Maurice Costello
Costello was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Irish immigrants Ellen (née Fitzgerald; born 1853) and Thomas Costello (born 1852). He made his film debut in 1908, but was long believed to have debuted in "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; or, Held for Ransom" (1905), supposedly playing the lead in what is regarded as the first serious film to feature the character of Sherlock Holmes, since it was preceded only by the 30-second comedy film "Sherlock Holmes Baffled" (1900). However, Holmesian scholar Leslie S. Klinger has written that the identification of Costello in the role is flawed. Klinger states that the first identification of Costello with the role was in Michael Pointer's "Public Life of Sherlock Holmes" published in 1975 but Pointer later realized his error and wrote to Klinger stating
Adaptations of Sherlock Holmes
In 2007, Peepolykus Theatre Company premiered a new adaptation of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" at West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds. Adapted by John Nicholson and Steve Canny, directed by Orla O'loughlin with Javier Marzan as Sherlock Holmes, the production involves only 3 actors. Following a UK tour, it transferred to the Duchess Theatre in London’s West End. This adaptation continues to be presented by both amateur and professional companies around the world.