Louis Hector

Louis Hector (March 19, 1883 – October 1968) was an American radio, theater, film, and television actor. He is best known for his roles of Sherlock Holmes in the 1937 broadcast of The Three Garridebs (the first US televised portrayal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's protagonist Holmes); and that of the Reverend Browne in MGM's 1950 Technicolor release of Northwest Passage.

Louis Hector
Born(1883-03-19)March 19, 1883
DiedOctober 1968 (aged 85)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1925–1954

Life and career

Hector was born in March 1883. He started his acting career in Theatre performances in London and Broadway.[1] He acted in several plays in London with actress Jane Cowl before emigrating to the US in 1920, where he acted in several Broadway productions, including No More Ladies, and Arms and Men, and choreographed duels in Ziegfield's 1928 musical version of Three Musketeers.[1][2]

Hector worked regularly as a radio performer in the 1930s, often portraying Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's protagonist, Sherlock Holmes.[3] Hector was chosen to play Holmes in an early NBC experimental television broadcast of The Three Garridebs on November 27, 1937.[4][5][6] This is the first televised adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes character.[7] The show ran for 30 minutes, and was processed in B&W.[6] The New York Times wrote a positive review of his performance in the teleplay.[8]

"Louis Hector, in traditional cape, peaked cap, and double-breasted suit, played Holmes in the approved manner and at all times gave the impression that a manhunt was in progress ... His determined manner throughout gave convincing evidence of the ultimate outcome—that the detective would surely 'get his man'."[8] —The New York Times review, The Three Garridebs

Radio, film, and TV performances

Death

Hector died in New York City in early to mid October 1968, his obituary being published in the New York Times on October 19.[1]

References
  1. Holmes is from London; January 13, 1935; article, New York Times (via Faces of Holmes: Louis Hector at the Fourth Garrideb website); accessed August 2019
  2. The Three Musketeers – A Musical Adventure; play; production staff; The Broadway League.com; accessed August 2019
  3. Louis Hector; the Sir A. C. Doyle Dictionary online; retrieved May 2016
  4. Note: see 1937 in television
  5. Peter Haining (1994). The Television Sherlock Holmes. Virgin Books. p. 44. ISBN 0-86369-793-3.
  6. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - 23 Old-time Radio Shows with Various Actors; at amazon.com; retrieved May 2016
  7. First Actor to Portray Sherlock Holmes on TV; Guinness World Records online; retrieved November 2016
  8. Haining, Peter (1994). The Television Sherlock Holmes. Virgin Books. pp. 44–47. ISBN 0-86369-793-3.
  9. The Miraculous Serum; actor, Louis Hector on Tales of Tomorrow; YouTube; retrieved May 2016
  10. Kreymborg, Alfred; The Planets: A Modern Allegory; Farrar & Rinehart; New York; 1938; retrieved May 2016
  11. The Three Garridebs on Radio; Ruby, Greg D.; September 3, 2014; The Fourth Garrideb - Numismatics of Sherlock Holmes; accessed August 2019
  12. The Three Garridebs on Television; Ruby, Greg D.; TV film; September 4, 2014; The Fourth Garrideb - Numismatics of Sherlock Holmes; accessed August 2019
  13. Dickerson, Ian (2019). Sherlock Holmes and His Adventures on American Radio. BearManor Media. pp. 56–65. ISBN 978-1629335087.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.