I have been an admirer of the Sherlock Holmes saga since I can remember. Never obsessive or fanatic but simply enjoying each incarnation of Holmes that has come along.
Doyle's original creations I find the most intriguing simply because they are created BY him, the way he felt they needed to be. But I have found just as much enjoyment in authors/directors that have given life to the fictional detective beyond the near 60 original stories by Doyle.
In honor of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 147th birthday I present to you the Holmes/Star Wars connection. These 44 SW actors have been involved in Sherlock Holmes projects over the years in stage, radio, film or other media. I made a couple of random comments here and there
Mark Adair-Rios - (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Radio Drama~1996 - Admiral Ackbar)
*(TV) Return of Sherlock Holmes~1993 .... Zapper
A somewhat anachronistic (at least for the Holmes character), along the lines of Time After Time with Malcolm McDowell...and a music score by Miklós Rózsa. Holmes wakes up in modern day San Francisco and Zapper (Adair-Rios) heads Holmes' "team".
Caroline Blakiston - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi~1983 - Mon Mothma)*Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes~1994 .... Dowager Duchess of Lomond in The Three Gables
Brett and Hardwicke!
Other Star Wars alum: Sebastian Shaw
Brian Blessed - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace~1999 - Boss Nass
*Hound of the Baskervilles~1983 .... Geoffrey Lyons
Bruce Boa - (Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back - General Rieekan)
*Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother~1975 ....?
Other Star Wars alum: Harry "Aitch" Fielder, John Hollis
Mark Capri - (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back~1980 (uncredited) - Warrant Officer M'Kae)
Mr. Capri is currently playing Sherlock Holmes at the Pasadena Playhouse, in California but that production, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, started at the Temple of Music and Art in Tucson, Arizona.
Capri has received mostly very good reviews for his portrayal of the famous sleuth in this new play by Steven Dietz.
Michael Carter - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi~1983 - Bib Fortuna)
*(TV) Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The~1984 .... Godfrey Norton in A Scandal in Bohemia
Jeremy Brett as Holmes here, very good.
Tim Condren - (Star Wars~1977 - Stormtrooper/stunts)
*(TV) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes~1984 .... Thorne (as Timothy Condren) in The Speckled Band
Dermot Crowley - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - General Krix Madine)
*Mystery!~1980 - Elkins in Murder Rooms: The Dark History of Sherlock Holmes : The Photographer's Chair
Michael Culver - (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back~1980 - Captain Lorth Needa)
*(TV) Return of Sherlock Holmes~1986 .... Reginald Musgrave in The Musgrave Ritual
Peter Cushing - (Star Wars~1977 - Governor Tarkin)
The Hound of the Baskervilles~1959 - Sherlock Holmes.
Cushing works very well as Holmes bringing to the role the same feeling that he put into Dr. Frankenstein and Van Helsing in previous films. Really neat that it works for this Holmes tale...of course "Hammer" and "The Hound" are a good match for Cushing. It's always worth seeing Cushing in anything.
*(TV) Hound of the Baskervilles~1968 .... ?
*(TV) Masks of Death~1984 - Sherlock Holmes
*(TV mini series) Sherlock Holmes~1968 - Sherlock Holmes
Other Star Wars alum: Christopher Lee
Peter Diamond - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi~1983 - Gamorrean Guard/Scout Trooper; Raiders of the Lost Ark~1981 - German Soldier; Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back~1980 - Snowtrooper Gunner; Star Wars~1977 (uncredited) - Stormtrooper/Garouf Lafoe/Tusken Raider/Corporal Prescott - Death Star Trooper)
*Sherlock Holmes~? - stunts
Alastair Duncan - (Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy~2003 (voice) - Reborn 1/Cultist 2/Imperial Officer 1)
*The Return of Sherlock Holmes~1996 .... Dr. Mortimer in The Hound of the Baskervilles
John Ellis - (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace~1999 - Pod Race Spectator; also worked on Return of the Jedi and Ewoks in the optical effect/photography areas.)
* Young Sherlock Holmes~1985 - (optical supervisor - ILM)
He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Effects, Visual Effects. I still love this film, totally fun Holmes in a fantasy setting. Cutting edge effects in 1985.
Other Star Wars alum: Harry "Aitch" Fielder
Nick Field - (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith~2005 - Passell Argente (UK unit) *++(TV) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes~1984 - Harold Latimer in The Greek Interpreter
Other Star Wars alum: Oliver Maquire
Harry "Aitch" Fielder - (Star Wars~1977 - Death Star Guard; Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jed~1983 - background artist) (also in Raiders of the Lost Ark~1981 - German during the Ark opening)
* Young Sherlock Holmes~1985 .... background artist
*+ Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother~1975 .... background artist
Other Star Wars alum: John Ellis
+Other Star Wars alum: Bruce Boa, John Hollis
Peter Geddis - (Star Wars~1977 - Captain Raymus Antilles (Rebel Officer choked by Vader on Tantive IV))
*(TV) The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes~1990 - Mr. Gresty in The Last Vampyre
Julian Glover - (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back~1980 - General Maximillian Veers) (also Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade~1989)
*(Theatre) Sherlock's Last Case~1974 .... Sherlock Holmes
John Hollis - (Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back~1980 - Lobot)
* The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother~1975 .... Moriarity's gunman
This film is one of my favorites but for reasons other than being Holmes related. I mean...Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, silliness...the bonus is the Holmes theme.
Gerald Home - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi~1983 - Tessek/Controller/Aide
*(Theatre) Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Sumatran Devil~1985 - Moriarty
William Hootkins - (Star Wars~1977 - Jek Porkins)
*(TV) ; Return of Sherlock Holmes~1987 .... Spelman
Other Star Wars alum: Michael Pennington, Shane Rimmer
*(Audio Book) Casebook of Sherlock Holmes~1995 .... J. Neil Gibson
Roger L. Jackson - (voice characterizations for 13 Star Wars related video games)
*(Video Games) The Lost Casebooks of Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Rose Tattoo~1996 ... Dr. John Watson (and about 30 other characters)
Other Star Wars alum: Jarion Monroe
Sara Kestelman - (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords~2004 - voice of Kreia)
* The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes~1971 .... Hagar in The Mystery of the Amber Beads
Jack Klaff - (Star Wars~1977 - Red Four (John D.))
*(TV) Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, The~1990 - The Hon. Philip Green in The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax
Christopher Lee - (Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones~2002; Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith~2005 - Count Dooku) Well known for two roles in his life previous to Dooku and Saruman and those are Dracula and Sherlock Holmes. Lee is one of the only actors in film who have portrayed three different characters in Holmes related movies: Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes and Henry Baskerville. Lee's Sherlock related films are as follows:
* Incident at Victoria Falls~1991 .... he played Sherlock Holmes
* Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady~1990 ....Sherlock Holmes
* The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes ~1970 .... Mycroft Holmes (the elder brother of Sherlock who appeared in two of Doyle's original stories: Adventure of the Greek Interpreter and The Bruce-Partington Plans.)
I really enjoyed this Billy Wilder directed film and the terrific score by one of the greatest film music composers of all time, Miklós Rózsa (who, by the way, was asked by George Lucas to create the music for Star Wars but turned the project down...he was 70 at the time). Lee is always fun to watch, no matter the role.
Other Star Wars alum: Clive Revill, Alex McCrindle
* Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes (Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace)~1962 ... Sherlock Holmes
* The Hound of the Baskervilles~1959 .... Sir Henry Baskerville (the last of the allegedly cursed Baskervilles)
Other Star Wars alum: Peter Cushing.
Oliver Maguire - (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back~1980 - Imperial Officer (Lt. Cabbel))
* The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes~1984 .... Inspector Gregson in The Greek Interpreter Other Star Wars alum: Nick Field
Christopher Malcolm - (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back~1980 - Zev Senesca)
* The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It~1977 .... The Other CIA Man
This film is totally silly but worth watching. John Cleese (Fawlty Towers) wrote this Holmes parody and starred as Arthur Sherlock Holmes. Basically the grandsons of Professor Moriarty, Dr. Watson and Holmes play out a detective farce. Holmes is a bungling drug-addict, Watson is an idiot and Moriarty is still the villain. It's worth it just for Cleese alone but the movie is funny all around considering it's "no budget" budget and silliness.
Other Star Wars alum: Nick Tate (Denholm Elliott of Raiders of the Lost Ark also stars)
Peter Mandell - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi~1983 - Ewok)
* Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of Four~1983 .... ?
Other Star Wars alum: Kiran Shaw
Anthony May - (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords~2004 - voice characterizations)
* Murder By Decree~1979 .... Lanier
Alex McCrindle - (Star Wars~1977 - General Jan Dodonna)
* Private Life of Sherlock Holmes~1970 .... baggageman
Other Star Wars alum: Christopher Lee, Clive Revill
Jarion Monroe - (Star Wars: Episode I - Battle for Naboo~2001 .... voices of Ivar Nitu/Ned Greeby/Gungan; Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds~2001 (voice) - AT-ST driver/E-Stap pilot/Gen. Jan Dodonna; Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance~1999 (voice) - Adm. Yamarus)
*(Video Game) Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Rose Tattoo~1996 .... Sherlock Holmes
Other Star Wars alum: Roger L. Jackson
Michael Pennington - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - Moff Jerjerrod)
*(TV) Return of Sherlock Holmes~1987 ..... Sherlock Holmes
Holmes is revived after 80 years in chryogenic suspension. Like the other "Return" not really for the purist but a nice re-telling none the less. Really neat to see Pennington here as Holmes. Other Star Wars Alum: William Hootkins, Shane Rimmer
Tamara Phillips - (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic~2003 (voice) - Additional Voices; Star Wars: Bounty Hunter~2002 (voice) - Komari Vosa)
* Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century~1986 .... voice characterizations
Clive Revill - (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back~1980 - voice of Emperor Palpatine)
* The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes~1970 .... Nicolai Rogozhin (director-general of the Imperial Russian Ballet and translator for Madame Petrova)
Revill in another one of his underrated performances.
Other Star wars alum: Alex McCrindle, Christopher Lee
Shane Rimmer - (Star Wars~1977 (uncredited) - InCom Engineer (also guides R2D2 into Luke's ship))
* The Return of Sherlock Holmes~1987 .... Stark
Other Star Wars alum: Michael Pennington, William Hootkins
Leslie Schofield - (Star Wars~1977 - Chief Bast)
*(TV) Casebook of Sherlock Holmes~1990 .... William McCarthy in The Boscombe Valley Mystery
Brett and Hardwicke as Holmes and Watson, respectively.
Kiran Shah - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi~1983 - Ewok)
* Return of Sherlock Holmes~1986 - Tonga in The Sign of Four (connection)
Other Star Wars alum: Peter Mandell
Sebastian Shaw - (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - Anakin Skywalker)
* Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes~1994 - ?
Other Star Wars alum: Caroline Blakiston
William Morgan Sheppard - (Star Wars: Force Commander~2000 (voice) (as W. Morgan Sheppard) - Heavy Gun Trooper/Ruulian Strip Miner)
* (Theatre) Sherlock Holmes~1974-6 .... Jim Craigin
*(Radio) Sherlock Holmes Theatre ~ .... ?
Other Star Wars alum: Kristoffer Tabori, Andre Sogliuzzo
André Sogliuzzo - (Star Wars: Clone Wars~2003 (voice) - ARC Captain/Battle Droid/Clone Trooper/ARC Trooper/Captain Typho; Star Wars: The Clone Wars~2002 - Clone Trooper/Cydon Prax)
*(Radio) Sherlock Holmes Theatre (LA Theatre Works, Los Angeles, CA)
Other Star Wars alum: Kristoffer Tabori, William Morgan Sheppard
Kristoffer Tabori - (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords~2004 - voices of HK-47/HK50; Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic~2003 - voice of HK-47/Additional Voices)
*+(TV Series) The Return of Sherlock Holmes~1986 .... Sir Henry Baskerville in The Hound of the Baskervilles (naturally)
*++(Audio Book) Sherlock Holmes Theatre .... Dr Watson
*+ The Return of Sherlock Holmes was a great series and Brett and Hardwicke as Holmes and Watson, respectively, were hard-to-top casting. Brett remains one of my favorite Holmes. Worth watching the whole series on DVD.
++Other Star Wars alum: André Sogliuzzo, William Morgan Sheppard
Nick Tate - (Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire~1996 (voice) - Prince Xizor/IG-88)
* The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It~1977 ....1st Australian
Other Star Wars alum: Christopher Malcolm
David Warner - (Star Wars: Force Commander~2000 (voice) - Grand Gen. Brashin)
*(Radio) Sherlock Holmes~ .... Sherlock Holmes (CART production)
Time Winters - (Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II~1997 - Boc)
* Sherlock Holmes' Last Case~200? (Colony Theatre, Burbank, CA) .... as Sherlock Holmes
* The Curse of the Sign of Four~2003 (Dorset Theatre, Dorset, VT) .... as Sherlock Holmes
While there have been MANY more incarnations of Sherlock Holmes these are only the productions that have included Star Wars actors.
LM
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