Month: January 2021

Born January 29, 1911, Coleman played Doctor Watson in a 1959 production of The Sign of the Four.

Name: Madeline Quiñones

Bullpup moniker: Maddie

Who is your favorite Watson and why? David Burke! The moment I first saw him in Granada’s “A Scandal in Bohemia” was pure magic: he WAS the Watson in my head. I had already been reading through the canon and I had a mental image of the good doctor and then David steps on screen and I’m just like, “Oh my gosh, that’s WATSON.” I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t mention my other favorite Watsons: Michael Williams, Howard Marion Crawford, and Edward Hardwicke, who are all magical in their own way!

If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled? “The Problem of the Beleaguered Sister”!

Give us an improbable fact about yourself! I am the oldest of seven and 20 years older than my baby sister. No, really! She was a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one! The funny thing is that I was getting into Sherlock Holmes right when she was born, so I have a lot of memories of reading the canon for the first time on my Palm Pilot (oh my gosh, remember THOSE??) while holding my sleeping newborn sister. Good times. …She’s ten now and I don’t know what to do about that.(If I’m allowed to self-promote, I also run a weekly comic called The Adventures of Professor Moriarty at https://theadventuresofprofessormoriarty.tumblr.com/. It’s VERY Watsonian because half the time Colonel Moran is trying to bully Professor Moriarty into a better life and if that isn’t Watsonian I don’t know what is. 😀 )

Why did you join the JHWS? Well, I was already thinking about it because of binging the Watsonian Weekly! I’d attended the Left Coast Sherlockian Symposium in its virtual setting and I had been feeling an ache ever since to just… fellowship, really, with other fans. The breakout room time I spent there was just some of the most fun I’d ever had. So a couple of months later, in December, I took to Twitter and asked my Sherlockian mutuals how to get into SH societies because I just had no idea. Several lovely people were very willing to help me out and it was suggested I could join the JHWS. And I’m so glad I did! I’ve been having a lot of fun so far. <3

Thanks so much, Madeline! We love all of our wonderful Watsonians and want to feature each and every one of them. Just answer the questions above (and send a picture if convenient) and send your replies to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.

Name (or alias): Holly Turner

Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know): Noel

Who is your favorite Watson and why? I love David Burke and Edward Hardwicke equally. They both portrayed Watson as kind, loyal, and intelligent, just as he should be. And both were perfect for where they sat in the timeline. I read someone saying ‘David Burke and Jeremy Brett are newlyweds, Edward Hardwicke and Jeremy are an old married couple’. I think that sums it up perfectly!

If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled? The Adventure of the Tired Scientist.

Give us an improbable fact about yourself! I can’t remember things I need to do without writing them down, but I can remember really odd things from years ago. Thanks, dyspraxia!

Why did you join the JHWS? I was looking for a Holmesian society that isn’t only scholarly. I’m looking forward to being nerdy with fellow fans, and perhaps making some contributions.

Thanks, Holly! We love all of our wonderful Watsonians and want to feature each and every one! Just answer the questions above and send the answers (along with a photo if you like) to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.

Name (or alias): Michele Lopez

Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):Reggie

Who is your favorite Watson and why? I have a soft spot for the good Watsons in bad adaptations, like the excellent Donald Pickering in the so-so Anglo/Polish series of the late 70s. He was a great actor who definitely deserved better. I especially like when Watson is quick and smart, as he should be, so I add David Burke from the Granada series, Vitaly Solomin from the 80s Russian series and Gianni Bonagura from the 1968 Italian adaptations.

If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled? The Curious Case of the Lazy Italian Gentleman

Give us an improbable fact about yourself! I ran my first marathon at the young age of 49.

Why did you join the JHWS? When I found out in 2013, through Internet browsing and word of mouth, that a John Watson society had been founded I immediately thought it was a great idea. Our Good Doctor sometimes does not receive all the attention he deserves. Furthermore, I saw the names of many friends among those who had already subscribed, so joining on the spot was a no-brainer.  

Thank you, Michele! We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Just answer the questions above and send your reply to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com!

Name: Gretchen Altabef

Bullpup moniker: Hamish

Who is your favorite Watson and why?

The gentleman who wonderfully crafted the Sherlock Holmes canon.

As far as those who have portrayed Dr. Watson on stage and screen, Edward Hardwicke. When my son saw him for the first time (knowing of Jude Law), he said, “He is exactly how I see Watson.” Mr. Hardwicke shares the day I celebrate as Dr. Watson’s birthday, August 7. Not only did he play Watson superbly for the Granada Sherlock Holmes series, and in The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, but his friendship with Mr. Brett on and off screen to me says quite a bit about the Watson-like gentleman he was. The fixed point in a changing age. Watson would most definitely collect Holmes from the Asylum. (Although if I were writing this story, I would have Watson spring Holmes much earlier.) Edward Hardwicke’s audiobook readings of some of the canon stories are wonderful and enlightening as to his range as an actor. I can go on…

As an author of Sherlock Holmes novels, I see both Holmes and Watson as ever-present and extremely helpful muses. And though Mr. Hardwicke is usually in my head when writing Dr. Watson’s character, others show up to lend aspects of the gentleman. David Burke, Andre Panin, Vitally Solomon, Jude Law. Even Nigel Bruce, occasionally, mostly to help me laugh at myself. Extremely necessary when writing a novel. I am incredibly grateful for John H. Watson in my life and his ability to present and explain the genius of Sherlock Holmes. It is not easy to express the inexpressible.

If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?

“If Watson Was a Woman.”

Give us an improbable fact about yourself!

Here’s two:

Of an adventurous bent, I became one of the first women in local TV news to race through perilous New York City streets to get to the scene of the crime. For the best shots, preferably before the police and fire companies arrived. I write my novels from a visceral understanding of the dangerous underbelly of crime in the city.

Why is my hair blue? I figure when one’s hair goes white; one gets to pick. I am also an artist: photographer and sculptor. Colouring one’s hair for gallery or museum openings is de rigueur. My favourite reason is it’s a great conversation opener. As an elder, I was invisible to younger folk, now with Teal-coloured hair we talk all the time.

Why did you join the JHWS?

I met fellow JHWS members at the 2018 BSI Sherlock Holmes Birthday weekend, and it was love at first sight, we are such fun together! There are no local Scions around me, so I consider JHWS and SHSL as my Scions. As I share Holmes’ abhorrence for classism of any kind, I cherish the openness of our society. My first Sherlockian article was published in the Watsonian, also my most recent. Photo below.–
Gretchen AltabefMX Publishing Author: Sherlock Holmes: These Scattered Houses & Remarkable Power of Stimulus

Editor and Contributor of the history of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes: Jeremy Brett–Playing A Part & Jeremy Brett IS Sherlock Holmes by Maureen Whittaker.  

“Gretchen Altabef is a remarkably talented author. She eschews the formulas that so often appear in Holmes pastiches and sets about creating a new format.”  Harry DeMaio, author of the Casebooks of Octavius Bear

“Of the hundreds of Sherlock Holmes, pastiche mysteries available to the Sherlockian, very few can match this book for a depth of historical research and a heart-stopping thrill of a story. A great read.” Craig Stephen Copland, author of New Sherlock Holmes Mysteries.

“A previously untold adventure of the ‘Great Hiatus.’ A gripping and colourful adventure.” Sherlock Holmes Society of London.MX Author’s Page: https://bit.ly/gretchenaltabef
Author’s Blog: https://featuresofinterest.com/

We love all of our wonderful Watsonians and we want to feature each and every one of you! If convenient, please respond to this short interview.

Be your own Boswell and tell us a little about yourself! 

Name (or alias):

Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):

Who is your favorite Watson and why?

If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?

Give us an improbable fact about yourself!

Why did you join the JHWS?

Please feel free to include a picture that we can use alongside your interview. Or you may elect to see what sort of bullpup image we pluck from Sherman’s digital menagerie in lieu.

Yes, it was a good weekend for Watsonians. And Sherlockians. Give yourself twenty more minutes of it with the latest episode of the Watsonian Weekly, back to full staff and then some!

https://watsonianweekly.libsyn.com/january-10-2021-a-bureau-of-certified-buzzards-for-watson

Hey, everybody! We won! If you want to keep the Watsonian winning streak alive, join us tomorrow — Saturday, January 8th, at 11:00 PM Central Time to watch some Watsonians who know their Watson play the Watson Game! If you haven’t gotten your Zoom invitation yet, send a quick note to podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com to get the link (up until an hour before meeting time, after that, you have our apologies).

Bullpup Calder has dreamed up a wild activity for this week’s JHWS meeting, but we still need to conduct ourselves in a business like manner. Medicine has been claimed but we need a toast to Mary and a toast to Murray. We also need someone to read the closing poem, Paul Thomas Miller’s 221B. Please contact buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com if you want to claim one of these items.

With the birthday of John Watson’s best pal Sherlock coming up this week, next Saturday is definitely time for the John H. Watson Society to meet again. Yes, there is a long going on, but Saturday, January 9th will still hold an hour when you can see some Watsonian faces at 9 AM PDT, 10 AM MDT, 11AM CDT, 12 Noon EDT, 5 PM BST, 6 PM CEST, etc.

What will we be doing? Well, the traditional toasts, of course, to Murray, Mary, and Medicine. And after that, it will be time for something new — The Watson Game! You can be part, be in the audience, or maybe even take on the role of Sherlock Holmes. Start thinking like John Watson and you’ll be in perfect shape for it, which is all you’re going to find out for now.

As always, if you need the Zoom link, write to podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com for the connection any time up until the hour before the meeting. After that time, you may have to ask a fellow Watsonian, as it might be a gamble as to whether or not the meeting host is still checking that e-mail box.