Episode 02: The Micah Clarke Effect

In December 1893, Conan Doyle wrote "Killed Holmes" in his notebook. Many newspapers published articles about the tragic passing of the master detective. But what effect did the death of Sherlock Holmes have on his popularity? Mattias Boström (author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock") talks about an important factor for the birth of the eternal Sherlock Holmes phenomenon.

From the late 1970s to the early 1990s a series of anonymous Christmas greetings were being sent to Sherlockians all over the world. Mattias Boström (author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock") tells the story about them – and about the person who sent them.

Karl Krejci-Graf (1898–1986) was an Austrian geologist and an internationally active Sherlockian. Mattias Boström (author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock") talks about Krejci-Graf and some of his friends – showing the importance of international friendship among Sherlockians.

On May 22, 2019 we celebrate the 160th birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But what do we know about how Conan Doyle celebrated his own birthday? Mattias Boström (author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock") finds interesting information in Brian W. Pugh's book "A Chronology of the Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle", and talks about nine birthdays in Conan Doyle's life.

Playing Sherlock Holmes's pageboy Billy was an important step in both Charlie Chaplin's and Rob Lowe's careers. Mattias Boström (author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock") talks about searching for the truth in questionable sources, reads from Rose Wilder Lane's 1915 text about Chaplin and William Gillette working together in "Sherlock Holmes", and finds an interview with 12-year-old Rob Lowe (yes, the famous actor) about playing the pageboy Billy.

In the days of the silent movies, there was often a difference between the intention of the filmmakers and what the audience finally was allowed to see. Mattias Boström (author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock") talks about the Swedish censoring of early Sherlock Holmes films – especially the German Hound of the Baskervilles films from the mid 1910s – based on exciting research by Nils Andersson.

Back in the late 1880s and early 1890s, what made Sherlock Holmes a success? Is there a missing link that we haven't been aware of? Mattias Boström – author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock" – talks about the importance of Conan Doyle's historical fiction and what it meant to his fame.

What did actually happen after the film "Holmes & Watson" opened on Christmas Day? "Mass walkouts" were reported, but did they exist? And can these negative rumors even in some way affect the future of the Sherlock Holmes success? Mattias Boström – author of the award-winning nonfiction book "From Holmes to Sherlock" – talks about the Will Ferrell and John C Reilly film and the reception of it, but also about his favorite subject, the importance of the parallel Holmes.