AS SEEN ON TV: THE BRITISH HOME SECRETARY, 1913

REGINALD McKENNA

AS SEEN IN:
"The Masks Of Death"

AS PLAYED BY:
Ray Milland

In this TV movie in which Peter Cushing once more assayed the role of Sherlock Holmes (albeit now with Sir John Mills as his Dr. Watson), Holmes was called away from his investigation into the strange deaths of several men by a special request to investigate the disappearance of a German prince which might have international repercussions in that volatile year leading up to World War I.

That request came from no less than Great Britain's Home Secretary, personally.

The Home Secretary was never named, but since we know the affair took place in 1913, it was a simple combination of Google and Wikipedia which led to the information... information... information........

From Wikipedia:
Reginald McKenna (6 July 1863 – 6 September 1943) was a British banker and Liberal politician. He notably served as Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer during the premiership of H. H. Asquith.

Home Secretary
In office
24 October 1911 – 27 May 1915

Monarch: George V

Prime Minister: H. H. Asquith

Preceded by Winston Churchill

Succeeded by Sir John Simon

McKenna was elected at the 1895 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for North Monmouthshire. He served in the Liberal governments of Henry Campbell-Bannerman and Herbert Henry Asquith as President of the Board of Education, First Lord of the Admiralty and Home Secretary.

As Chancellor of the Exchequer in Asquith's coalition government, he opposed the introduction of conscription, and retired into opposition upon the fall of Asquith at the end of 1916.

Even though Cushing's Holmes preceded that of Jeremy Brett with a TV series back in the 1960's (of which only five episodes remain), it is Brett's interpretation that is considered the official version for Earth Prime-Time. Therefore, the alternate dimension in which Peter Cushing portrayed Holmes may have had a different man in the office of Home Secretary.

However, I don't think we have to consider Cushing's Holmes to be living in either the dimension of '24', 'Commander-In-Chief', or 'The West Wing'. (Or - closer to home - the alternate dimension of the 'Human Target' remake, which had an entirely different Royal Family in England.)

Perhaps he could be found in the Land of Remakes, or in the "Evil Mirror Universe" - the two major alternate TV dimensions, where the historical figures should still remain the same as those found in Earth Prime-Time as well as in Earth Prime. And whichever one was not chosen, that could be the home for Ronald Howard's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes.

BCnU!