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The Many Actors Who’ve Played Sherlock Holmes on Film & Radio

Sherlock Holmes is a character that’s known to millions of people across the globe. He was the creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Known to be one of the finest detectives of all time, this character is known for its incredible intelligence, foresight, and ability to put two and two together before anyone else. He was  always a step ahead of the rest which made his character so awe-inspiring.

The cases of this fictional detective have been immortalized in radio as well as film. Back in the day, radio was the only form of entertainment and so this detective series was widely aired.

Here are some iconic actors who have taken on the role of Sherlock Holmes on radio:

William Gillette

William Gillette was the first to take on the role of this iconic character. Though he only made two appearances as the character on radio, it was widely popular. Gillette was also responsible for writing the first theatrical adaptation of the series. Gillette went on to perform as the character in theatre over 1300 times.

Louis Hector

Louis Hector was a seasoned Broadway actor. Known to be the third voice of Sherlock, he played the role with great conviction and the audience loved his rendition of the character.

Orson Welles

Wells was one of the first stars of radio. He bagn his career at the age of 22 as Shadow. His other work includes The Mercury Theater and War of the World. Welles also went on to play Holmes in a play written and directed by Gillette.

Basil Rathbone

Rathbone is another iconic Sherlock. His version of the character was talked about even 4 decades after he had passed. People around the world knew about Rathbone and his delivery of the character. He was also part of over 200 other radio adventures with Nigel Bruce who also happened to be his friend.

TV series

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch is an iconic actor whose rose to fame due to his character as Sherlock Holmes. Cumberbatch is by far the most iconic actor for this role and is known as Sherlock or Doctor Strange. Fans are eagerly awaiting the next season of the series and the franchise has hinted that there might be another season.

Don’t miss out on authentic Sherlock Holmes stories by subscribing to our classic radio club. Here at Old Time Radio Club, we offer old time radio series that can be downloaded on your phone or laptop. Sign up for our monthly, semiannual, or annual subscription and enjoy unlimited streaming and hundreds of shows to choose from.

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