Douglas Wilmer, Rest in peace

[Pawse]

I am saddened to report that Douglas Wilmer, the oldest surviving Sherlock Holmes actor, died on the 31st of March from pneumonia, at 96.

 

Rest in peace, Douglas... :(

[Arcadia]

Thank you for sharing that, Pawse.

[Pawse]

I just can't believe it.   :(

[Carol the Dabbler]

I wonder if that's the oldest any Sherlock Holmes actor has ever lived to?  Mr. Wilmer certainly outlived Jeremy Brett (alas!) and I believe Basil Rathbone as well.  And he may very well be the only former Holmes actor who has ever had a role in Sherlock.

 

 

P.S.:  I "liked" that you posted the news, rather than liking the news itself.  Of course.

[Arcadia]

....  And he may very well be the only former Holmes actor who has ever had a role in Sherlock.

 

Oh my, I didn't even realize that he did! In the Diogenes Club, right?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Yup.  He was the indignant old gent who rang for the bouncers.

[Pawse]

I wonder if that's the oldest any Sherlock Holmes actor has ever lived to? Mr. Wilmer certainly outlived Jeremy Brett (alas!) and I believe Basil Rathbone as well. And he may very well be the only former Holmes actor who has ever had a role in Sherlock.

 

 

P.S.: I "liked" that you posted the news, rather than liking the news itself. Of course.

He was indeed the oldest. Now the next oldest at 80 is Vasily Livanov, the Russian actor.

[HerlockSholmes]

Just thought that I’d add to this one. Peter Cushing played Holmes in 2 movies and a tv series and he lived to 81. William Gillette got to 84 I think and Christopher Lee played Holmes 3 times and live until 93 so I’m pretty sure he’s the oldest.

[HerlockSholmes]

I should have added that Wilmer was definately one of the better Holmes. At the time of the series many thought that his was the definitive portrayal. They should have done more but Wilmer was known as a bit of a perfectionist and they were reducing rehearsal times which he was unhappy with. The box set is well worth getting. He was also known to not-suffer-fools-gladly, if you know what I mean. I have his autobiography (yes, that won’t surprise you) it’s enjoyable but there’s a surprisingly small section on Holmes. Then again its the same in Rathbone’s autobiography. It’s a pity Brett never wrote an autobiography. I think that he’d have written more about Holmes. Maybe if he’d lived longer, who knows.

[HerlockSholmes]

Forgot to mention that Wilmer was a very good painter too.

 

http://suffolkpainters.co.uk/index.cgi?choice=painter&pid=2403