I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

One of the great benefits of being a member of the Baker Street Irregulars is that we get to meet a lot of interesting and famous people. Chief among them are the literati, such as Michael Dirda, the Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic for the Washington Post, who makes his living by writing about the literati. In this case, Michael himself is the author, having been tapped by the Princeton University Press to contribute to their "Writers on Writers" series with the volume On Conan Doyle: Or, the Whole Art of Storytelling. In it, he takes us through Conan Doyle's life and writings - many of which may not be familiar to the Sherlock Holmes fan - and gives us a perspective on many of them through the Canon. Burt and Scott had a chance to sit down with Michael at the Players in New York City during the 2012 Baker Street Irregulars Weekend - marking the first time our podcast has been recorded with the two hosts together in the same room. Rather than give you an Editor's Gas-Lamp in this episode, we asked Michael to read something from his own work. Full show notes: https://ihose.co/ihose38

You may recall that we had Jon Lellenberg and Daniel Stashower on the show [Episode 13] when they published Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters in 2007. The pair has returned with another publication, but this time it's one that is even more intriguing. In 1883, when he was just twenty-three, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Narrative of John Smith while he was living in Portsmouth and struggling to establish himself as both a doctor and a writer. He had already succeeded in having a number of short stories published in leading magazines of the day, such as Blackwood's, All the Year Round, London Society, and the Boy's Own Paper — but as was the accepted practice of literary journals of the time, his stories had been published anonymously. Thus, Conan Doyle knew that in order to truly establish his name as a writer, he would have to write a novel. The only wrinkle is that once Conan Doyle finished this novel, it went missing in the post, never to be seen again. Join Burt and Scott as we discover how this lost manuscript has made its way to publication, some 125 years after it was first written, and why it had never before made its way to the public eye. As to the Editor's Gas-Lamp for this episode...well, we'll make that our little surprise that you can discover within the show.

It's not very often that one has an opportunity to speak with someone who has a direct connection to a legend. In this case, Burt and Scott spoke with Michael Hoey, the son of Dennis Hoey -Inspector Lestrade to Basil Rathone's Sherlock Holmes.Michael Hoey is the author of Sherlock Holmes & the Fabulous Faces - The Universal Pictures Repertory Company (affiliate link). In this fascinating book, Mr. Hoey focuses not on Rathbone and Bruce, but rather on the 68 men and women in supporting roles in the 12 Sherlock Holmes films that Universal Pictures produced in the early 1940s.Join us as a very special guest introduces Mr. Hoey, as Hoey reminisces about his visits to the sets of Universal, recounts many bits of trivia about the Universal series that we all know and love, and reveals some little-known gems.Mr. Hoey will be appearing at From Gillette to Brett III in Indianapolis in November. There's still time to register - and if you click through to the link above to buy his book, you might be able to get it signed by Mr. Hoey himself.We wrap up the show with a reading of the Editor’s Gas-Lamp from a 1956 issue of The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 6, No.1 covering "Fictional Characters."

In this episode, we catch up on some of the interesting tidbits of news that have touched the world of Sherlock Holmes lately. From a new television adaptation to Sherlockians passing, fake literary Twitter handles to banned books and more, we cover some of the more remarkable stories that have been in the public's eye over the last few weeks. In addition, we also take a look at events in the weeks ahead. While there are many events at Sherlockian societies in the North America, the United Kingdom and beyond, we focused on those in London, Toronto, Indianapolis and Providence in this case. We wrap up the show with a reading of the Editor’s Gas-Lamp from the Summer 2011 issue of The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 61, No.2. Links: The news of CBS's pending modern "Sherlock Holmes" adaptation The avclub.com reaction William Lipscomb, from the Annals of Improbable Research Some canonically-connected fake literary profiles on Twitter That entire list for you to follow Burt's @A_Conan_Doyle account The state of Undershaw and how you can help A Study in Scarlet banned from school reading lists in Ablemarle County, Virginia Upcoming Events The Sherlock Holmes Society of London’s Richard Lancelyn Green Lecture - Sir Christopher Frayling Arthur Conan Doyle: A Study in Scandal (Toronto, Oct. 13-16) From Gillette to Brett III (Indianapolis, Nov. 11-13) Listen now: Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." or simply click on the file to listen, or on the nice box above. (File size: 55.62 MB, 1:0:41) Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email, call us at (774) 221-READ (7323) or drop by our Facebook page. And as always, please visit our sponsors Wessex Press. --

"an actor and a rare one" [SIGN] Every generation has its Sherlock Holmes. Currently, it's a pitched battle between Robert Downey, Jr. on the big screen and Benedict Cumberbatch on the small screen. A generation ago, it was Jeremy Brett; prior to that it was Douglas Wilmer and Peter Cushing. Certainly one of the monuments of all time was Basil Rathbone. But before Rathbone - even before Wontner and Norwood - stood a giant of the stage: William Gillette. Gillette was a respectable gentleman who made a respectable living from the stage, not least of which were his 1,300 appearances as Sherlock Holmes, after close contact with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 1890s. In this episode, we have an opportunity to speak with Henry Zecher, author of the first definitive biography of Gillette, titled William Gillette, America's Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Zecher is a former award-winning sports journalist and editor who has written on a wide variety of topics. He has had a lifelong love of Sherlock Holmes and has followed his passion in writing about William Gillette over the last 14 years. You can read his full bio on his website. We go inside the book and trace the early beginnings of Gillette as an aspiring actor, a stage manager and a playwright, learning how he took what was a questionable profession and turned it into one that would not only be palatable for his family but also for his fellow thespians, who ultimately conferred upon Will the title "Dean of the American Theatre." We'll also hear about his association with Helen Hayes. Rather than a traditional reading of the Editor's Gas-Lamp, we're treated to a reading of Frederic Dorr Steele's tribute to Gillette upon Gillette's death, as well as a poem by Richard Burton, originally recounted in a special supplement to Vol. 3, No.3 (New Series) of the Baker Street Journal. Links: William Gillette, America's Sherlock Holmes on Amazon.com William Gillette, America's Sherlock Holmes (order direct from the author) Henry Zecher's site Gillette Castle Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email, call us at (774) 221-READ (7323) or drop by our Facebook page. And as always, please visit our sponsors Wessex Press. --

As you probably already know, Edward Hardwicke passed away in May 2011. To an entire generation of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts, he was Dr. Watson, the faithful friend, biographer and colleague of Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes. In this episode, we gather with two eminent Sherlockians who knew Mr. Hardwicke and explore his life and commitment to the craft a little deeper. We're joined by David Stuart Davies, BSI ("Sir Ralph Musgrave"), author of The Tangled Skein, Bending the Willow: Jeremy Brett As Sherlock Holmes and Starring Sherlock Holmes: A Century of the Master Detective on Screen, among many other titles. We were also fortunate to have Steven Doyle, BSI ("The Western Morning News"), author of Sherlock Holmes For Dummies, proprietor of the Wessex Press (sponsor), and organizer of the quadrennial conference From Gillette to Brett, which covers Holmes on the stage and screen. Each of these gentlemen share with us their personal memories of Mr. Hardwicke, Jeremy Brett's impression of his colleague, Sir Cedric's advice to his young son, and much, much more. By the conclusion of this episode, you'll understand why one commenter wrote, "While the world could use several Sherlock Holmeses, everyone needs a Watson." We're also pleased to bring you some listener mail we received via email. And the Editor's Gas-Lamp, appropriately enough, is focused on Dr. Watson, from the Spring 2011 issue (Vol. 61 No. 1) of the Baker Street Journal. Links: Starring Sherlock Holmes: A Century of the Master Detective on Screen by David Stuart Davies A Study in Celluloid: A Producer's Account of Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes Part 1 and Part 2 of an interview with Edward Hardwicke

"I am accustomed to have mystery at one end of my cases" [ILLU] It's always fun to have an author on our show, and even more so when the author has written a book that has gotten many popular reviews lately. Graham Moore was inspired to write The Sherlockian after discovering the character in his childhood and discovering that the people who admire him are an interesting lot. Burt and Scott go inside the mind of the author to discern his intent, determine the origin of the fascination with Doyle, Holmes and Sherlockians, discuss inaccuracies (were they intentional or not?), and find out just what it's like — in his own words — for a 28 year-old to write a novel for the first time; a daunting task, regardless of one's age. We take a bit of a departure with our tradition of reading the Editor's Gas-Lamp this time - tune in to hear where we took our inspiration from and how we share it with you. Download [Save As] | File size: 51 MB, 55:39 Links: The Sherlockian on Amazon.com Reviews of The Sherlockian from the Los Angeles Times, A.V. Club, the New York Times. Episode 08: To Keep the Memory Green Episode 13: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - A Life in Letters The Copper Beeches by Arthur Lewis The Case of the Baker Street Irregulars by Antony Boucher Many more links, articles and images are available in our Flipboard magazine at https://ihose.co/flipsherlock as well as through our Facebook page. All of our links at https://linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock. Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (ihearofsherlock AT gmail DOT com), call us at (774) 221-READ (7323).

You'll recall that on the last episode, we were joined by David Morrill, BSI ("Count von Kramm"), who offered an informed opinion about the new Sherlock Holmes film. And as they do in the film business, we're offering you the sequel: part two of Sherlock Holmes at the Movies. Here we continue where we left off, discussing Jude Law's turn as Watson, working with animals, the potential for a sequel and more. Burt wraps up the show with an alternative to our traditional Editor's Gas-Lamp by sharing an excerpt from The Films of Sherlock Holmes by Chris Steinbrunner, BSI ("The Tankerville Club Scandal") We're also running a contest for our listeners. Please be sure to listen or download the episode to hear how you can be eligible to win one of our prizes. Listen now: Links: Sherlock Holmes and autism (via the New York Times) David's opus magnum: 2008 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual - Reading the Signs: Some Observations and Aperçus on Film and Television Adaptations of The Sign of the Four Sherlock Holmes: the Complete Series featuring Ronald Howard See Brad Pitt as Professor Moriarty The next Sherlock Holmes movie - by the Asylum Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters For those interested in the other cartoons and films mentioned in passing: Secret Squirrel, Wile E. Coyote and Animal House can be found by clicking here. Jeremy Brett's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Granada Television Series Basil Rathbone in The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection

Well, it's been in the news quite frequently lately. The new Sherlock Holmes movie has brought new life to the literary franchise we all know and love. But Holmesians have a number of questions: how is it? Does Robert Downey, Jr. make a decent Holmes? Is the "bromance" just a little too much for the purists? Will those raised on Rathbone be able to stand the latest reincarnation? To help us answer these questions and perhaps raise a few more, Scott and Burt are joined in this episode by Sherlockian film critic David F. Morrill, BSI ("Count Von Kramm"), a man who owns as many as 10,000 movies - some of which are actually worth watching. David helps us discern what makes a good cinematic Holmes, shares his picks of the best film editions of The Sign of the Four, and shares his opinion on how Downey stacks up while dressing down. Links: 2008 Baker Street Journal Christmas Annual - Reading the Signs: Some Observations and Aperçus on Film and Television Adaptations of The Sign of the Four David's picks for the best versions of The Sign of the Four: the Ian Richardson version, the Jeremy Brett outing, and the Matt Frewer edition. Sherlock Holmes: the Complete Series, featuring Ronald Howard For those interested in the other cartoons & films mentioned in passing: Secret Squirrel, Wile E. Coyote and Animal House can be found here. Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 25.6 MB, 27:56 )

As we finished the last episode, we realized that we never got around to talking more about "The Adventure of the Empty House," as we had promised. We've filled that gap nicely this time out, with a discussion ranging from the multitude of commentary on "The Empty House," to illustrators, to a sneak peek at a future episode. We're also running a contest for our listeners. We have a copy of The Sherlock Holmes Collection DVD set from the BBC / A&E (pictured to the left) to give away. All you have to do to have a chance to win is leave us a comment here on the site, on our Facebook page, an email, or an audio comment at (774) 221-READ (7323). Links: Tit-Bits magazine The Annotated Sherlock Holmes (Baring-Gould edition) The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes Info on Frederic Dorr Steele Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collection The I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook page Sherlock Holmes Collection Newsletter Vol 6 No 2 Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 28.5 MB, 31:09 )

In the Sherlockian world, the "Great Hiatus" is known as the period from 1891 to 1894 when Holmes was presumably dead after his showdown with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls. In the real world, it meant that publication of new Sherlock Holmes stories ceased after "The Final Problem" in December 1893 and didn't resume until The Hound of the Baskervilles appeared in 1901 as a retrospective (not a resurrection) of Holmes. It wasn't until 1903 that the world saw The Return of Sherlock Holmes in "The Empty House." For those of you who have been following, this podcast was on a hiatus of its own. Scott and Burt have been busy in our professional lives (not to mention having equipment issues and a hard drive failure thrown in for good measure). But we're back! In this show, we recap of what went on in the world of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts for 2009, as well as what's coming up, and we even looked back at the hiatus of that august publication The Baker Street Journal. Listen now: Links: Recap of the Arthur Conan Doyle Sesquicentennial celebration/li> The BSI Weekend The BSJ Christmas Annuals - including the 2006 edition "Quartering in the 'Fifties" - Colin Prestige's Sherlockian Correspondence Two Celebrations: Silver Blaze The original Caped Crusader Our Facebook page Subscribe on Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 46.5 MB, 50:45)

A visit to a venerable scion society, the Sons of the Copper Beeches, in October 2007. Headmastiff Gideon Hill describes the group's history, assisted by Scott Bond, who then offers remarks about his 25 years as the Baker Street Journal's cartoonist. We close with an Editor's Gas Lamp from July, 1959 featuring Edgar Smith's thoughts "On the Forms of Address." Show Notes: 1:30 The Great Interruption 6:20 En route to the SOCB 7:40 Meeting Gideon Hill 9:00 Gideon's history of the SOCB 11:10 Encountering Peter Blau 12:35 Scott Bond recalls the SOCB in the 1970's 14:45 Making friends at scion society meetings 17:35 Introducing Scott Bond's remarks 18:50 The Lament of the Sherlockian Cartoonist 23:15 Carl Barks and Walt Disney 30:30 A cartoon a month 31:00 How it all comes together 35:30 Camouflage in Japan 41:15 Scott's production process 46:00 Editor's Gas Lamp from the Baker Street Journal Volume 9, No. 3, July 1959: "On the Forms of Address" Links: The Sons of the Copper Beeches The Baker Street Journal Christopher Morley on Wikipedia

Here we pick up where we left off last time. You'll recall that previously, we interviewed Jerry Margolin about giving up part of his collection; in this episode, we speak with the man who bought that collection. Otto Penzler, BSI ("The King of Bohemia") is a specialty dealer, the proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop, and a long-time expert of Sherlock Holmes and mystery fiction.Tune in as Otto tells us a bit about what it's like to have the opportunity to purchase an excellent collection, how he goes about deciding upon a purchase, and his own interests. He also gives some valuable advice to aspiring collectors.Please leave a comment at (774) 221-READ (7323), comment [AT] ihearofsherlock [DOT] com, within the comment section of each entry, or in the Splashcast player. We also encourage you to join the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook group, to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and to consider making a donation to the show (in the sidebar on the right). And you might right a reviewShow Notes:1:17 Introduction & housekeeping4:54 Scott & Burt welcome Otto Penzler6:15 Otto and the emotional collectors; how many books does Otto have in his own collection?8:18 Jerry Margolin tells us why he chose Otto to sell his collection to10:25 Otto's visit to and impressions of Jerry's collection - what made his job easy12:50 Otto explains how to assess a book collection14:45 What if Jerry decided to sell his art collection?18:02 How the collectible mystery book market has changed over the last 30 years19:35 The smart investor invests in... (a top 3 list) and a reason not to buy books21:16 What excites Otto as far as collecting22:50 Where to find Jerry's collection (and Otto) - visit early and often!24:38 Otto's publishing background25:47 Defending Otto's literary starring role in Elmore Leonard novels27:43 He writes, too! - sports, crime and more30:30 A bit of background with the Baker Street Irregulars from the King of Bohemia35:55 Otto recommends where mystery readers should start38:08 Commonalities of collectors40:05 How to find Otto online and things do to once you're there42:36 Otto picks some winners43:53 Final insights on reading and collecting from a mystery expert46:05 Interview wrap-up, the wonder of this common interest in Sherlock Holmes, memories of Sherlock on film53:41 The Editor's Gas Lamp from The Baker Street Journal, Vol. 2 No. 3 (Old Series), 1947: "The Fortunate Ones"58:52 Memories of first discoveries of the stories1:01:38 Listener comment1:04:33 How you can help in the coming year Links:The Mysterious BookshopThe Baker Street Irregulars WeekendOtto's appearance in Elmore Leonard's Up In Honey's RoomOtto's Column in the New York Sun - "The Crime Scene"The Encyclopedia of Mystery & DetectionThe Mysterious Bookshop ClubsCortlandt HullHenry HullEdgar Bergen

This time of year always draws our minds to "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," the only Sherlock Holmes story that takes place at Christmas. It's the source of our greeting cards to each other, with the universally applicable "Compliments of the Season," which is exactly the wish that Burt and I give to each and every one of you.Thank you so much for being part of this journey with us throughout the second half of 2007. We look forward to bringing you more episodes of the quality you've come to expect, and we may even have a few surprises in store for 2008.In the meantime, sit back, relax, and enjoy 10 minutes or so of a very special holiday greeting from your friends at I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere.

We're pleased to welcome Jerry Margolin, BSI ("Hilton Cubitt") to this show this week. Jerry has been a collector of something or other nearly his whole life, but his Sherlockian collection was the thing that occupied most of his adult life. Recently, Jerry decided to sell his collection, and we wanted to understand what went into that process, from the making the very difficult decision, picking a buyer, and what's happened along the way. Those who know Jerry will be pleased to know that he did not sell the core of his collection - his Sherlockian artwork - which contains a wide array of original comic art, many made specifically at Jerry's request. You can see some of Jerry's art collection in the slideshow beneath the flash player for the show below. Please leave a comment at (774) 221-READ (7323), comment [AT] ihearofsherlock [DOT] com, within the comment section of each entry, or in the Splashcast player. We also encourage you to join the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook group, to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and to consider making a donation to the show (in the sidebar on the right). Show Notes: 1:13 Show intro 4:47 The origins of Jerry's collecting mania 6:30 Jerry's first piece of Sherlockian artwork: "Murder at the English Pub" by V.I.P. 7:15 Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Plus, Jerry's Sherlockian mentor 9:01 It's in your DNA - the collector gene 9:39 Meet St. Judy 10:32 Where does one put a Sherlockian art collection of over 900 pieces? 11:39 Jerry's art collecting theme - personal favorite artists, commissioned pieces 13:50 Will call for Peanuts - Charles Schultz 17: 32 Jerry's personal favorites: Jimmy Stewart, Will Eisner, Gahan Wilson 25:42 The oldest artwork in Jerry's collection 30:01 Shifting gears from art to books 32:40 Discovering rare & scarce books pre-eBay 34:40 The hallmarks of a good collector 36:13 Beginning to think about selling the collection 40:10 Starting the selling process 40:45 The emotional aspect of selling a collection 42:29 Starting to hear from collectors of the collection 44:06 Seller's remorse - and making up for it 45:23 It's not just about the sale - some philanthropy as well 51:02 What "what ifs" of collecting 56:57 The Editor's Gas Lamp: "Something Can Be Added," The Baker Street Journal Vol. 1, No. 4 (New Series) October 1951 Links: Samples of Jerry's art collection on Flickr Charles Schultz Jimmy Stewart on the IMDb Will Eisner Gahan Wilson The BSI Trust The Baker Street Journal

In the previous episode of the show, you heard us get into some pretty interesting topics with Mike Whelan, head of the Baker Street Irregulars. We continue in this vein in Part 2, talking about the BSI Trust, the BSI Weekend in much greater detail, the Dr. Watson Fund, and a very exciting contest that you can participate in!Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Please contact us using the information in the sidebar to the right.Show Notes: 2:33 The evolution of the archives of the BSI, thanks to Dan Posnansky and Harvard5:43 Mike's leadership style and getting things done8:18 What happens at the BSI Weekend, anyway?14:30 The Dr. Watson Fund - what it is, how it works, and how to contribute16:01 Listener contest!!! Listen, participate and win!17:10 Mike's favorite part(s) of the BSI Weekend20:16 Follow the BSI Weekend activities - live - on the Baker Street Blog and the BSI Weekend site21:48 How does Mike explain this avocation to civilians?23:04 Mike spends his free time doing...26:15 The secret to enjoying the Game27:30 Getting Mike into the 21st century - maybe29:02 Interviews at the 2007 BSI Dinner with recently investitured Irregulars: Dayna MacCausland, Mattias Bostrom, Elaine McCafferty, Maggie Schpak, Warren Randall, Mike Homer and Mike Berdan.37:53 The Editor's Gas-Lamp, "Who Is a Baker Street Irregular?" Vol. 3, No. 2 of the 1948 Baker Street Journal42:23 Subscribing to the Baker Street Journal44:30 Listener comments - all kinds!52:15 Final notes - please support the show by clicking through to Amazon from the show site, making a gift via ChipIn in the sidebar, joining our Facebook group, or voting for our site on Podcast Alley (also on the right).56:01 Burt makes Scott tell an awful jokeLinks: BSI TrustThe Houghton Library at Harvard UniversityBSI WeekendThe Baker Street Journal Download this episode by right-clicking the icon and selecting "Save As..." (File size: 53.5 MB, 58:28)

In this episode of the only Sherlockian podcast, we begin our interview the head of the Baker Street Irregulars - the internationally renowned literary society that remains at the forefront of the study of Sherlock Holmes. Michael Whelan has been "Wiggins" of the BSI for the last decade, and here he shares some thoughts on his own personal history, the organization, the annual gathering known as the BSI Weekend, and more.The Baker Street Irregulars is the umbrella organization for a host of so-called scion societies around the world and has been in existence since 1934.Show Notes1:15 Introduction & welcome5:10 Mike's first experience with Sherlock Holmes9:50 A Rotary-like element to being a Sherlockian10:15 Mike's first Sherlockian dinner, 1969 - Hugo's Companions11:18 Mike's first BSI dinner, 197313:16 The Montgomery tradition begins and other Irregularities15:36 Mike gets his investiture and discussion of the "wait list"17:54 How Mike became the head of the BSI22:59 That's a lot of dinners!23:26 The BSI's style - informal, no dues, no requirements25:29 Tom Stix changed some things, Mike's vision for the organization30:48 The BSI re-enters the publishing business38:38 Archiving this podcast and other BSI-related material42:21 Show wrap-up and highlights from next week's conclusionLinksThe Baker Street Irregulars (Wikipedia)The Baker Street JournalThe BSI Manuscript SeriesThe BSI International SeriesThe BSJ Christmas AnnualThe BSI History SeriesThe BSI Trust

"a man of letters" [WIST] We're pleased to welcome two noted authors to the show this week: Jon Lellenberg and Daniel Stashower. The recently edited a biography about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle along with Doyle's great-nephew Charles Foley. Comprised of hundreds and hundreds of letters, the book is already a critical success and is gaining popularity on both sides of the Atlantic. We talk with Jon and Dan to get some of the behind-the-scenes information from them. Please do consider subscribing to this podcast for free; you may also join our Facebook group, where there's an additional opportunity to interact with the community. Show Notes Introduction of Jon & Dan, their qualifications Why this biography is so different, after 20 others Where did all of these letters come from? Working with the Conan Doyle estate The heavy influence of Mary Doyle in her son's life Jon & Dan share perspectives of working with original letters - the good & the bad More of the bad: a chronologist's nightmare Looking at Conan Doyle's faith and his turn to spiritualism Did the editors find any surprises or new discoveries? How the biographers view their subject now, after working so closely with his letters The Editor's Gas-Lamp: The Baker Street Journal, Volume 4, No. 1, 1949 (Old Series) Show wrap-up Links Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters Jon's other related work: The Quest for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Thirteen Biographers in Search of a Life Dan's related work: Teller of Tales: The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Berg Collection at the New York Public Library The University of Minnesota Libraries' Sherlock Holmes Collections The I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook Group

We pick up where we left off in Episode 11, talking with Bob Thomalen, BSI ("The Three Garridebs") about how he was able to make his events so successful so early on, how he went about selecting speakers, what it was like to work with Tom Stix, and a wonderful legacy left to us by Bob's closest Sherlockian friend. Show Notes Getting a critical mass at events Selecting speakers Some memories of Tom Stix, former head of the BSI One of Bob's inspirations and best friends: Bill Schweickert, BSI ("Cox & Co.") Bob's support system No Gas-Lamp this week; instead a special reading of "A Long Evening with Holmes" Listener comments An appeal to join us online Links Product placement: Smithwick's The Baker Street Irregulars Trust The I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook Group The Sherlock Holmes Social Network

Scott and Burt interview Bob Thomalen, BSI to learn more about his involvement with the Sherlockian world, including his claim to fame, Autumn in Baker Street (aka "The Great Sherlockian Sleepover?). Join us as we learn more about this veteran drummer, guitarist, magician, chessman, and corporate presenter. Bob will also share his insights as to how to start a Sherlock Holmes society or event . Show Notes 03:05 Bob shares his late start with Sherlock Holmes 06:37 Ron Burt De Waal's World Bibliography of Sherlock Holmes 07:55 Bob discovers the Sherlockian scene through societies 12:30 The Beginnings of Autumn in Baker Street 17:10 Giving the people what they want – for 25 years 17:50 The latest AIBS (September 2007) was a major success 21:50 Some insight on planning a Sherlockian event 26:51 A description of Autumn in Baker Street for the uninitiated 31:18 Listener comment - a memory of John Bennett Shaw 35:22 Wrap-up, join our Facebook group, consider subscribing for free Links Autumn in Baker Street The Three Garridebs of Westchester County The World Bibliography of Sherlock Holmes List of Sherlockian societies Bear Mountain Inn – site of the very first Autumn in Baker Street

In the late 1980s, Jeremy Brett commissioned Jeremy Paul to write a play for him. The collaboration yielded The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, which ran for a year in the West End and toured for three months around England. The shores of the United States have never seen the play - until now. In honor of the 120th anniversary of the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes in print (1887-2007), Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts is producing the play. In this episode, we interview the actors Michael Hammond and David Demke and director Robert Walsh, in anticipation of the play's run from September 28 - October 28, 2007. In addition, there will be a Sherlockian weekend in Lenox from October 19-21, 2007. And at the end of the show, there's a listener challenge. Note: because of some technical difficulties, you may notice us "stepping on" each other's words. For some reason, the audio misaligned, and as I don't record separate tracks for each line, there was no way to edit it. I apologize, but I hope the content makes it worthwhile. Show notes: 1: 11 Audio clip from the production 1:50 An introduction of the three interviewees, their qualifications, and the background of the play 8:16 Michael Hammond discusses why Shakespeare & Company chose this play 11:38 David Demke tells about his familiarity with the Canon and what he brings to the performance 13:40 Robert Walsh gives his perspective on directing such a play, after having directed Sherlock's Last Case 18:00 The two halves of the play - the known and well-recognized, and the secret 21:21 How to go about getting something new out of time-tested characters 33:04 The challenge of presenting a Holmes play that is not a mystery, the evolution of the characters 35:15 Staging a 2-man play - intimacy factor with the audience in the Founders' Theatre 36:50 Walsh shares his feelings on directing a play for Shakespeare & Co. for the first time 45:01 Burt & Scott discuss the evolution of the characters over time 47:42 Listener challenge - let us know if you attend the show by emailing us and we'll interview you 49:02 The eras of Sherlockians over the years 50:47 Join our group on Facebook Links: Shakespeare & Company The Secret of Sherlock Holmes on the Shakespeare & Co. site, including the Sherlockian weekend - which you should attend! Two galleries of images: Pre-production photos Production photos Buy tickets for the play online or call (413) 637-3353 Bending the Willow: Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes Starring Sherlock Holmes: A Century of Sherlock Holmes on the Screen

This week, we take a break from our interview schedule to get back to the basics. We discuss the man who determined the foundations of a good Sherlockian collection and heap lavish praise on our favorite tomes related to the great detective.Show topics:3:50 The Shaw 100 as the basis of a number of good Sherlockian books4:40 A bit about John Bennett Shaw7:32 Do you have memories of John Bennett Shaw? Call us at (774) 221-READ, email us at comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com, or comment below9:03 Burt's favorite book15:40 What "the hunt" was like before the Internet19:27 Paxton Whitehead reads "221B" by Vincent Starrett21:08 Scott's favorite book28:50 Editor's Gas Lamp, "Let Me Recommend This Book," Vol. 2, No. 2 (Old Series)Links in this episode:The Shaw 100 - the books John Bennett Shaw, BSI thought were essential; they are listed on our Shelfari shelf here, or you can click on the Amazon link below to purchase them.The Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota Library Paxton Whitehead on the Internet Movie Database and the Internet Broadway Database The Baker Street Journal CD-ROM

Editors Steven Rothman and Nicholas Utechin join us for a chat about a book they have co-edited: To Keep the Memory Green, some recollections from the life of Sherlockian/Doylean scholar and collector Richard Lancelyn Green. We also hear about their respective experiences as editors of the Baker Street Journal and the Sherlock Holmes Journal and the formation of the Quartering Press. Topics in this episode: 1:30 Listener audio comment 4:30 Nick & Steve give some perspective on their editorial experiences 14:29 A bit about Richard Lancelyn Green 17:20 The genesis of To Keep the Memory Green 21:12Steve recalls memories of Richard, a bus station and plastic carrier bags 23:17 Nick harkens back to the early 1970s and an Oxford connection with his professional Sherlockian friend 24:57 The Baker Street Irregulars and the Sherlock Holmes Society of London join forces 27:00 Quartering together – the fruits of labor 30:35The impetus behind the project – capturing the essence of a "one-off? 40:14 An alternative to the Editor's Gas Lamp: Richard Lancelyn Green's introduction from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Oxford annotated edition) 49:24 Final thoughts on Richard's contribution 52:08 Burt springs a question on Scott 54:32 Hunting through old bookshops 56:10 Scott's inspiration for collecting – from a movie Links mentioned in the show: The Sherlock Holmes Journal The Baker Street Journal The 2006 BSJ Christmas Annual The Quartering Press The Oxford Sherlock Holmes: 9 volume set The Portsmouth Central Library exhibit The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

The chatfest with Peter Blau continues as we enjoy more conversation in an even more interesting vein, if you can imagine. From the early days of the BSI to radio connections, professional societies, collecting and traditions, and even Sherlock Holmes in a far-flung place, Peter gives his unique perspective.Topics in this episode:1:52 Meeting Rex Stout at the BSI dinner and the resulting shift in the paperback book industry7:05 Sherlock Holmes on radio10:13 The Practical, But Limited Geologists and other professional Sherlockian societies13:30 Some interesting books15:04 Peter's collecting interests17:00 An annual Sherlockian Christmas tradition23:50 Sherlock Holmes in the Smithsonian Institution - and beyond!30:52 What are your society's traditions?31:54 The Editor's Gas-Lamp: June 1982, Vol. 32, No. 2 - Peter Blau's first Gas Lamp as editor of the BSJLinks:Rex Stout and The Doorbell RangJean ShepherdReference to "F.U." from The House of Cards TrilogySherlockian Calendar of EventsSherlockian Societies worldwideThe Secret Marriage of Sherlock Holmes and Other Eccentric Readings"That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it."Get your own Sherlockian calendar at The Sherlock Store Please let us know if your Sherlock Holmes society has any traditions. We'd love to hear about them and talk about them on the show.

We do another interview show, this time when we have a conversation with longtime Baker Street Irregular Peter Blau ("Black Peter"). Peter is one of the center points of the Sherlockian hub and has plenty of great stories to tell. Add to that an audio comment from a listener, and we've got a show that should not be missed.Topics covered in this week's show:01:50 Listener comment03:55 Begin interview with Peter Blau04:50 Peter defines the "average Sherlockian"06:25 My First Meeting with Sherlock Holmes09:20 Memories of visiting Ben Abramson's Argus Bookshop in New York11:22 Ben introduces Peter to The Baker Street Journal13:05 Memories of Edgar Smith, BSI dinners in the 1950s, and what "keeking" is18:10 Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press27:00 The Red Circle of Washington, DC29:28 Peter discusses his role in the Baker Street Irregulars and the BSI Trust33:15 Peter's editorship at The Baker Street Journal34:04 A brief history of the BSJ editors35:10 Julian Wolff's one-man BSJ editorship & management37:10 Peter as a pitchman39:07 The subject of this year's BSJ Christmas Annual is announced!39:30 One of Peter's greatest regrets41:05 Sherlock Holmes inspired "Cats"??Links:The Baker Street JournalScuttlebutt from the Spermaceti PressThe Baker Street Irregulars TrustThe Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sesquicentennial - May 7-9, 2009Macavity, the Mystery Cat

The discussion continues from last week's episode's topic of the basics of the Sherlockian world. You'll hear us discuss the societies, scholarship, international groups, regular gatherings and a healthy how-to of getting involved.Topics covered in this week's showThe Baker Street Irregulars and the origins of Sherlock Holmes societiesThe Baker Street Journal Christmas AnnualsSome society proceedingsOverview of the past & present heads of the Baker Street IrregularsWhy the "Baker Street Irregulars"?Some international groups, including the U.K., Canada, Japan, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Italy and FranceHow to join a Sherlockian society / what goes on at meetingsHow to find out when the meetings areAnswering the age-old question: "How can I become a member of the BSI?"The BSI Weekend activitiesOther online resources for your edificationAnd some offline resourcesThe Editor's Gas Lamp, from Vol. 9, No. 4, 1959 LinksThe Baker Street Journal Christmas AnnualsA list of Sherlockian societies worldwideThe Sherlock Holmes Society of LondonThe Baker Street JournalThe entire BSJ on CD-ROMThe Bootmakers of Toronto and the Canadian HolmesThe Arthur Conan Doyle SocietyThe Sherlockian Calendar of EventsThe District MessengerScuttlebutt from the Spermaceti PressThe Baker Street BlogThe Baker Street Dozen by p.j. DoyleWhat goes on at the BSI WeekendSherlockian.netThe Sherlockian Who's WhoSherlockPeoriaThe Serpentine Muse

We've received a lot of correspondence from listeners asking us about some of the basics of the Sherlockian world – thank you for taking the time to contact us and let us know what's on your mind. In order to ensure that we're all working from the same level of knowledge, we'll cover some of the fundamentals of "the Game." Since this is such a broad topic, this will be a two-part show – and rather than make you wait two weeks for the second part, we'll release it next week.Show topics: Listener mail - how do I get into a Sherlockian society?What do we mean by Canonical?Which are the best Sherlock Holmes stories to read? Where should I begin?Holmes and Watson as real people - the beginnings of Sherlockian scholarshipSome details about Baker Street - particularly 221BHow we use short-hand to refer to the storiesClose connection with and nostalgia for the Victorian/Ewardian era when the Baker Street Irregulars was founded in 1934You say Sherlockian / I say Holmesian Links for this episode:The Annotated Sherlock Holmes (William S. Baring-Gould)The leading problems of chronologyA table of major events in the storiesThe Date Being -- ? (Andrew Jay Peck)Christopher MorleyRonald A. Knox's Studies in the Literature of Sherlock HolmesLetters to Sherlock HolmesJay Finley Christ's list of four-letter abbreviations of the 60 storiesWritings about the writings - the Harry Potter & Sherlock Holmes phenomenaDiscovering Sherlock Holmes (Stanford University)The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes (Leslie S. Klinger)The best Sherlock Holmes stories, from Randall Stock and originally in the Baker Street Journal

In this episode, we sit down for a chat with Mike Berdan, BSI to discuss his article "The Adventure of the Dead Detective" in the Spring 2007 Baker Street Journal. Mike tells us about:How he came to be interested in HolmesHis origins with Sherlock Holmes societiesSome of his previous 12 published articles in the JournalThe life of a freelance writerHis inspiration behind the current articleResponse to Mike's thesis in his articleAdvice for aspiring Sherlockian scholars looking to be publishedA surprising revelation It's worth noting that this episode was actually our first recording session; the audio, while not ideal, is leveled better than the previous interview. We hope that you'll be able to listen to it without any difficulty.Links from this episode:Following is a list of some Sherlockian journals that consider contributions for publication:The Baker Street JournalThe Serpentine MuseThe Sherlock Holmes Society JournalQuinCahier (from the Societe Sherlock Holmes de France)The Shoso-In Bulletin (Japan) Mike's article from the BSJ:The Adventure of the Dead Detective From now until July 15, the nomination process is open at PodcastAwards.com. Please consider nominating us for an award in the Cultural / Arts category. We appreciate your support.

In this episode, Scott & Burt interview Steve Doyle and Mark Gagen, who run the very successful Wessex Press. You'll hear us speak with this very dedicated team about their publishing experience and how they go about planning and executing some very successful Sherlockian events. We also have our first audio comment from John Pforr (thanks, John!) and Burt reads a Gas Lamp from an old issue of the Baker Street Journal.Show Notes:01:05 Introduction02:21 Welcome to Mark & Steve07:17 All about Wessex Press/Gasogene Books13:12 The Sherlock Holmes Reference Library20:15 Planning conferences, lessons learned and successes25:32 From Gillette to Brett26:38 From Gillette to Brett II33:12 Listener voicemail34:37 Gas Lamp: from Volume 2, Number 1 of the Baker Street Journal, 1947Links mentioned in this show:Wessex PressThe New Annotated Sherlock HolmesThe Sherlock Holmes Reference LibraryThe Annotated Lost WorldVideos from the Granada series with Jeremy BrettA Study in Celluloid: Michael Cox's account of Jeremy Brett as Sherlock HolmesThe Baker Street JournalLet us know what you think of the show, ask us a question or make a recommendation. Please make comments below, email us or call (774) 221-READ (7323)

"I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you became his chronicler" [GREE] We're very excited to debut the first episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere. To set the stage for what you'll expect, Scott Monty and Burt Wolder introduce the concept of a Sherlockian podcast. Although Burt and I are both members of the Baker Street Irregulars and we will speak about the history and goings-on of the BSI, this is not the official podcast of the BSI. Should that august body ever decide to emerge from 1895 and start its own podcast, we'll be sure to let you know. In this episode, we explore the following topics: Why a podcast? Ways to listen to the show The breadth of interest in Sherlock Holmes Listener comments - welcome, encouraged, by phone, email or the comment feature below Show frequency and length My First Meeting with Sherlock Holmes - Burt and Scott each share their own first experience with the great detective The Editor's Gas Lamp - from the Baker Street Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2 (1946), "What Is It That We Love In Sherlock Holmes?" Links mentioned in this show: Podcast (via Wikipedia) iTunes The Annotated Sherlock Holmes: 2 Vols. in One The Baker Street Journal The BSJ CD-ROM --