacons of the future!" [NAVA]  Sherlock Holmes appreciated education. He admired the "[c]apsules with hundreds of bright little seeds in each" as he and Watson passed by the board-schools on the way out to Briarbrae in "The Naval Treaty." And he famously said, "Education never ends. It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last," in "The Red Circle."   So it is entirely appropriate the The Beacon Society, the Sherlockian group that recognizes and supports exemplary efforts of bringing Sherlock Holmes to children, would create a new branch especially for children. It is the Junior Sherlockian Society, and it is headed up by Shannon Carlisle, a previous winner of the Beacon Award.   Through her efforts with her own classes of fourth graders, Shannon has ingeniously introduced them to Sherlock Holmes, and now it is codified so that children across the world can take part in Junior Sherlockian Training. She joined us to tell us all about the program was developed and how kids can get involved.   Is y