Publisher's Synopsis
SHERLOCK HOLMES at Universal
More than 40 years ago, American Scott Allen Nollen [aka "Doctor Merrivale"] and Canadian Kris Allen Marentette [aka "Captain Simpson"] became fast friends after sharing their mutual admiration for the 60 Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the classic series of 14 films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce inspired by them.
Author of the critically acclaimed 1996 book Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at the Cinema, Nollen hatched the idea for this new volume on Sherlock Holmes cinema by persuading Marentette to share with the world his unprecedented, comprehensive collection of rare, original Universal memorabilia from the studio's 12-film Rathbone and Bruce series.
A preface by each Holmes aficionado opens Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's SHERLOCK HOLMES at Universal (1942-1946), in which they recount their respective personal adventures in studying the films, collecting original photographs, posters, pressbooks, scripts, studio documents and artwork, and corresponding with, meeting and befriending many cast and crew members who worked on the series. Included are many reminiscences from Marentette's close friends, John Abbott and Ian Wolfe, and Nollen's close friend and literary collaborator, Michael A. Hoey (son of Dennis ["Inspector Lestrade''] Hoey). Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's daughter, Dame Jean Conan Doyle, made a contribution.
A chapter on the two 20th Century-Fox films is followed by a separate chapter on each of the 12 Universal titles, featuring an illustrated history covering development, production and exhibition, as well as an exhaustive analysis, comparing the script with the finished product and identifying every minute representation of the original Conan Doyle stories. 600 images of rare Universal Sherlock Holmes memorabilia from the Marentette collection are included.
No matter how often a fervent fan has watched the Rathbone and Bruce series, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's SHERLOCK HOLMES at Universal (1942-1946) will prove that there is much more than first meets the eye in these perennially popular detective films. Using it as a guide will ensure that no one can accuse the reader of what the literary Holmes levels at Watson in "A Scandal in Bohemia" "You see, but you do not observe!"
