The Brettish Empire

"What's to stop us selling tapes of Jeremy Brett back to the Americans?"
--James Boyle, chairman of Scotland's cultural commission, who wants to reclaim Sherlock Holmes as a Scottish literary icon (Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a Scot)

• Next time you're near a bookstore or newsstand, look for Remembering Audrey, a Life Magazine tribute to Audrey Hepburn, who passed away 15 years ago. All of the fabulous photos in this softcover book were all taken by Bob Willoughby, whose long association with Ms. Hepburn began when he was assigned to photograph her for Paramount Studios in 1953. A quick flip through the book at my local supermarket revealed a full-page B&W pic of Audrey, George Cukor, and our boy Jeremy Brett on the set of My Fair Lady. (This book will definitely end up in the cart next time--too bad I didn't spot it before I'd spent $$$ on groceries! ;->) For more info on Remembering Audrey, please click here and here. 

• No, it's not Jeremy Brett and Audrey Hepburn, but this clip of actor Noah Skultety (as Freddie Eynsford-Hill) proposing to Claire Culver (as Eliza Doolittle) during the curtain call following a local California production of My Fair Lady is so charming, I had to include a link to it. (More info about the production and proposal here.) Enjoy! 

• Very nice article about what is apparently the first professional US production of Jeremy Paul's The Secret of Sherlock Holmes. JB starred in the original UK stage version and always hoped that it would end up on Broadway, which, sadly, it never did. Plus, more background info about the current production, and another fine article. (Incidentally, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes was performed in May 2007 by the Black Swamp Players, a community theatre in Bowling Green, Ohio.)

• Fantastic pix of JB here.

• The excerpt below from the 1975 Twiggy show has to be the JB "clip of the year" on YouTube. I don't know how (or where) such rare footage was unearthed, but it's a honey. JB harkens back to his Eton choirboy roots, revisits The Merry Widow (crikey!), then does a mellow duet with Twiggy to close out the program. (And, his own singing voice wasn't used why in My Fair Lady?) It makes one wish JB could have done a solo variety special to showcase his vocal talents. And, speaking of vocal talents:  Jeremy introduced Twiggy to Kate Fleming, the vocal coach for the National Theatre, because she wanted to tone down her authentic Cockney accent. 

• The vehicles are the stars here, but JB also appears. 
• First, the Sherlock Holmes set was shuttered; now, Granada's entire complex in Manchester may bite the dust...
• Loverly! Still pics of JB at the royal premiere of My Fair Lady from the British Pathe website. (NOTE: If you want to watch the actual newsreels, it will cost you $$$.) B&W footage of the royal gala premiere can be viewed here for free, though, and color (albeit soundless) footage can be viewed here and here. 

• It's impossible for me to watch the eloquent Fleurop advert below and not be reminded of Jeremy Brett, because of its moving premise--and especially because of the actress who stars in it. 

• Bonham's auctioned two of Jeremy Brett's costumes from Sherlock Holmes that were part of the huge "Angel's Star Collection of Film and TV Costumes". A black "cape/cloak" sold for 1900 pounds plus buyer's premium and tax, or nearly $4000 USD. A gray dressing gown (which was incorrectly pictured in the auction catalog for a while) sold for 1600 pounds plus premium and tax, over $3000 USD. It looks like they were the first two lots up for bid, too. 
• YouTube has some interesting JB/Sherlock Holmes clips. And, while you're there, check out a cool video featuring scenes from Buster Keaton's masterpiece, Sherlock Junior. (Okay, it's not exactly Brettish, but doesn't Buster remind you of a certain dapper detective in this video? ;->)
• Read a fantastic 1991 interview with Jeremy Brett by Kevin Murphy (thanks so much, Kevin, for sending this link to me!)
• Let's keep our fingers crossed, and perhaps JB will be honored on Britain's new "Walk of Fame".
• JBTV (Where you can find JB on US TV!)
• Listen to JB here! (Follow English instructions on page to download.)
• Paging Angus Podgorny: Scotland wants Sherlock Holmes.
• Although Jeremy Brett didn't live long enough to achieve knighthood, his former wife Anna Massey did. 
• JB's Sherlock Holmes is classic telly! (But you knew that already...)
• Is it "new"? Is it a repeat? Whatever they called it, JB's Sherlock Holmes became a hit all over again on the BBC!
• Would today's world be too PC for JB? Why his favorite word isn't so "darling" anymore!
• More JB news that's kind of old now. ;->
• Yea! Jeremy Brett has been one of the least annoying people on this website (but keep voting so he'll stay "Not Annoying"!)
• Test your Brettish knowledge with a quiz  
• Another Brettish quiz  
• Put on your thinking caps again, Brettfans--here comes your editor with her own Brettish quiz :->
• Kathy Li's informative episode guide for the Granada SH series is back!
• For the best discussion I've ever read on Jeremy's Holmes, see: Holmes on Screen.
• Here's a portrait of two famous heroes.
• Goodness Gracious - Superb photos of JB as Sherlock Holmes!
• Surf on over to Linda Patterson's Brettish Aisles! 
• What eggs-actly is JB's "Bacon number"?
• For a truly surrealistic view of JB on the web, visit "Googlism.com" (and scroll down the page). To "Googlize" anyone or anything else, just type in the name--without quotation marks--in the space provided on the site.
• Amazing imagery:  Visit this site and type in phrases like "Jeremy Brett" and "Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes" (try it with and without quotation marks). 
• Want to see what Jeremy Brett's (or your own) English name might look like in Chinese?
• Visit The Bloggish Empire, where your editor muses about JB, and whatever else happens to cross her mind! :-> (Warning: May not be suitable for people who take humor--and themselves--way too seriously. ;->)
• It may not be Brettish, but it's my brother's site.
• Please check out my niece's site--it's "beary" nice! :)
• Click below to visit the Charles Kay Archives, a superlative site about a superlative actor who worked with Jeremy Brett on the stage and screen: 

This British Actors & Actresses site is owned by Lisa Oldham. Want to join the British Actors & Actresses Web?
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