Everyone seems to enjoy the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which is doubtless why these stories have been presented so many times on television. But did you know that two TV series of Sherlock Holmes made with British casts have never been shown on British television? Strange but true, so read on to solve -

Part 1, the Sherlock Holmes series of 1954 [Denis Gifford].

We start with reviews of three episodes, written by Denis Gifford and first published in Amateur Cine World in 1966 and reprinted in Denis's 1974 book, The Armchair Odeon (Fountain Press). This review described the so-called package movies available at the time on 8mm cine. Many of these films were in fact repackaged television series or made-for-TV movies and some of them still turn up at collectors' film fairs and at dealers such as Derann Films in Dudley.

The Case of the Unlucky Gambler (25 mins, Heritage Films)

The fabled fog that shrouds the exact whereabouts of 221b Baker Street has nothing on the mists of mystery that obscured the Ronald Howard Sherlock Holmes television series.

The facts, as I recalled them, were as follows. The series was announced with a great hullabaloo in the press - the first television films to feature Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective [this was of course false, see following article!]. Behind the venture was American producer Sheldon Reynolds, who made the series 'Foreign Intrigue'. Selected to play Holmes was the son of the late Leslie Howard, romantic idol of the thirties. His Dr John Watson would be that familiar film face, Howard Marion Crawford. The films were to be shot in France - and there memory stops. Nothing more was heard.

The series never turned up on British television, and, indeed, for twelve years I've been wondering whether they'd ever turned up anywhere. But now there's good news for Holmes lovers - at last they have arrived, well, three of them anyway, thanks to Heritage Films.

And at last Holmes historians can complete the record and fill in the details that even the BFI could not supply - thanks again to Heritage, who have issued the films complete with full credits. Although the technicians are predominantly French, some interesting names appear, including that of the Associate Producer, Nicole Milinaire. Later she made the film series 'Dick and the Duchess' with Hazel Court - and later still became a Duchess herself - of Bedford!

All three films were directed by Steve Previn, son of the famous German-born composer of movie music, André Previn. Other common credits are those for photographer Raymond Clunie, editor George Gale, and composer Paul Durand. The title theme and the music generally is well suited to the Holmesian mood of Victorian London.

Why were the films never shown here? I had a talk with the star, Ronald Howard, who, by the way, kindly supplied some extremely rare stills. Certainly it was not a question of quality that kept the series off British screens. Although the films are not up to today's TV series standards [written in 1966], for instance, they are much better than the things churned out by the contemporary Danziger Brothers set-up.

Ronald Howard thinks that the international production of a bit of British tradition might have had something to do with the Case of the Cold Shoulder. Could be - Christopher Lee's German Holmes picture was a long time coming here. Or again, maybe Reynolds was asking for a bigger fee than was usual in those pre-ITV days. At any rate, the films - and there were 39 of them - were a great success in America, and France, Germany, and even Africa.

Are they good Holmes? Well, they aren't pure Holmes. All three of these 8 mm releases are original scripts using the Conan Doyle characters. Howard tells me about six of the Doyle stories were filmed, including The Red-headed League and The Bruce-Partington Plans, but possibly copyright difficulties have prevented their release now that BBC-tv are giving their Douglas Wilmer-Nigel stock series a re-run.

The flavour of Conan Doyle is certainly preserved, but there is a lightness of touch that, had that series been made today, might have been exaggerated into camp. Howard makes a handsome if lightweight Holmes, and Marion Crawford a solid Watson. The only other Conan Doyle character in this group is Inspector Lestrade, who turns up in The Case of the Unlucky Gambler, rather surprisingly as a Scot - and even more surprisingly, played by the luckless laird of The Case of the Haunted Gainsborough, Archie Duncan.

This economy of casting is a symptom of the weakest point of the series, the acting. Generally, the supporting players are not in the same class as the leads, and it looks as though there has been a bit of dubbing trouble.

For the Holmes purist, I recommend The Case of the Unlucky Gambler. It has the greatest use of London locations - Howard tells me they spent a week in London filming stock shots for the series - and also Scotland Yard sequences with Inspector Lestrade. A young boy, Andrew Fenwick, commissions Holmes to find his missing father, a confirmed gambler. Holmes good-humouredly accepts a down payment of £1 and uncovers a fake suicide and a heavily disguised dad. A simple tale suitable for a family show.

And so the Case of the Sherlock Holmes Television Series can at last be closed - thanks to 8mm package films.

The Case of the Christmas Pudding (25 mins, Heritage Films)

Here's the perfect Christmas package - a Sherlock Holmes mystery thriller with all the trimmings: snow falling thickly outside the Criminal Court, a prison warden whistling "Good King Wenceslas", Holmes himself nailing a holly wreath to the door of 22 1b Baker Street, and the solution to the problem wrapped up in a Bluebeard's Christmas pudding.

What more could a home movie enthusiast ask for? Well, personally, I could ask for one of those good old Universal Sherlock Holmes pictures of the forties, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce - but this Sheldon Reynolds television film made in Paris in 1954 is the next best thing. Holmes, played by Ronald Howard, instrumental in the apprehension of John Henry Norton (Ferdy Mayne), who has murdered his first five wives, is present in court when the judge sentences him to hang. Norton swears to kill Holmes before the sentence can be carried out - and reminds his sixth wife to bring him his Christmas pudding!

Bess Norton (June Rodney) duly takes the pud to Newgate Prison, where the Governor (Richard Watson) prods it about. He then takes it to Norton's cell - but in no time at all Norton escapes. The bars are sawn through - with what? And where did it come from?

Holmes, nervous, despatches the faithful Watson (Howard Marion Crawford) on a fool's errand. Norton kills a copper on guard in fog-bound Baker Street, and takes his place. He gets into the flat and shoots Holmes - but it isn't Holmes at all, merely a lifelike dummy. Watson returns and Norton is captured. And the mystery of the Christmas pudding? Well, I won't give that away.

This is a long way from the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, although the dummy idea rings a bell. But the mood is right, and if the production values aren't particularly high, the famous flat is well realised and the performances of the two principals capture the spirit of Sherlock.

Director Steve Previn, original screenplay George and Gertrude Fass. 

The Case of the Haunted Gainsborough (25 mins, Heritage Films)

From witches to ghosts and what more suitable setting for a Hallowe'en movie than a haunted castle in Scotland herself?

From the fogbound Baker Street of the 1890s to the misty highland home of the Laird of the MacGreggans goes no less an investigator than Sherlock Holmes, armed only with his trusty Dr Watson. The mortgage is due at midnight, but the old homestead will be saved if only MacGreggan can sell his Gainsborough to a rich American. Unfortunately every time he tries to clinch the deal, the ghost of the portrait's model appears, a pretty girl called Heather - and her curses tend to queer the pitch more than somewhat.

Holmes and Watson investigate and soon uncover a dastardly plot on behalf of the mortgage holder and a hired actress - or is she? There's a twist in the tail, which only comes after Holmes himself poses as a kilted ghost with a sword stuck through his middle. The camera tricks are pretty elementary, vanishings usually being achieved by simple cutaways, but it has a twist in that the phoney ghost turns out to be a real one in the end.

All good spooky fun, ideal for all except perhaps the real Conan Doyle purist - Sir Arthur certainly never wrote this one. It's credited to Charles and Joseph Early and is one of an American-financed television series produced in Paris in 1954. The cast is very British, and very Scottish: Ronald Howard is Holmes, Howard Marion Crawford is Dr Watson, and Archie Duncan is Malcolm MacGreggan. Produced by Sheldon Reynolds and directed by Steve Previn.

The Case of the Unlucky Gambler

Producer: Sheldon Reynolds
Director: Steve Previn
Screenplay: Joe Morheim
Sherlock Holmes: Ronald Howard
Dr. Watson: Howard Marion Crawford
Insp. Lestrade: Archie Duncan
Sgt. Watkins: Kenneth Richards
Andrew Fenwick: Richard O'Sullivan
Herbert Fenwick: Rowland Bartop
Bartender: John Buckmaster

The Case of the Haunted Gainsborough

Producer: Sheldon Reynolds
Director: Steve Previn
Screenplay: Charles and Joseph Early
Sherlock Holmes: Ronald Howard
Dr. Watson: Howard Marion Crawford
Malcolm McGreggan: Archie Duncan
Heather: Cleo Rose
McLeish: John Buckmaster
Archie Ross: Zack Matalon
Sam Scott: Roger Garris 

The Case of the Christmas Pudding

Producer: Sheldon Reynolds
Director: Steve Previn
Screenplay: George and Gertrude Fass
Sherlock Holmes: Ronald Howard
Dr. Watson: Howard Marion Crawford
John Norton: Eugene Deckers
Bess Norton: June Rodney
Governor: Richard Watson

Motion Pictures for Television Inc. productions of 1954.

Part 2, the Sherlock Holmes series of 1951 [Andrew Emmerson assisted by Denis Gifford].

In part one I had to insert an editorial note to correct the suggestion that the Sheldon Reynolds adaptation made for American television was the first of its kind. American television had virtually from the outset a voracious appetite for entertainment and already in 1951 an American-financed film series was made for television. What's more, it was made here in Britain, so you have a remarkable case of British television which was never seen in Britain.

Details are sparse but the producers named in the surviving programme go by the name of Dryer and Weenolsen and it is said that the programmes were made for syndication (in other words they were not commissioned by one of the main American networks). At least we think there were programmes (with an 's') but it may be that only one pilot issue was made. Also, although the American print of the surviving episode runs for 27 minutes (close to the standard length for a half-hour time slot after allowing for commercials, announcements and a station break for identification), there is also a British version of the same film which had cinematic release and lasted ten minutes longer.

In his British Film Catalogue 1895-1985 (published by David & Charles), Denis Gifford lists film no. 11548 as The Man with the Twisted Lip, 35 minutes, U certificate, made by Telecine Films, released by Grand National Films and shown in cinemas (never on British TV) in April 1951. What's more, it was produced by Rudolph Cartier (recently deceased and who became BBC-tv's leading drama producer) and directed by Richard M. Grey. The name Telecine Films gives a strong clue that it was made with a view to showing on television, and we can only assume that having not achieved that goal over here, they sold it to the States, where Messrs Dryer and Weenolsen took the credit for its production. 

The Man With The Twisted Lip (UK) alias The Man Who Disappeared (USA)

Sherlock Holmes: John Longden
Dr Watson: Campbell Singer
Neville St Clair: Hector Ross
Doreen: Beryl Baxter
Luzatto: Walter Gotell

Part 3, The Happy Ending.

All too often we have to declare these programmes as 'missing, believed lost' but that's not the case with these Sherlock Holmes programmes. Episodes of both series are available on home video as follows:

1951 series.

Tape no. 1138. One episode: 'The Man Who Disappeared', 27 minutes.

1954 series. $19.95.

Tape no. 590. Two complete TV programmes: 'The Case of the Impromptu Performance' and 'The Case of the Exhumed Client, 54 minutes total. $24.95.

Tape no. 603. Two complete TV programmes: 'The Case of the Baker Street Nursemaids' and 'The Case of the Pennsylvania Gun', 54 minutes total. $24.95.

The tapes are available in VHS format from the USA and although they will normally supply NTSC to match the television standard used there, they can supply our PAL system on request for a small supplement. Credit cards accepted. The supplier is Video Yesteryear, Box C-137, Sandy Hook, Conn. 06482, USA. Phone from UK 00 1 203 426 2574, fax 00 1 203797 0819. They have a sister business called Radio Yesteryear with a large range of tapes and CDs of American radio programmes.

Foothill Video is now offering many more programmes from the 1954 series, in PAL, at lower prices. We have not seen these so it's unclear whether these tapes are crisp clear prints or copies of copies. Some other films bought from Foothill have been a bit fuzzy to say the least.

Vol. 1 RED HEADED LEAGUE & DEADLY PROPHECY

Vol. 2 JOLLY HANGMAN & VANISHED DETECTIVE

Vol. 3 THE BELLIGERENT GHOST & BAKER STREET BACHELORS

Vol. 4 HAUNTED GAINSBOROUGH & EXHUMED CLIENT

Vol. 5 CASE OF THE SINGING VIOLIN & CASE OF THE SHOELESS ENGINEER

Vol. 6 MOTHER HUBBARD CASE & CASE OF THE UNLUCKY GAMBLER

Vol. 7 CASE OF THE DIAMOND TOOTH & CASE OF THE CARELESS SUFFRAGETTE

Vol. 8 CASE OF THE IMPOSTER MYSTERY & CASE OF THE GREYSTONE INSCRIPTION

Vol. 9 CASE OF THE THISTLE KILLER & CASE OF THE SPLIT TICKET

Vol. 10 CASE OF BLINDMAN'S BLUFF & CASE OF THE BAKER STREET NURSEMAID

Vol. 11 CASE OF THE ROYAL MURDER & CASE OF THE PERFECT HUSBAND

Vol. 12 CASE OF THE CUNNINGHAM HERITAGE & CASE OF LADY BERYL

Vol. 13 CASE OF THE SHY BALLERINA & CASE OF THE FRENCH INTERPRETER

Vol. 14 CASE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GUN & CASE OF THE RELUCTANT CARPENTER

Vol. 15 CASE OF THE WINTHROP LEGEND & CASE OF THE LAUGHING MUMMY

Vol. 16 CASE OF THE NEUROTIC DETECTIVE & CASE OF THE IMPROMPTU PERFORMANCE

Vol. 17 THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP, THE MAN WHO DISAPPEARED AND THE COPPER BEECHES (1912).

Each 'volume' on tape costs $14.95 (about £9.58) plus postage (it is best to pay by credit card and leave it to Foothill Video to calculate the postage). In our experience, Foothill is a reliable vendor and they have many other old favourites in their free catalogue, including Robin Hood, The Buccaneers, Long John Silver, Captain Gallant, Colonel March of Scotland Yard, Ramar of the Jungle and so on. All these are available in PAL at $14.95. Foothill Video is at P.O. Box 547, Tujunga, CA 91043, USA (phone 00 1 818 353 8591, fax 00 1 818 353 7242).

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