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Eille Norwood (born Anthony Edward Brett; 11 October 1861 – 24 December 1948) was an English stage actor, director, and playwright best known today for playing Sherlock Holmes in a series of silent films.


Early life

He was born 11 October 1861 in
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
as Anthony Edward Brett and attended St John's College, Cambridge (B.A. 1883). Norwood took his stage name from a woman he once loved named Eileen and Norwood in southeast
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, where he lived.


Career

His first professional stage appearance was in 1884 with
F. R. Benson Sir Francis Robert Benson (4 November 1858 – 31 December 1939), known professionally as Frank Benson or F. R. Benson, was an English actor-manager. He founded his own company in 1883 and produced all but two of William Shakespeare, Shakespeare ...
's Shakespearean company. In 1886-7 he worked for Edward Compton's company. He was active on the stage until 1892, when he became ill and did not recover until about 1899. After acting in a revival of his play ''The Noble Art'', retitled ''The Talk of the Town'', in 1901, he resumed regular stage work. For some years he was employed by Charles Wyndham, appearing for him in ''My Lady of Rosedale'' (1904), ''Captain Drew on Leave'' (1906), and '' The Liars'' (1907). Among many other roles, he toured in 1909 as Raffles in a stage version of the amateur detective. He made his film debut in 1911. He directed the successful production of The Man Who Stayed at Home, which ran in London from December 1914 to July 1916. From 1921 to 1923 Norwood played Holmes in forty-seven silent films (45 shorts and 2 features) directed by
Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year. He a ...
and
George Ridgwell George Ridgwell (1867–1935) was a British screenwriter and film director of the silent film era. His name was sometimes spelt as George Ridgewell. He was born in Woolwich in 1867. He directed around 70 films including a series of adaptations of ...
.
Hubert Willis Hubert Willis (1862 – 13 December 1933) was a British actor best known for his recurring role as Doctor Watson in a series of silent Sherlock Holmes films co-starring with Eille Norwood. Stage career Willis appeared in the copyright pe ...
played Watson in nearly all these films. For the final Holmes film, however, Hubert Willis was replaced by Arthur Cullin. Until
Jonny Lee Miller Jonathan Lee Miller (born 15 November 1972) is a British film, television and theatre actor. He achieved early success for his portrayal of Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson in the dark comedy-drama film '' Trainspotting'' (1996) and as Dade Murphy i ...
's run in the tv series
Elementary Elementary may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001 * ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007 * ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977 Other uses in arts, entertainment, a ...
(2012 - 2019), Norwood had played Holmes more times than any other actor in film or TV. Norwood was earlier a stage actor associated with the Brough-Boucicault company, and he wrote several plays which were produced commercially: *''Chalk and Cheese'' (one act) *''Hook and Eye'' *''The Talk of the Town'' (previous title ''The Noble Art''), about a fusty old solicitor who is hypnotised into competing in a boxing tournament. The play was first performed at the Theatre Royal in York in 1892, and then in 1893 at Terry's in London with Arthur Williams as Andrew Fullalove, and fifteen years later in Australia, with Hugh J. Ward in the lead part. *''The Grey Room'' (with
Max Pemberton Sir Max Pemberton (19 June 1863 – 22 February 1950) was a popular English novelist, working mainly in the adventure and mystery genres.LeRoy Lad Panek, ''After Sherlock Holmes: The Evolution of British and American Detective Stories, 1891– ...
) - produced in York in 1911 Following his appearance in the films, Norwood appeared on the London stage as Sherlock Holmes in '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes'' in October 1923. The play was successful enough that it was toured in Europe without Norwood after its London run. Norwood continued to appear on the London stage until at least 1934.


Personal life

In 1905 Norwood married fellow English stage and silent film actress Ruth Mackay (1878-1949). His step-daughter actress Jane Grahame (1899-1981) married actor/writer
Ernest Dudley Vivian Ernest Coltman-Allen (23 July 1908 – 1 February 2006), known professionally as Ernest Dudley, was an English actor, dramatist, novelist, journalist and screenwriter. Biography Personal life Vivian Ernest Coltman-Allen was born in ...
, creator of another well-known English detective character,
Doctor Morelle ''Doctor Morelle'' is a 1949 British mystery film directed by Godfrey Grayson and starring Valentine Dyall, Peter Drury and Hugh Griffith. It is also known by two alternative titles: ''Dr. Morelle: The Case of the Missing Heiress'' or simply ''T ...
. In his later years he lived at Corner Cottage, Waverley Lane in Farnham in Surrey. Norwood died in London on Christmas Eve 1948 at age 87. He is buried in Green Lane Cemetery in Farnham in Surrey.


Quote

*Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself admired Norwood's portrayal, saying: "His wonderful impersonation of Holmes has amazed me."Where I live: Bradford and West Yorkshire
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Filmography


See also

*
Sherlock Holmes (Stoll film series) Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and l ...
*
List of people who have played Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes is the most portrayed literary human character in film and television history, having appeared on screen 254 times as of 2012. Additionally, many actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes in audio dramas and stage productions. Radio ...


References

*Barnes, Alan. Sherlock Holmes on Screen. Richmond, Surrey: Reynolds and Hearn Ltd., 2002.


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Norwood, Eille 1861 births 1948 deaths Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge English male stage actors English male film actors English male silent film actors Sherlock Holmes Male actors from York 20th-century English male actors