Because it's almost Friday and you deserve it. . . .

Watching soaps with Sherlock Holmes

Source   Mark Armstrong

Doing my best Steve Martin, "The new phone books are hear, the new phone books are here!"

Not really. But even better, the new

Watsonian just arrived along with two additional publications.

And to make it even better, I am a contributor in this issue.

Can't wait to start reading them.

Book Bob has. . .

The Sherlockian for $2.99 in ebook form right now.

Seven Degrees of Sherlock Holmes #60 - (It has been a while) Petula Clark

I love old British War movies. The ones made during or around the time of WW2.
My father served in the RAF. I had aunts and uncles who served in various capacities during the war, from ATA to North Africa. From Burma to a POW in Germany.
So that may explain my fascination with the films.
Two of my many favorites are; 'Medal for the General' and 'I know where I'm going'.
And to my surprise when I first learned of it a young actress by the name of Petula Clark appeared in both.
I think for most of my generation Petula Clark was known more as the singer who had a hit with 'Downton' in the early 60's. A song that was the beginning of a renewed career for her.

But Petula had a very big career starting in the early 1940's.
This from Wikipedia; In October 1942 nine-year-old Clark made her radio debut while attending a BBC broadcast with her father. She was there trying to send a message to an uncle stationed overseas, but the broadcast was delayed by an air raid. During the bombing, the producer requested that someone perform to settle the jittery theatre audience, and she volunteered a rendering of "Mighty Lak' a Rose" to an enthusiastic response. She then repeated her performance for the broadcast audience, launching a series of some 500 appearances in programmes designed to entertain the troops.^[5] In addition to radio work, Clark frequently toured the United Kingdom with fellow child performer Julie Andrews. Nicknamed the "Singing Sweetheart", she performed for George VI, Winston Churchill and Bernard Montgomery. Clark also became known as "Britain's Shirley Temple"^[6] and was considered a mascot by the British Army, whose troops plastered her photos on their tanks for good luck as they advanced into battle.

So, with no further ado. . .

Petula Clark - 1932

took part in the 1951 film 'White Corridors'

which also featured James Donald (1917-1993) (who could probably have a million Sherlockian connections of his own as many wonderful movies he has been in.)

took part in the movie 'Beau Brummell' 1954

which also featured the wonderfully recognizable Robert Morley (1908-1992)

who, as we should know, played Mycroft Holmes in 1965's 'A Study in Terror'

One fascinating thing about some of the these old films is to see how many movies these actors would sometimes appear together in.

This is not the only Sherlockian connection for Petula Clark, but was the first one I followed to the end.

So, there you have it, there you are.

Why I like Sherlock Peoria . . .

Really I do.

I don't very often agree with many of the things said there.
And sometimes, I admit, I am not smart enough to understand what is actually being said.
Many of the connections are elusive to me, and I often wonder how they pertain to the subject.

But, none-the-less, I faithfully follow the blog.
And, again I admit, sometimes I even find myself agreeing with some of it. (I fight that urge as much as possible.)

The author of the blog is knowledgeable on most things Sherlockian, and also has a wealth of knowledge about lots of shall we call it 'trivia' that he is able to weave into his Sherlockian discussions.

But what is most important about the blog is the fact that it makes me examine my feelings about some of the subjects it brings up, and where I stand on those things. And for the most part it makes me defend my Sherlockian convictions and test them and see where I stand in the end. (My opinion is not changed very often, but it is always good to look at another side of things.)

Now how much of the blog is firmly tongue-in-cheek and how much is pure. . . what ever, we may never know for sure. That is part of the allure of the blog (Yes Brad, you are alluring.)

So, Sherlock Peoria, thanks for making me a better, I hope, Sherlockian. (It even has its own 'label' on my Label list.)

(Are you going to have your summer reading list this year?)

Hard act to follow.

Tinseltown Talks: Morison remembers Tarzan, the Thin Man, Sherlock Holmes

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, fewer than 0.02 percent of Americans live to be centenarians. Actress Patricia Morison joined that exceptionally rare group last month when she turned 100.

“I had a party with dear friends, that was all I wanted,” Ms. Morison said from her Los Angeles apartment. “I even sang a couple of songs.”

Morison, a mezzo-soprano, is best known for her stage work, especially her role in Cole Porter’s hit musical, “Kiss me, Kate,” which ran for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway from 1948-51.

Yet, while she started theater in the ’30s, Hollywood never took advantage of her voice when she moved to the West Coast to work in film. “I screen tested with MGM, but Paramount picked me up.”

Unlike many actors of the day, Morison kept her own name, which Hollywood probably found appealing with its unusual spelling – only one R.

“My father would say his family came from the northern Hebrides and were too stingy to put two Rs in Morison,” she said.

With her striking beauty and long, dark hair – down to her knees at one point – Morison was often cast in femme fatale roles.

In “Dressed to Kill,” the final pairing of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in the 1940s Sherlock Holmes film series, Morison played a treacherous seductress attempting to dispatch her real-life friend, Rathbone.

“He was a lovely man with a dry sense of humor and Nigel Bruce, who we called Willy, was just adorable,” she recalled. “My mother was Irish and my father was British. When we moved to Hollywood, British actors such as Ronald Colman, Brian Aherne and Basil Rathbone would come to our house for a traditional afternoon tea.”

Morison’s murderous resolve was more successful in “Song of the Thin Man,” the final movie in another popular detective film series with William Powell and Myrna Loy.

“At the end of the picture I shoot my costar, Leon Ames,” noted Morison. “About five or six years ago, I was on a Mediterranean cruise and at the dinner table one evening a man looked at me and said ‘You killed my father!’ He then introduced himself as Leon Ames’ son.”

During the war years, Morison helped out in the Hollywood Canteen and volunteered for the USO, flying to England and Ireland with Al Jolson, Merle Oberon, Allen Jenkins and Frank McHugh. But it wasn’t just the Atlantic seaplane crossing that was memorable.

“We waited and waited at LaGuardia Airport for Jolson,” she said. “When he eventually arrived, he looked at us all and said ‘I don’t know why the hell they sent you, I could have done this by myself.’ We toured all the airbases, but Jolson complained the whole trip.”

Back at work in the states, Morison enjoyed walking the Paramount lot.

“I loved the technical side of filmmaking and visiting special effects areas,” she said. “During the war, the makeup department had a section devoted to creating prosthetics for soldiers who had lost ears or noses. The movie industry did a lot to support the war effort.”

In 1947, Morison found herself at war with the loincloth-clad jungle hero Johnny Weissmuller in “Tarzan and the Huntress.”

“Johnny was beautiful to watch, whether just standing or gracefully swimming. I didn’t socialize with him much as he was too busy with a new love affair.”

While the film used stock footage for many African scenes, there were animals on the set.

“I remember the chimp going berserk, tearing around the set trying to beat up the crew. We had to hide in our cars until he calmed down. They also used an old MGM lion. It was very hot on the set, so the big stage doors were opened to let in air. Then suddenly, the lion disappeared. We found him walking down La Cienega Boulevard with people fleeing in all directions.”

Morison’s apartment, where she has lived since the 1960s, has been home to more manageable critters, including dogs and birds. Her last pet was a cockatiel that would perch on her head and sing.

“I can still sing, too,” she said, referring to her performance at her recent birthday celebration.

“When you consider I’m 100, I probably should only be able to croak! But I’m a very fortunate woman,” she said. I’ve done what I wanted with my life and worked with some wonderful people along the way.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns and interviews for more than 550 magazines and newspapers. Follow on Twitter @TinseltownTalks.

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And to think, I didn't have to pay anything to meet John Denver. . .

Would you pay £3,000 to snuggle up with Sherlock? JAN MOIR meets the obsessed fans who crossed the world to do just that .

Story Here.

Here we go again . . . .

'Sherlock' Season 4 Suspected to be the Last; Leads Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman to Blame?

The fourth season of the much-acclaimed "Sherlock" is yet to start filming, and some rumours indicate that the next instalment could be the last in the detective drama.

The leads of "Sherlock," Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, are said to be so busy with their respective movie careers that they do not have time for the contemporary re-imagining of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic.

 "They don't need Sherlock anymore. So we have to persuade them to do it - which is fair enough," "Sherlock" co-creator Steven Moffat said in an interview at the BAFTA Television Awards nominees party in London, reportedBBC.

However, Moffat said he was surprised when they agreed to return for a fourth season.

"They are very serious about it, they do love it very much," he said. "I didn't think we actually thought we'd get a fourth series out of them."

What sets apart "Sherlock" from other shows is its format of short seasons consisting of just three episodes. Also, each season usually has  a gap of two years and loyal audience have always returned to catch up on what their favourite detective has in store for them.

When questioned about the fear of losing audience, Moffat said in an earlier interview withCollider that he was sure the two-year gap wouldn't drive away audience.

"There was still so much interest in Sherlock that we didn't have any doubt. We didn't expect the audience to be larger. It's gotten larger each year. Contrary to what people think, that doesn't happen. With very, very rare exceptions, audiences, even with huge hits, go gently down. Even for massively successful shows, they decline gently over time. That's normal and fair enough. Sherlock has grown each year, which is spectacular. So, we didn't doubt that the audience was still there."

As for the future of the show, Moffat said "Sherlock" could go on for a long time and he earlier hinted that there were plans for a fifth season. However, it remains to be seen if the lead actors' busy schedule will become a hurdle.

"Sherlock can go on for a long time because we just show up every occasionally and do it. It's like a reunion party every time," the co-creator said.

source

We'll just have to see, won't we?

Ian McKellen Proves He's The Ultimate Sherlock In 'Mr. Holmes' Trailer

Sherlock Holmes' backstory is anything but elementary.

Move over Benedict Cumberbatch, because Ian McKellen just became our new favorite Sherlock Holmes. In the trailer for the highly anticipated film Mr. Holmes, we see McKellen as the famous detective who had retired many years ago. Although his final case had prompted him to give up his born profession, Holmes must revisit the unsolved mystery one last time to properly tell his story.

As the film explains, it's finally time to meet the man behind the myth—and we couldn't be more excited. We are sure the experience will be an extremely emotional treat. 

Don't get us wrong, we still love Cumberbatch. However, we can't wait to see this darker version of our favorite detective that McKellen is about to deliver.  

Mr. Holmes comes to theaters this summer.  

Source

Elementary S3E21 - 'Under My Skin' - just enough to be irritating. . . .

The episode opens with Alfredo celebrating five years of being clean and thanking his friends and supporters at a support group meeting.

While at the meeting, Holmes spots someone who does not belong. 

While across town two ambulance attendants are murdered and the patient in the back is kidnapped.

The man who does not belong at the support meeting turns out to be tailing Alfredo hoping to catch Alfredo stealing cars. A crime he is not guilty of.

The women kidnapped in the ambulance turns out to be an unsuspecting 'mule' carrying drugs back from Brazil.

As far as procedurals go, it was an average episode. With the overdone murder count and graphics of the crimes, the episode lacked any finesse. The well known guest star was going to prove to be the bad guy once again. The crime lacked, really, any need for a Holmes like detective to be involved.

The fact that the victims were almost dealt with more like numbers than people was a little disappointing. They were treated more like vessels used in a crime than people who lost their lives.

The story line involving Alfredo was once again there to show how much Holmes has grown over the last three years. He is able now to recognize his need and desire to have friends and at all cost, whether they want his help or not, will do anything to protect them. A story line that is important but that is dominating too many story lines in a row.

Canonically I found nothing of note to discuss ( and hope maybe someone else did ).

Canonically I guess we can consider Watson's pointing out the sutures in the victims as a Watson-like involvement from the Canon. But even that may be reaching because the show has already done that several times.

I do however like the fact that Miller's Holmes is still being played much more low key than earlier in the season.

So, because of the lack of Canonical references of any import, and the fact that the last couple of weeks have left us hopeful, I can only fairly give this episode;