Sunday, June 7, 2009

A BIT O' SHERLOCKIANA

"The Man Who Disappeared" is a short film from the 1950's based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story of "The Man With The Twisted Lip" (a MUCH better title!) It starred John Longden as Sherlock Holmes and was meant to be the pilot for a proposed series. Instead, it was released theatrically as a short film.

The movie universe is welcome to it, as there are enough incarnations of the Great Detective to fill quite a few TV dimensions. (And besides, it was pretty shabbily produced.)

If there is anybody out there who deals with the movie universe (as Craig Shaw Gardner did with his "Cineverse" trilogy), then I offer up this trivial nugget for you to do with as you see fit:

The man at the heart of this mystery, "The Man Who Disappeared", was named Neville St. Clair (played by Hector Ross). In the movie adaptation of the comic book series "The Rocketeer", Timothy Dalton played a swashbuckling movie star of the 1930's who was also a closeted Nazi. And that character's name was Neville Sinclair.

The difference in last names isn't insurmountable when dealing with Hollywood actors and/or breaking with old family ties. So if there are any Wold Newton genealogists who want to run with the idea, go for it.....

BCnU!


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