Douglas Wilmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Douglas Wilmer
as Sherlock Holmes (1965)
Born	(1920-01-08)8 January 1920 Brentford, Middlesex, England
Died	31 March 2016(2016-03-31) (aged 96) Ipswich, Suffolk, England
Years active	1945–2012
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Joan Melville (m. 1946–?) Anne Harding (m. 1985–2016, his death)

Douglas Wilmer (born January 8, 1920 – died March 31, 2016) was an English actor. He is most famous for playing the detective Sherlock Holmes. He starred in the 1965 TV series Sherlock Holmes.

Early Life and Education

Douglas Wilmer was born in Brentford, England. He went to two schools: King's School and Stonyhurst College. When he was at King's School, he acted in a play. A famous actress, Dame Sybil Thorndike, saw him perform. She told his headmaster that he could be a great actor.

After school, Douglas applied for a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He got in! While training there, he joined the British Army. This was during World War II. He served in Africa with the Royal West African Frontier Force. Later, he became ill with tuberculosis and had to leave the army.

Acting Career

Douglas Wilmer started his acting career in 1945. He first performed in plays in Rugby. He often acted in plays in London. Many of his roles were in classic plays, especially those by William Shakespeare.

He appeared in many films, usually in supporting roles. His first big film was Richard III (1955). He was in several epic movies, like El Cid (1961) and Cleopatra (1963). He also appeared in fantasy films like Jason and the Argonauts (1963). He was even in a James Bond film, Octopussy (1983).

Playing Sherlock Holmes

Douglas Wilmer is best known for playing Sherlock Holmes. He first played the famous detective in a 1964 BBC show. He then starred in twelve episodes of the 1965 Sherlock Holmes TV series. His co-star was Nigel Stock, who played Doctor Watson.

He played Holmes again in a 1975 film called The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother. Later in his life, he made a special appearance. He was in an episode of the modern TV series Sherlock in 2012. He played an old man at the Diogenes Club.

Douglas also played other famous characters. He was Sir Denis Nayland Smith in two Fu Manchu films. He also recorded some Sherlock Holmes stories as audiobooks.

Awards and Recognition

Douglas Wilmer was an honorary member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. This group thought he was "the definitive Holmes." This means they believed he played the character perfectly. In 2009, he celebrated the launch of his book, Stage Whispers.

Later Life and Legacy

Douglas Wilmer was married three times. His third wife was Anne Harding. In his later years, he lived in Woodbridge, Suffolk. He even owned a wine bar there called Sherlock's.

His autobiography, Stage Whispers, was published in 2010. Douglas Wilmer passed away on March 31, 2016, at age 96. He died in Ipswich, England, after a short illness. Actor Roger Moore shared a tribute to him online. They had worked together in the film Octopussy and the TV show The Saint.

Film and TV Roles

See also

• List of people who have played Sherlock Holmes