Nostalgia USA July 2016 Nostalgia USA July 2016 | 页面 5

By Carolyn Clayton

T his is the long and illustrious history of Sherlock H olmes. N ever has there been before, or since, such a confused, blurred line
between a literary character and a historical figure. Some tourists still turn up to 221 B Baker Street, London, in hope of seeing where
the detective used to live. Somewhat mischievously the address has now been turned into a Sherlock H olmes museum; perpetuating
the myth.
Penned by the Scottish general practitioner Sir Arthur Connan Doyle, over a century ago, the stories have been translated into many
different languages and formats. During his time running a doctor's practice, he began writing the first installment, which he
reportedly finished in only three weeks. T his has since been proceeded by another fifty six short stories and a further three novels.
T he detective first appeared in 1887, in 'A Study In Scarlet'; a decidedly "H olmesian" story of revenge and deductive skills. It is in this
novel that we're introduced to his friend and counterpart, Doctor Watson, as the mismatched pair split the rent at the aforementioned
address. T he doctor, a wounded field surgeon, is seen by the detective as additional help with his job as the 'World's first consulting
detective'.

Incorporating a story of the roaming M ormons as part of it's conclusion, the stories of this quintessentially English detective crossed
the pond to America. H owever, upon A Study In Scarlet's arrival, it was steeped in controversy. Implying the M ormon church was
involved in murder and kidnapping didn't bode well; yet the series still made the translation, and Sherlock H olmes has since become a
name well known across the States.
W ith the advent of the cinema taking place at the same time, these detective were lapped up by film makers; a trend that has not seen
signs of ceasing. T he first films were a minute or two long showings of 'Sherlock H olmes Baffled', there was also a series of thirteen
shorts made in Denmark in 1910. T hen in 1916 W illiam Gillette portrayed the detective in a well received silent movie.
Sherlock H olmes has since become the most played character in cinema history. O ver seventy actors have played him, in more than
two hundred films, with more to come. T here have also been an inestimable amount of T V adaptations and radio plays featuring
Conan-Doyle's character. N ow with the recent film grossing over $500 million worldwide, it seems as if the detective is growing in
popularity, and will be going nowhere, any time soon.