—An Author is Overshadowed by His Own Creation in Sherlock Holmes Against Conan Doyle—
The prolific author who created one of literature’s most legendary characters soon found himself a victim of its popularity.
Arthur Conan Doyle was a prolific fantasy and science fiction writer in the late 19th to early 20th century, but none of his works were more beloved than those that featured Sherlock Holmes.
“Sherlock Holmes Against Conan Doyle,” brings to light the struggle the writer had with trying to escape the mania caused by the public’s fascination with the character Sherlock Holmes.
Beginning with “A Study in Scarlet,” published in 1887, Doyle would write four novels and more than 50 short stories featuring Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. James Watson.
Frustrated with not having enough time to work on other genres, Doyle tried creative measures to reduce his publisher’s demand for more Holmes.
He tried raising his asking price to such an absurd amount that they would have to refuse him, but to his surprise they were willing to pay those large sums.
Eventually, Doyle killed off Holmes in the short story “The Final Problem” in 1893. This reprieve would be short-lived, however, as public outcry forced him to write another Holmes novel in 1901.
Credits:
Acquired by American Public Television from Terranoa for syndication to public television stations nationwide. Produced by Gedeon Programmes. Directed by Emmanuelle Nobécourt.
