"Baffled All Those Who Have Sought a Solution" [FIVE]

The three-time BAFTA-nominated actor Nicol Williamson has passed away at the age of 75.

To Sherlockians, he'll be most closely identified with the role of Sherlock Holmes in the 1976 film The Seven Per-Cent Solution. The book and the screenplay were both written by Nicholas Meyer, BSI ("A Fine Morocco Case"). Outside of the Holmesian world, he was probably best known for his turn as the wily wizard Merlin in Excalibur (1981).

As Sherlock Holmes, he seemed as if he were cast against type, but he gave a convincing performance as a manic and overwrought consulting detective who was weaned off of his cocaine dependence by a once similarly afflicted Sigmund Freud. With Robert Duvall as his Watson and Alan Arkin as the venerable psychiatrist, the unlikely trio made for a memorable film.

Below, we bring you a slideshow of some of the posters and lobby cards from the film. You can also view them on Flickr.




Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Do you you have a memory or impression of how Williamson's performance (Sherlockian or not) struck you? Leave us a comment.

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"Then He Told the Story" [ILLU]

One of the great benefits of being a member of the Baker Street Irregulars is that we get to meet a lot of interesting and famous people. Chief among them are the literati, such as Michael Dirda, BSI ("Langdale Pike"), the Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic for the Washington Post, who makes his living by writing about the literati.

In this case, Michael himself is the author, having been tapped by the Princeton University Press to contribute to their "Writers on Writers" series with the volume On Conan Doyle: Or, the Whole Art of Storytelling. In it, he takes us through Conan Doyle's life and writings - many of which may not be familiar to the Sherlock Holmes fan - and gives us a perspective on many of them through the Canon.

Burt and Scott had a chance to sit down with Michael at The Players in New York City during the 2012 Baker Street Irregulars Weekend - marking the first time our podcast has been recorded with the two hosts together in the same room.

Rather than give you an Editor's Gas-Lamp in this episode, we asked Michael to read something from his own work.

Links:

• On Conan Doyle: Or, the Whole Art of Storytelling  (Amazon)
• The Baker Street Journal
• Michael Dirda's content in the Washington Post
  

Listen now:

Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." or simply click on the file to listen, or on the nice box above. (File size: 34.7 MB, 37:51)

Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email, call us at (774) 221-READ (7323) or drop by our Facebook page.

And as always, please visit our sponsors Wessex Press.

[This was cross-posted from ihearofsherlock.com - Ed.]

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"Elementary" [CROO]

     "Excellent!" I cried.
     "Elementary," said he.

Of course, any Sherlockian considering him or herself worthy of the name knows that one particular instance in "The Crooked Man" is the only time Mr. Sherlock Holmes uses the word “elementary” in that context. Never in the canon does he actually say “Elementary, my dear Watson.”

Nevertheless, it appears that CBS has hit upon the entirely original idea of updating the Sherlock Holmes stories for the modern day, and will title this show, ahem, Elementary.

Deadline is reporting that CBS has greenlit a pilot that would air in 2012 and would transport the Victorian detective to 21^st century New York.

This news comes, unsurprisingly, after the success of the second series of BBC’s Sherlock, as well as Guy Ritchie’s recent sequel, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows.

As Holmes would also say, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data” [SCAN] and so far, data is drastically lacking about this upcoming series. Aside from the screenwriter - Robert Doherty - nothing is yet known, making any speculation about the quality of the series difficult. One hopes, however, that the script and acting will transcend the title and be something rather than “elementary.” 

Anastasia writes at The Itinerant Bookworm. This is her first contribution to the Baker Street Blog.
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"Then On Saturday" [HOUN]

The day after the BSI dinner and Gaslight Gala can be a bit of a paradox for some people. For after the dinners, some attendees gather to celebrate well into the night. It's an unwritten tradition to keep the newest investitured members of the Baker Street Irregulars awake until at least 2:21 a.m. That's not too rare when you're in the city that never sleeps, but with the doors of the Vendors Room opening at 9:00 a.m. sharp (and Jerry Margolin always jockeying to be the first in), it can be difficult to rouse yourself from an otherwise groggy state.

This year's Vendors Room was packed with merchandise, from the new to the old and rare. The Baker Street Irregulars had its usual range of books available from the BSI Manuscript and BSI International series, as well as The Grand Game Volume Two, the continuation of the first volume edited by Leslie S. Klinger and Laurie R. King. In addition to the Grand Game compendium being completed, there was a very handsome Grand Game Limited Edition being offered for sale; you can order it online after March 30. There will be 100 box sets created, with gilt-stamped volumes, a companion index with an expansion of the origin of the Game and Ronald Knox, and a gold-stamped slipcase.

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"Today Is Friday" [CARD]

Friday is always a hectic day during the BSI Weekend. From impromptu breakfasts to early pilgrimages down to Tribeca to see Otto Penzler's offerings as the Mysterious Bookshop, there are plenty of mind- and waist-expanding opportunities to be had before running off to...lunch.

The William Gillette Lunch
The Gillette Lunch has been in place for many years, having been first established in the early days of the BSI as an opportunity for those traveling from out of town to gather before the BSI dinner. Susan Rice and Mickey Fromkin have been running this event for a couple of decades, after it was handed down to them from Lisa McGaw.

Susan Rice - all smiles

Guests are welcomed to the quickly overflowing bar area of Moran's Chelsea restaurant (an aptly named or aptly selected venue, as the case may be) and conversation quickly rises, along with the temperature of the facility. But all is well as we wind our way into the substantial dining area and prepare for the welcome from Susan. We remember William Gillette of course, but also the founders and previous administrators. After a quick promotion of the Beacon Society - the group that promotes educating the young on Sherlock Holmes via the original stories - we dine.

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