Our Favorite Holmes

In preparation for 2009 Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr., one can not help but remember favorite Holmes from the past. The beloved detective who started charming fans from 1887 is experiencing yet another incarnation, this time offering a gritty, humorous, and even melancholy alternative. Here are the ten best Sherlock Holmes.

#10 Actor: Tom Baker. Role: Miniseries. The Hound of the Baskervilles. The fourth doctor from Dr. Who once starred as Sherlock Holmes in a 1980's mini of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Unfortunately for many fans, the role was too soon after his stent on Dr. Who, leaving too much of "The Doctor" in the role of lead character. When experienced separately from the renowned role however, one can not help but appreciate his personal spin on Holmes' character.

#9 Actor: Matt Frewer. Role: Made for TV Movies, assorted Hallmark. Max Headroom, Taggart from Eureka, and Trash Can from the Stand may be the most memorable roles for Frewer, but he played an amazing Holmes. This was very un-Frewer. Though recognition of the actor was obvious for those who are familiar with his work, Frewer gave us a Holmes that we could identify with, an everyday guy.

#8 Actor: Nicholas Rowe. Role: Film. Young Sherlock Holmes. The film is a flight of fantasy but touches on a seldom seen side of the favorite detective. The actor's profile is a memorable one as is his easy-on-the-eyes appearance. Directed by Stephen Speilberg, Young Sherlock Holmes offers teenaged angst in a classic performance that reveals Holmes as an often brooding sometimes deeply humorous young hero.

#7 Actor: John Wood. Role: Play. Sherlock Holmes. Those who had the privilege to see John Wood on stage as Holmes truly witnessed genius, for which the actor received a Tony. The reviews were often very critical but the end result was a Holmes for the theatre set, bringing the detective back to his early roots.

#6 Actor: Brent Spiner. Role: Television. (Star Trek Episode of Data as Sherlock Holmes, Epp. Elementary Dear Data.) Brent Spiner's Data is a favorite Sherlock Holmes because he approaches the role in a memorable way. And, it brought about a stellar performance by veteran stage actor Daniel Davis as Moriarty.

#5 Actor: Peter Cushing. Role: Assorted Films, series. Before he was Grand Moff Tarkin, Cushing was a cunning and believable Sherlock Holmes. Of course, he is best known for his roles in various horror films, but the Holmes role was one of aristocracy and style with a certain brusque and grating vanity.

#4 Actor: Wishbone. Role: Television. Wishbone episodes "Slobbery Hound" and "A Dogged Expose". Who doesn't love the literary canine who offers children a great way to get excited about books! Wishbone's Holmes is well-considered and scripted with the same spirit and flair of his human counterparts.

#3 Actor: Basil Rathbone. Role: Films (multiple), radio show. One of the earliest actors to portray Sherlock Holmes, Basil Rathbone was once rumored to have become typecast by his many roles as Holmes. It can not be denied that Rathbone helped develop the character Sherlock Holmes throughout his many roles. Some feel Rathbone made a more memorable pirate, however.

#2 Actor: Jeremy Brett. Role: Television Series. Forty-One episodes makes Jeremy Brett one of the most memorable Sherlock Holmes actors ever and a second runner up pick for the best Sherlock Holmes actor ever. When envisioning Sherlock Holmes, it is hard not to think of Brett for those who have caught an episode to make the association.

#1 Actor: William Gilette. Role: Film, Broadway, and as "the" Model. He is reported to be the creating force behind the pipe and deerstalker cap, as well as an early form of the "elementary" line association with the role*. His romantic look helped create the Sherlock Holmes of legend, making women swoon and men pick up a romantic flair.

Whichever Sherlock Holmes is your favorite, he is a character that will be remembered for all time, no matter the role. Downey may be the latest, but if history serves as any indication, he will definitely not be the last.

*William Gillette. Wikipedia article available online at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gillette