Happy Birthday to Dr. John H. Watson

Charles

According to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, Dr. John H. Watson is born on this day.  Coincidentally, the author died on this day in England at the age of 71.

Sherlock Holmes (right) explaining to Dr. Watson what he has deduced from a pipe left behind by a visitor; illustration by Sidney Paget for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's “The Adventure of the Yellow Face,” The Strand Magazine, 1893.

ghostsofpompeii

@Charles Thanks for the info ... I've been celebrating Sherlock's birthday every year with a film festival - but I don't believe I ever knew Watson's. Now it gives me another day to pull out a couple Sherlock Holmes DVDs. Since Nigel Bruce was my favorite movie Watson I'll make it the Rathbone/Bruce flick, Sherlock Holmes and The Scarlet Claw.

Charles

@ghostsofpompeii,  Nigel Bruce was my favorite movie Watson as well.  My favorite one is The House of Fear which was loosely based on The Five Orange Pips (1891) by Arthur Conan Doyle, and features the characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Illustrated by Sidney Paget, 1891.

ghostsofpompeii

@Charles Although "The Hound Of The Baskervilles'" is probably the most popular of the Holmes tales - which is reflected in the variety of movies made based on the novel - it is actually more of a Watson story than Sherlock Holmes. Watson plays a significantly greater role in the tale than Holmes, even though Holmes solves the case. For a considerable portion of the movie it's Watson who carries the story along while Holmes is doing his detective work behind the scenes.