Skip to main content

Who was Radio's Sherlock Holmes?

When radio's Sherlock Holmes dug into the case at hand, he was as obsessed as a hound-dog on the trail of the scent and as determined as a shark heading towards its quarry. Holmes stuck to it until all possible avenues had been traced. He was a detective’s detective. So what...or rather who created this paragon of detail and pursuit?

As a doctor and writer, Sir Doyle prescribed (like that?) his character of Sherlock Holmes to stay committed to the task at hand...and find the answer. The unique aspect of England’s leading private detective was he found answers where no one even noticed...or dained to perceive a clue. Holmes was a complex mind that harbored cliches for clues and eloquence for action. The radio audience became entranced by Holmes ability to locate the thread in the bizarre location and the drop of wine that “should not have been there”. America developed a following for the non-Tarzan who was as quick with the wit as he was the reveal of the potential cold-case. Who was Holmes...that is still a mystery.

Comments

  1. Basil Rathbone was frequently Holmes on the radio, just as he was in the movies. The literary character of Sherlock Holmes could be understood as an alter ego of Arthur Conan Doyle, his creator.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Candy Matson Old Time Radio Show

Candy Matson  was no GIRL detective...she was all woman. Candy Matson was a response to all the hard-boiled detectives on the radio like  Jeff Regan ,  Rocky Fortune ,  Pat Novak , and all those  other detectives  who were beaten up on a regular basis. Candy, played by Natalie Parks, was  hard-boiled  in her own way. She never compromised her femininity but she did know how to use a gun and didn't hesitate to use when it was necessary. She didn't take any guff from the guys--the good guys or the bad guys. With a snappy comeback, she could take anybody's head off. Candy was fearless, never hesitating to go wherever she needed to solve a case from the lowest dive to the classiest night club. Candy worked hard to get her goon. Men orbited around her like she was the sun. Her best friend and partner in detection was Rembrandt Watson, a flamboyant photographer. All private detectives need a police detective foil and, in...

Old Time Radio: Spies and Espionage

Old time radio featured many spy-themed shows , which were popular during the Cold War era . These shows often depicted heroic spies and agents who worked to protect their countries from enemy spies and espionage, adding to the cultural fascination with the world of espionage and intrigue during this time. Spy shows were popular in the 1950s for several reasons. Firstly, the Cold War was in full swing , and the fear of Soviet espionage and infiltration was widespread. As a result, there was a heightened interest in stories and characters that dealt with the world of espionage and intrigue. Spy shows offered a way for listeners to vicariously experience the world of espionage and feel a sense of excitement and danger. Additionally, radio was one of the primary sources of entertainment during this time, and spy shows offered a way for audiences to escape the anxieties of everyday life and engage with exciting stories and characters. Many of these shows also featured strong, heroic prot...

A Clown Laughs and Cries: Red Skelton

  The Clown is one of the most traditional and enduring elements of show business. There are several vital characteristics which add up to define just what a clown is. One of the most important is that under the makeup, the clown is very often laughing on the outside while crying on the inside. America's favorite clown, Red Skelton typifies laughing and crying at the same time. Few performers have given as much to bring happiness to their audience, especially while living through their own personal tragedies. Joe Skelton had performed as a clown with the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, but settled down to life as a grocer, and sired four sons with his wife Ida Mae. Joe was taken from his family two months before his youngest son, Richard Bernard Skelton, was born in 1913 (the same year, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus lost 8 elephants, 8 performing horses and 21 lions and tigers when the Wabash River flooded). Richard soon became Red Skelton . With no father, Red went to work early to hel...