~Movie Career & Filmography~


A party with Twentieth Century-Fox's Darryl Zanuck and actor/director Gregory Ratloff was the occasion where it was remarked that Basil Rathbone should play Sherlock Holmes. The pilot film, The Hound of the Baskervilles, produced in 1939, started a trend which established Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson and Mary Gordon as Mrs. Hudson. They remained series constants throughout most all of the future Sherlock Holmes films. Sadly, Twentieth Century-Fox decided to discontinue the venture. Luckily, Universal Studios arranged to resurrect the series in 1942. Unfortunately, the modernized plots were unconventional and uncanonical. It was felt that the earlier Holmes portrayal would be regarded by the public as too "insufferable" and "old-fashioned." Rathbone, though, remained admirably suitable for the adjustment in an updated role set within the World War II era. However, by 1946, he was understandably tired of portraying the Sherlock Holmes character and felt he had been typecast for life in the role. So ended the popular film series with all of its subtle nuances and unique charm.




~Archives~



  1. Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

  2. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)

  3. Sherlock Holmes and Voice of Terror (1942)

  4. Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942)

  5. Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)

  6. Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)

  7. Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman (1944)

  8. The Scarlet Claw (1944)

  9. The Pearl of Death (1944)

  10. The House of Fear (1945)

  11. The Woman in Green (1945)

  12. Pursuit to Algiers (1945)

  13. Terror by Night (1946)

  14. Dressed to Kill (1946)