The Curse of Sherlock Holmes

Elementary is the first definitive account of one of Britain's most loved actors, Basil Rathbone. Though Rathbone had a long and distinguished acting career, it was as Sherlock Holmes that he achieved worldwide fame. Appearing in fourteen Holmes films, Rathbone made the role his own, and every actor who has since played the ingenious detective has been compared to him - almost always failing to live up to Rathbone's legacy. He continued his career in Hollywood, appearing in numerous roles, but he found it difficult to free himself of Holmes, eventually accepting he never would. This book spans Rathbone's journey from the trenches of the First World War, when he was awarded a Military Cross for bravery, through to a Hollywood career that earned him three Walk of Fame stars. It also takes in his life away from the silver screen, which included his lifelong friendship with Nigel Bruce, his trusty sidekick Dr Watson in all the Sherlock Holmes films.