A Dedication to Jeremy Brett

"[With] Jeremy Huggins...there was the weakness: he was beautiful. A strange adjective to use in describing a man. I use it not to suggest effeminacy or a kind of male prettiness, but in the same way I would describe a thoroughbred stallion, Michaelangelo's David or Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. There was with Jeremy Huggins a perfection and sublime symmetry in his features that was beautiful. And as every intelligent, beautiful woman will tell you, beauty can get in the way. Outsiders rarely see or reach beyond the beauty to value the other quailties. Such, I believe, was the personification of Jeremy Huggins..." --David Stuart Davies, author of Bending the Willow

His real name was Peter Jeremy William Huggins, the youngest of four sons for a decorated Army Lt Colonel Henry William Huggins and a half-Irish and Quaker Elizabeth Edith Cadbury, whose family is world-famous for its chocolate. When Jeremy decided to become an actor, his father forbade him for using the family name for such a "dubious" profession, so he took the stage-name from the label of his first suit: "Brett & Co."

Casual photographs of Jeremy are rarities in Brettiana, and those of his younger years even more so, and those with his signature being the most precious of them all! Thus my special thanks to Marcus Tylor whom consented me in displaying his photographic works and obliging me with the liberty of removing their identification numbers from their corners. Three were extracted from Carrie Pratt's Jeremy Brett WebSite, one from The Scarlet Street, one from Lisa Oldham's The Brettish Empire (plus wonderful information), two from Fiona Whalley's JB Personal Rememberance, one from The Sherlock Holmes Memorabilia Company, and one from Classic Specialties. Appreciation also to Jeff Greenwalt, creator of the Tribute to Jeremy Brett, for allowing me to use one of his photos for this section. Thank yous to Shelia Matthews, who relayed an unique photograph; Charles Prepolec for two brilliant photographs; and Louise of Sweden, for contributing twelve photographs from her collection; plus informing me of six other photographs extracted from Mirror Syndication International. Also the most profound thanks to Midden whom generously took the time to scan and delivered a grand collection of thirteen photographs from her own references especially for the "dedication." Again more thank yous to Linda Pritchard are sending ten wonderful photographs!

Last on 02 October 2000

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The Huggins Family

Introducing the Berkwell's well-loved Elizabeth Edith Cadbury Huggins, Jeremy's mother.

Jeremy at Eton College

"I was Jeremy Huggins at Eton, I was known variously as Buggins, Juggins, and Muggins...It was really my singing voice [that drew me to an acting profession]. I was always being accused of having histrionic tendenices, and when I went to Eton I was given wonderful things to sing. The audiences were wonderful, and my fan-mail was immense. I remember one evening a shaft of sunlight was coming through the window of the chapel, and I assumed it was for me, and stepped into it. When my voice broke, I became something of a plodder at school. But I never forgot that shaft of light."

(1) The gathering of parents and pupils in 4 June 1933 -- the year of Jeremy's birth. No, Jeremy in not pictured here, this is simply here to present the Etonian atomsphere. (2) Jeremy Huggins in Etonian-wear in 1949. "I found it a great strain to be dressed constantly in the uniform of striped trousers and black coat. I felt tremendously lost in a quagmire of little black mourning people..." (3) Peter Jeremy William Huggins of Eton, Class of 1950 -- this is a special collage created by the editor, especially for the graduating [Brettfan] students! "Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons, with the greatest for the last...(REDC)"

Jeremy with Mr Binks

"I still have my little dog in my dreams, Mr Binks -- my companion! I call him my 'Hound of Heaven' actually. He died...years ago, so if anyone comes too close, like 'You-Know-Who' [Holmes] -- WOOF!! WOOF...!!!"

Casually Jeremy

(1, 2) A young Jeremy on a boating holiday in 1958. (3) Sorting through the fashionable, antique clutter of Jeremy's West London top-floor flat in 1962. (4) Jeremy in the 1970s. (5) Jeremy during a trip to Trinidad in the 1980s.

(1) Jeremy, during contruction of the Baker Street set in 1983, sits upon the bricks with his own copy of Conan Doyle's The Illustrated Sherlock Holmes Treasury, which since he kept in his close to his possession for over the next 10 years. (2) Jeremy relaxingly poses during the filming of The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes on 11 February 1991. (3) Candid and true, Jeremy poses a portrait in his flat at Beverly Hills Hotel (questionably the one in New York City?) in 1992. (4) Relaxing in the park, near his home on Chapham Common, London in 1993. (5) Check Memorabilia Brettiana for sales of this colour photograph to Brettians worldwide of Jeremy relaxing in the park, near his home on Chapham Common, London in 1993. Sales of this photograph will help support The Jeremy Brett Memorial Fund. (6) Taken in his dressing room, which is decorated with children's artwork, photographs of friends [including his mentor, Lord Olivier], and fresh flowers.

(1) Having a grand time in a lovely white suit. [Full detail caption lost due to computer crash, but I love his shiny cuff-links!] (2) At the pool with a little Jack-Russell terrier. This is not Mr Binks, it is supposed that it is his son David's dog. [David may have named his dog "Spot" yet since I lost the caption, I cannot be sure.] (3) At New York City in the 1980s. [Details lost, you know why by now.]

During an interview for The Armchair Detective in fall of 1985, Jeremy was "casually dressed, even a bit tousled" and "full of energy."

Jeremy with Anna Massey

"I think," recollects Anna Massey, "Jeremy was somebody who never grew up."

(1) Wedding bells ring for Jeremy and Anna on 24 May 1958 at Highgate, London; five years afterward, they divorced. (2) Jeremy and Anna with 3-day-old David in 17 August 1959 at the Queen Charlottes hospital. (3) Family fun, 2 years afterward, in their Chelsea home.

Jeremy with His Fans

(1) On 27 March 1985, meeting at Bogie's Resturant of New York City, The Priory Scholars, a scion of the Baker Street Irregulars founded by Chris Steinbrunner and Bob Thomalen, presented Jeremy with a certificate declaring him to be an honorary member of The Priory Scholars. (2) With noted Sherlockian collector Marvin Epstein at Bogie's Resturant, Jeremy shows-off the original manuscript for "The Adventure of the Priory School" which is owned by Epstein. (3) The staff of the famed maginzine, Scarlet Street, Sally Jane Gellert, Tom Amorosi, and Richard Valley, were present when Jeremy met with a group of Sherlockians at the Mysterious Bookshop in New York City. Their favorite Sherlock proved to be a true gentleman, taking time to chat individually with everyone who had come to meet him.

Jeremy with His Friends

(1) Behind the scenes with the Greenwich Theatre cast in 13 December 1972 -- Joan Plowright (left), Robin Phillips, and Mia Farrow. (2, 3) A dashing portrait of Edward Hardwicke, who rôled as Jeremy's Watson in the Granada Sherlock Holmes series for nearly 10 years. (4) Jeremy with co-star and friend, David Burke, in 1985, playing with the pipe-props as they have their cigarettes in their hands. (5) In 1991, Jeremy Brett, with Miss Alexa Robinson, appeared in a Sherlock Holmes spoof at a fundraiser for PBS affiliate WGBH in Boston, with co-stars from High Moon Productions.

The following photographs were taken on the date of 27 March 1984: (1) Jeremy and David dashingly poise together, ready to launch a new Sherlock Holmes series. (2, 3) "To Sherlock Holmes, she was always the Woman": Jeremy and David together with American actress, Gayle Hunnicutt, who played the Irene Adler in the pilot episode, A Scandal in Bohemia. (4) A handsome Jeremy Brett surrounded with his beautiful co-stars: (from the lower left, clockwise) Gayle Hunnicutt as Scandal in Bohemia's Irene Adler, Barbara Wilshire as Solitary Cyclist's Violet Smith, Rosalyn Landor as Speckled Band's Helen Stoner, Alison Sulbeck as Naval Treaty's Annie Harrison, and Betsy Branley as Dancing Men's Elsie Cubitt.

Jeremy with Linda Pritchard

First meeting during the run of stage-play, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes; she asked for the star's assistance in raising money for cancer reaseach. Jeremy helped her set up and support "The Keep Hope Alive" marathon, raising over �50,000 for cancer research, and their contact continued on. Linda became his close friend, his "pixie", caring for him devotedly during his deteriorating health at the last years of his life. The irony that their great friendship started on 12 September 1988, and ended on 12 September 1995...

(1) Thumbs up for the start of a beautiful and touching relationship! (2) Together on the Sherlock Holmes set for The Cardboard Box in 1993.

(1) Hugs before the marathon run in 1988. [Full caption lost, taken from memory.] (2) About to depart from "The Keep Hope Alive" marathon, it is difficult to say goodbye then and now. [Full caption lost, taken from memory.]

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