Sherlock Holmes (play 1953)

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Sherlock Holmes (1953)

Sherlock Holmes is an American play written by Ouida Rathbone (the wife of Basil Rathbone) and opened on 10 october 1953 at the Majestic Theatre (Boston), starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Jack Raine as Dr. Watson. 3 acts.

The play was mainly based on Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans short story with some bits of A Scandal in Bohemia and The Adventure of the Second Stain.

It was successful in Boston but in New York the critics were so bad that the play closed after 3 performances. The touring in London and around the world (as announced on the poster) never happened.

The usual Rathbone's partner as Watson, Nigel Bruce, was too ill to take the role of Watson, and had been replaced by Australian actor Jack Raine. Nigel Bruce died on 8 october 1953, two days before the premiere.



Acts

Act I

  • Scene 1. 221B Baker Street, London. An evening, March, 1895.
  • Scene 2. 16 Godolphin Square. The same night.
  • Scene 3. A dressing-room at Queen's Hall. The same night.

Act II

  • Scene 1. 221B Baker Street. The same night.
  • Scene 2. 13 Caulfield Gardens. Early the following morning.
  • Scene 3. A chalet overlooking the Reichenbach Falls. Three days later.

Act III

  • The chalet overlooking the Reichenbach Falls. Two months later.


Photos

Photos courtesy basilrathbone.net.


Cast


Crew

  • Director : Reginald Denham
  • Playwright : Ouida Rathbone
  • Producer : Bill Doll
  • Music : Alexander Steinert
  • General Manager : Ben Boyar
  • General Press Representative : Robert Ullman
  • Special Exploitation : Seymour Krawitz
  • Production Stage Manager : Richard Wendley, Merle Albertson
  • Production Assistant : Ira Mengel
  • Master Carpenter : Joseph Harbuck
  • Master Electrician : Ed Kavanaugh
  • Sound : Harold Livington
  • Assistant Electricians : Herman Kantor, Stanley Meyer
  • Master of Properties : Robert Cassel
  • Assistant Properties : John McSorley


Performances

  • 10-25 october 1953 : Majestic Theatre (Boston)
  • 30-31 october 1953 : New Century Theatre (Broadway, New York) 3 performances


Sources

Playbill (october 1953)