Richard Gordon as Sherlock Holmes on Stage.

 

[Evening Star, Washington, October 31, 1931]

Richard Gordon was 48 years old in 1930, the year he began to play Sherlock Holmes on radio, with another established stage actor, Leigh Lovell, as his Watson. Apart from this celebrated radio series and a screen appearance in "The Radio Murder Mystery" (1933) as 'Sherlock Holmes of the Air', it is not generally known that Gordon played the Great Detective more than once on stage.

"THE MAZARIN STONE" - 21 JULY, 1933.

[Evening Star, Washington, 20 July, 1933]

Loew's Fox Theatre, Washington, opened in 1927 and was renamed Loew's Capitol Theatre in 1936. On Friday, 21 July, 1933, audiences were offered both screen and live stage in a joint programme. Helen Twelvetrees 'Disgraced' herself with Bruce Cabot in the film. On stage, as part of the live entertainment, Richard Gordon appeared as Holmes with Lovell as Watson in "The Mazarin Stone". Washington's Evening Star described the performance:

The event had been heralded on the 19th in the same newspaper with a superb sketch of Gordon as Holmes by Newman Sudduth:

"THE SIGN OF THE FOUR" JULY 8-13, 1907.

Richard Gordon was 25 years old in 1907 when he performed as leading man for Sylvester Poli's Own Stock company at the Jacques Theater in Waterbury, CT. This was home country for the young actor, born 30 miles away in Bridgeport in October, 1882. His real name was George Gerbich, son of Mr. & Mrs. John G. Gerbich. Perhaps there were Gerbich family members in the audience when the local-lad-made-good took possession of 221B.

The Waterbury evening Democrat previewed SIGN on the 6th and 8th, reviewing on July 10 and 12. Here is the block advertisement:

Here is the review of 10 July:

Unfortunately, this newspaper did not run to a photograph, but here is Richard Gordon just two months later, playing Frederick Ossian in "The Butterflies" for Poli's Own Stock company at the Bijou:

[Daily Morning Journal & Courier, 21 September, 1907]

OTHER PERFORMANCES.

Late in my research of Gordon's stage career, I came across some relevant extracts on Google Books from Ian Dickerson's "Sherlock Holmes and his Adventures on American Radio" (2019).

Dickerson is very informative about Gordon's early days. At 16 he worked a while reporting for the Bridgeport Morning Union, before enrolling at Yale Art School in New York, and thence to the American Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1902. Eventually, from Owen Moore's Stock Company, he joined Poli's in 1906 as leading man. He served as First Lieutenant during the First World War and returned to the theatre, often touring with his wife, actress, Emily Ann Wellman.

Importantly, Dickerson remarks, having mentioned Gordon's Poli Sherlock: "As his career progressed he was to play Holmes on stage another half dozen times." I have not been able to track down these other productions. Most likely they are noted by Gordon himself in the Richard Gordon Diaries 1908-1940 held in the Department of Special Collections at Stanford University Libraries. There are seven, each listing theatre engagements. Perhaps Dickerson has read these.

In conclusion, I should be delighted to receive any further information about Richard Gordon's elusive stage appearances as Sherlock Holmes.

 ©RAYWILCOCKSON 2022.