List of actors who have played Sherlock Holmes - wikipedia List of actors who have played Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes is the most portrayed literary character in film and television history, having appeared on screen 254 times as of 2012. Contents 1 Radio and audio dramas 2 Stage plays 3 Television and DTV films 4 Television series 5 Theatrical films 6 See also 7 References Radio and audio dramas Name Title Date Type William Gillette Sherlock Holmes - `` The Adventure of the Speckled Band '' 1930 Radio ( NBC ) Lux Radio Theater -- `` Sherlock Holmes '' 1935 Radio ( NBC ) Richard Gordon Sherlock Holmes - 34 stories adapted from Doyle 1930 Radio ( NBC ) Clive Brook Sherlock Holmes : `` Scandal In Bohemia & The Red - Headed League '' 1930 Radio ( NBC ) Richard Gordon The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1930 -- 1933 Radio ( NBC ) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1936 Radio ( Mutual, NBC ) Louis Hector The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1934 - 1935 Radio ( NBC ) Orson Welles The Mercury Theater on the Air -- `` The Immortal Sherlock Holmes '' 1938 Radio ( CBS ) Basil Rathbone The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1939 -- 1946 Radio ( Blue Network & Mutual ) Arthur Wontner The Boscombe Valley Mystery 1943 BBC Home Service John Cheatle My Dear Watson 1943 BBC Home Service Cedric Hardwicke The Speckled Band 1945 Radio ( BBC ) Tom Conway The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1946 - 1947 Radio ( ABC ) Carleton Hobbs 56 stories from the Sherlock Holmes canon 1952 -- 1969 Radio ( BBC series ) John Gielgud The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1954 Radio ( BBC ) Richard Hurndall The Sign Of Four Parts 1 - 5 1959 Radio ( BBC ) Robert Powell A Study in Scarlet ( British ) Kevin McCarthy CBS Radio Mystery Theater - `` A Scandal in Bohemia '' 1977 ( American ) Graham Armitage The Stories of Sherlock Holmes 1979 - 1985 Springbok Radio Clive Merrison The entire canon -- the only actor to do so 1989 -- 2004 Radio series ( BBC ) The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 2002 - 2010 Radio series ( BBC ) Roy Hudd The Newly Discovered Casebook of Sherlock Holmes 1999 Radio series ( BBC ) Roger Llewellyn Sherlock Holmes -- The Death and Life, Sherlock Holmes -- The Last Act 2009 Audio dramas ( Big Finish Productions ) Nicholas Briggs Sherlock Holmes 2010 -- 2018 Audio dramas ( Big Finish Productions ) Stage plays Name Title Date Type C.H.E. Brookfield Under The Clock 1893 Stage ( Royal Court Theatre ) John Webb Sherlock Holmes 1894 Stage ( Royalty Theatre, Glasgow ) William Gillette Sherlock Holmes 1899 Stage ( Broadway ) The Painful Predicament of Sherlock Holmes 1905 Stage ( Metropolitan Opera House ) John F. Preston The Bank of England : An Adventure in the Life of Sherlock Holmes 1900 Stage ( Clapham ) Walter Edwards The Sign of the Four 1903 Stage ( West End Theater ) Harry Arthur Saintsbury Sherlock Holmes 1903 -- 1910 Stage ( London ) The Speckled Band 1910 Stage ( London ) H. Hamilton Stewart Sherlock Holmes 1906 - 1918 Stage ( England ) Ferdinand Bonn Sherlock Holmes 1906 Stage ( Berliner Theatre ) Der Hund Von Baskerville 1907 Stage ( Berliner Theatre ) Dennis Neilson - Terry The Crown Diamond 1921 Stage ( London ) Eille Norwood The Return of Sherlock Holmes 1923 Stage ( UK ) Hamilton Deane Sherlock Holmes 1923 - 1932 Stage ( UK ) Tod Slaughter The Return of Sherlock Holmes 1928 Stage ( England ) Felix Aylmer The Holmeses of Baker Street 1933 Stage ( Lyceum Theatre ) Tod Slaughter Sherlock Holmes 1930 ( ~ ) Stage Basil Rathbone `` Sherlock Holmes '' by Ouida Bergère 1953 Stage play Fritz Weaver Baker Street 1965 Stage musical ( Broadway Theatre, NYC ) John Neville Sherlock Holmes 1973 ( ~ ) Stage ( Royal Shakespeare Company ) John Wood Sherlock Holmes 1974 -- 1976 Stage ( Broadway ) Leonard Nimoy Sherlock Holmes 1976 Stage ( Royal Shakespeare Company ) Frank Langella Sherlock Holmes 1977, 1980 ( filmed for HBO ) Stage revival ( Williamstown Theater Festival ) Sherlock 's Last Case Stage ( Nederlander Theatre ) Paxton Whitehead The Crucifer of Blood 1978 Stage ( Broadway ) Keith Michell The Crucifer of Blood 1979 Stage ( London ) Keith Baxter The Penultimate Problem of Sherlock Holmes 1980 Stage ( Off - Broadway ) Murder, My Dear Watson Stage Paul Singleton Grit in a Sensitive Instrument 1980, 1982 Stage ( regional theatre, Off - Broadway ), cable TV The Blue Carbuncle 2007 -- 2008 Stage ( Off Broadway, Los Angeles ) Charlton Heston The Crucifer of Blood 1981 Stage ( Los Angeles ) Sherlock 's Last Case 1990 Stage ( Broadway ) Tom Baker The Mask of Moriarty 1985 Stage ( Dublin ) Jeremy Brett The Secret of Sherlock Holmes 1988 -- 89 Stage ( touring, British ) Time Winters Sherlock Holmes and the Hands of Othello Stage ( Off - Off Broadway, NY ) Ron Moody Sherlock Holmes : The Musical 1989 Stage Javier Marzan The Hound of the Baskervilles 2007 Stage ( West Yorkshire Playhouse ) Julien Masdoua Le Cabaret Sherlock Holmes 2013 Stage ( France ) Benjamin Lawlor The Hound of the Baskervilles 2013 Stage ( UK ) Simon Michael Morgan Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol 2013 Stage ( Britain ) Gregory Wooddell Baskerville : A Sherlock Holmes Mystery 2015 Arena Stage in Southwest, Washington, D.C. Euan Morton Baskerville : A Sherlock Holmes Mystery 2015 Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California Paul Andrew Goldsmith Sherlock Holmes & the Case of the Christmas Carol 2015 -- 2016 UK theatre tour Jay Taylor Baskerville : A Sherlock Holmes Mystery 2017 - 2018 Liverpool Playhouse Television and DTV films Name Title Date Type Louis Hector The Three Garridebs 1937 Television play on NBC ( American ) John Longden `` Sherlock Holmes : The Man Who Disappeared '' 1951 Television short Andrew Osborn The Mazarin Stone 1951 Television film for BBC ( British ) Stewart Granger The Hound of the Baskervilles 1972 Television film ( American ) John Cleese Comedy Playhouse series 13 -- `` Elementary, My Dear Watson '' 1973 Television film ( British ) Roger Moore Sherlock Holmes in New York 1976 Television film ( American ) Christopher Plummer Silver Blaze 1977 Television film ( Canadian ) Algimantas Masiulis Blue Carbuncle 1980 ( Belarusfilm ) Frank Langella Sherlock Holmes 1981 Television film adaptation of the play ( American ) Tom Baker The Hound of the Baskervilles 1982 Television film ( British ) Peter O'Toole Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear Animated television film ( Australian ) Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of Four Animated television film ( Australian ) Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse Animated television film ( Australian ) Sherlock Holmes and a Study in Scarlet Animated television film ( Australian ) Ian Richardson The Sign of Four Television film ( British - American ) The Hound of the Baskervilles Television film ( British - American ) Peter Cushing The Masks of Death 1984 Television film ( British ) Michael Pennington The Return of Sherlock Holmes Television film ( American ) Brian Bedford `` My Dear Watson '' 1989 Episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents ( American ) Edward Woodward Hands of a Murderer 1990 Television film ( American ) Charlton Heston The Crucifer of Blood 1991 Television film adaptation of the play ( American ) Christopher Lee Incident at Victoria Falls 1991 Television film Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady Television film Patrick Macnee The Hound of London 1993 Television film ( Luxembourgian / Canadian ) Anthony Higgins Sherlock Holmes Returns 1993 Television film ( American ) Matt Frewer The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire 2002 Television film ( Canadian ) The Sign of Four 2001 Television film ( Canadian ) The Royal Scandal 2001 Television film ( Canadian ) The Hound of the Baskervilles 2000 Television film ( Canadian ) James D'Arcy Sherlock : Case of Evil 2002 Television film ( American ) Richard Roxburgh The Hound of the Baskervilles 2002 Television film ( British ) Rupert Everett Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking Television film ( British ) Jonathan Pryce Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars 2007 Television film ( British ) Michael York Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes Animated DTV film. Voice only. ( American ) Ben Syder Sherlock Holmes DTV film ( American ) Television series Name Title Date Type Alan Napier Your Show Time - `` The Speckled Band '' 1949 ( American ) Alan Wheatley Sherlock Holmes 1951 TV series ( BBC ) Basil Rathbone Suspense - `` The Adventure of the Black Baronet '' 1953 ( American ) Ronald Howard Sherlock Holmes 1954 -- 1955 TV series Boris Karloff The Elgin Hour - `` Sting of Death '' 1955 Based on H.F. Heard 's A Taste for Honey ( American ) Douglas Wilmer Detective - `` The Speckled Band '' 1964 Backdoor pilot for the 1965 series ( British ) Sherlock Holmes 1965 TV series Erich Schellow Sherlock Holmes 1967 -- 1968 TV series ( Germany ) Peter Cushing Sherlock Holmes 1968 TV series Nando Gazzolo Sherlock Holmes 1968 TV series ( Italy ) Vasily Livanov The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson 1979 -- 1986 TV film series ( USSR ) Geoffrey Whitehead Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson 1979 TV series Peter Lawford Fantasy Island - `` The Case Against Mr. Roarke / Save Sherlock Holmes '' 1982 ( American ) Guy Henry Young Sherlock : The Mystery of the Manor House 1982 TV series Jeremy Brett The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1984 -- 1985 TV series The Return of Sherlock Holmes 1986 -- 1988 TV series The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes 1991 -- 1993 TV series The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes TV series Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. Alvin and the Chipmunks - `` Elementary, My Dear Simon '' ( American ) Taichirō Hirokawa ( Japanese version ) Larry Moss ( English version ) Elio Pandolfi ( Italian version ) Sherlock Hound 1984 -- 1985 TV anime series Brian Bedford Alfred Hitchcock Presents -- `` My Dear Watson '' 1989 TV series Jason Gray - Stanford Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century TV series ( animated ) Robert Webb That Mitchell and Webb Look - `` Holmes and Watson '' 2007 ( British ) David Mitchell That Mitchell and Webb Look - `` Old Sherlock Holmes '' ( British ) Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock 2010 -- present TV series ( BBC ) Alexander Armstrong The Armstrong and Miller Show TV skit Jonny Lee Miller Elementary 2012 -- present TV series ( American ) Igor Petrenko Sherlock Holmes 2013 TV series ( Russian ) Louis Oliver Moffat Sherlock -- Flashbacks of Holmes as a child 2013 TV series ( BBC ) Kōichi Yamadera Sherlock Holmes 2014 -- present TV series ( puppetry, Japan ) Ewan Bremner Houdini & Doyle -- `` Bedlam '' 2016 TV series Mark Caven Houdini & Doyle -- `` The Pall of LaPier '' 2016 TV series Theatrical films Name Title Date Type Alwin Neuß Sherlock Holmes 1908 ( Germany ) The Stolen Legacy ( Den stjaalne millionobligation ) 1911 ( Germany ) Detektiv Braun 1914 ( Germany ) Der Hund von Baskerville 1914 ( Germany ) Viggo Larsen Arsène Lupin contra Sherlock Holmes 1910 ( Germany ) Otto Lagoni Sherlock Holmes i Bondefangerklør 1910 ( Denmark ) The Bogus Governess ( Den forklædte barnepige ) 1911 ( Denmark ) The Black Hand ( Den sorte Haand ) 1911 ( Denmark ) A Confidence Trick 1911 ( Denmark ) Einar Zangenberg Hotel Thieves 1911 ( Denmark ) Lauritz Olsen Den sorte hætte 1911 ( Denmark ) Mack Sennett The $500 Reward 1911 Georges Tréville The Speckled Band 1912 Short film ( British - French ) Silver Blaze 1912 Short film ( British - French ) The Beryl Coronet 1912 Short film ( British - French ) The Musgrave Ritual 1912 Short film ( British - French ) The Reigate Squares 1912 Short film ( British - French ) The Stolen Papers 1912 Short film ( British - French ) The Mystery of Boscombe Valley 1912 Short film ( British - French ) The Copper Beeches 1912 Short film ( British - French ) Harry Benham Sherlock Holmes Solves The Sign of the Four 1913 Two reel film ( American ) James Bragington A Study in Scarlet 1914 ( British ) Francis Ford A Study in Scarlet 1914 ( American ) William Gillette Sherlock Holmes 1916 Silent adaptation of the play of the same name ( American ) Harry Arthur Saintsbury The Valley of Fear 1916 Hugo Flink Der Erdstrommotor 1917 ( German ) Der Schlangenring 1917 ( German ) Die Kassette 1917 ( German ) Eille Norwood Stoll Film series 1921 -- 1923 Consists of 45 live - action shorts The Sign of the Four 1923 The Hound of the Baskervilles 1921 John Barrymore Sherlock Holmes 1922 Silent adaptation of the play of the same name ( American ) Carlyle Blackwell Der Hund von Baskerville 1929 Clive Brook The Return of Sherlock Holmes 1929 Paramount on Parade : `` Murder Will Out '' 1930 Anthology Film ( Sherlock appears in 4th Sequence ) Sherlock Holmes 1932 Arthur Wontner The Sleeping Cardinal 1931 The Missing Rembrandt 1932 The Sign of Four 1932 The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes 1935 Silver Blaze 1937 Raymond Massey The Speckled Band 1931 Robert Rendel The Hound of the Baskervilles 1932 Reginald Owen A Study in Scarlet 1933 Bruno Güttner The Hound of the Baskervilles ( Der Hund von Baskerville ) 1937 Basil Rathbone The Hound of the Baskervilles 1939 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1939 Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror 1942 Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon 1942 Sherlock Holmes in Washington 1943 Sherlock Holmes Faces Death 1943 Crazy House 1943 ( Cameo ) The Spider Woman 1944 The Scarlet Claw 1944 The Pearl of Death 1944 The House of Fear 1945 The Woman in Green 1945 Pursuit to Algiers 1945 Terror by Night 1946 Dressed to Kill 1946 The Great Mouse Detective 1986 Animated film ( Archive ; Voice only ) Peter Cushing The Hound of the Baskervilles 1959 ( British ) Christopher Lee Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace ( Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes ) 1962 ( West German - French - Italian ) John Neville A Study in Terror 1965 ( British ) Peter Jeffrey The Best House in London 1969 ( British ) Robert Stephens The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes 1970 ( American ) Douglas Wilmer The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes ' Smarter Brother ( American ) John Cleese The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It 1977 ( British ) Nicol Williamson The Seven - Per - Cent Solution 1976 ( American ) Peter Cook The Hound of the Baskervilles 1978 ( British ) Christopher Plummer Murder by Decree 1979 ( British - Canadian ) Nicholas Rowe Young Sherlock Holmes 1985 ( American ) Mr. Holmes 2015 Cameo as Holmes in a film - within - the - film ( American ) Joaquim de Almeida The Xango from Baker Street ( O Xangô de Baker Street ) 2001 ( Brazil / Portugal ) Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes 2009 ( British - American ) Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows 2011 ( British - American ) Gary Piquer Holmes & Watson. Madrid Days 2012 ( Spanish ) Ian McKellen Mr. Holmes 2015 ( American ) Yoshimitsu Takasugi Chuck Huber The Empire of Corpses 2015 Anime film ( Japanese and English dub, respectively ) Will Ferrell Holmes and Watson 2018 ( American ) See also List of actors who have played Dr. Watson List of actors who have played Inspector Lestrade List of actors who have played Mycroft Holmes List of actors who have played Professor Moriarty References Jump up ^ `` Sherlock Holmes awarded title for most portrayed literary human character in film & TV ''. Guinness World Records. 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2015. Jump up ^ Allen Eyles ( 1986 ). Sherlock Holmes : A Centenary Celebration. Harper & Row. p. 132. ISBN 0 - 06 - 015620 - 1. Jump up ^ Eyles, Alan ( 1986 ). Sherlock Holmes : A Centenary Celebration. Harper & Row. p. 133. ISBN 0 - 06 - 015620 - 1. ^ Jump up to : Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. p. 176. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Redmond, Christopher ( 2009 ). Sherlock Holmes Handbook : Second Edition. Dundurn. p. 229. ISBN 9781459718982. Jump up ^ `` Sherlock Holmes ( 1955 Radio Series ) John Gielgud & Ralph Richardson ''. Internet Archive. Retrieved December 18, 2017. Jump up ^ Eyles, Alan ( 1986 ). Sherlock Holmes : A Centenary Celebration. Harper & Row. p. 139. ISBN 0 - 06 - 015620 - 1. Jump up ^ Payton, Gordon ; Grams Jr., Martin ( 2012 ). The CBS Radio Mystery Theater : An Episode Guide and Handbook to Nine Years of Broadcasting, 1974 -- 1982. McFarland & Company. p. 216. ISBN 9780786492282. Jump up ^ Redmond, Christopher ( 2009 ). Sherlock Holmes Handbook : Second Edition. Dundurn. pp. 231 -- 232. ISBN 9781459718982. Jump up ^ Big Finish -- 1.02 Sherlock Holmes -- The Death and Life Jump up ^ Big Finish -- 1.01 Sherlock Holmes -- The Last Act Jump up ^ -- Big Finish -- Sherlock Holmes Jump up ^ Kabatchnik, Amnon ( 2008 ). Sherlock Holmes on the Stage. Scarecrow Press. p. 33. ISBN 9781461707226. Jump up ^ Kabatchnik, Amnon ( 2008 ). Sherlock Holmes on the Stage. Scarecrow Press. pp. 34 -- 35. ISBN 9781461707226. ^ Jump up to : Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. p. 126. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. pp. 21 -- 22. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Eyles, Alan ( 1986 ). Sherlock Holmes : A Centenary Celebration. Harper & Row. pp. 52 -- 53. ISBN 0 - 06 - 015620 - 1. Jump up ^ Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur ; Klinger, Leslie S. ( 2005 ). The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 1. W.W. Norton & Company. p. xxxiv. ISBN 0 - 7394 - 5304 - 1. ^ Jump up to : Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. pp. 126 -- 127. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Eyles, Alan ( 1986 ). Sherlock Holmes : A Centenary Celebration. Harper & Row. p. 131. ISBN 0 - 06 - 015620 - 1. ^ Jump up to : Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. p. 131. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. p. 121. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. p. 90. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Pointer, Michael ( 1975 ). The Public Life of Sherlock Holmes. Drake. pp. 132 -- 133. ISBN 0 - 87749 - 725 - 7. Jump up ^ Kabatchnik, Amnon ( 2008 ). Sherlock Holmes on the Stage. Scarecrow Press. p. 18. ISBN 9781461707226. Jump up ^ O'Connor, John ( November 19, 1981 ). `` HBO offers Sherlock Holmes ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 2, 2018. Jump up ^ Rich, Frank ( August 21, 1987 ). `` Stage : Langella In ' Sherlock 's Last ' ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 2, 2018. Jump up ^ Kabatchnik, Amnon ( 2012 ). Blood on the Stage, 1975 - 2000 : Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection : an Annotated Repertoire. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 98. ISBN 9780810883543. Jump up ^ Eyles, Allen ( 1986 ). Sherlock Holmes : A Centenary Celebration. Harper & Row. p. 141. ISBN 0 - 06 - 015620 - 1. Jump up ^ Hickling, Alfred ( January 27, 2007 ). `` The Hound of the Baskervilles ''. The Guardian. Retrieved January 2, 2018. Jump up ^ Wren, Celia ( January 18, 2015 ). `` ' Baskerville : A Sherlock Holmes Mystery ' charges into Arena Stage ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved December 26, 2017. Jump up ^ Verini, Bob ( August 3, 2015 ). `` Regional Theater Review : ' Baskerville, ' Ken Ludwig 's Sherlock Tale ''. Variety. Retrieved December 26, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol 2015 ''. Baroque Theatre Company. Retrieved December 18, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Baskerville - A Sherlock Holmes Mystery ''. Liverpool Playhouse. Retrieved January 2, 2018. Jump up ^ Haining, Peter ( 1994 ). The Television Sherlock Holmes. Virgin Books. pp. 44 -- 47. ISBN 0 - 86369 - 793 - 3. Jump up ^ Haining, Peter ( 1994 ). The Television Sherlock Holmes. Virgin Books. p. 51. ISBN 0 - 86369 - 793 - 3. Jump up ^ Allen Eyles ( 1986 ). Sherlock Holmes : A Centenary Celebration. Harper & Row. p. 130. ISBN 0 - 06 - 015620 - 1. Jump up ^ Barber, Nicholas ( February 9, 2015 ). `` Film Review : Mr Holmes is a whole new spin on Sherlock ''. BBC. Retrieved December 18, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Holmes and Watson ''. IMDB. 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017. Screen adaptations of Sherlock Holmes Silent films Sherlock Holmes Baffled ( 1900 ) Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ; or, Held for Ransom ( 1905 ) Sherlock Holmes in the Great Murder Mystery ( 1908 ) Arsène Lupin contra Sherlock Holmes ( 1910 ) Der Hund von Baskerville ( 1914 ) Detektiv Braun ( 1914 ) A Study in Scarlet ( 1914 British film ) A Study in Scarlet ( 1914 US film ) The Valley of Fear ( 1916 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1916 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1922 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1929 ) Stoll series The Dying Detective ( 1921 ) The Devil 's Foot ( 1921 ) The Man with the Twisted Lip ( 1921 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1921 ) The Sign of Four ( 1923 ) Wontner series The Sleeping Cardinal ( 1931 ) The Missing Rembrandt ( 1932, lost ) The Sign of Four ( 1932 ) The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes ( 1935 ) Silver Blaze ( 1937 ) Rathbone -- Bruce series The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1939 ) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ( 1939 ) Voice of Terror ( 1942 ) Secret Weapon ( 1942 ) Sherlock Holmes in Washington ( 1943 ) Sherlock Holmes Faces Death ( 1943 ) The Spider Woman ( 1944 ) The Scarlet Claw ( 1944 ) The Pearl of Death ( 1944 ) The House of Fear ( 1945 ) The Woman in Green ( 1945 ) Pursuit to Algiers ( 1945 ) Terror by Night ( 1946 ) Dressed to Kill ( 1946 ) By actor Clive Brook The Return of Sherlock Holmes ( 1929 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1932 ) Peter Cushing The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1959 ) The Masks of Death ( 1984 ) ( TV ) Christopher Plummer Silver Blaze ( 1977 ) ( TV ) Murder by Decree ( 1979 ) Christopher Lee The Deadly Necklace ( 1962 ) The Leading Lady ( 1991 ) ( TV ) Incident at Victoria Falls ( 1991 ) ( TV ) Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes ( 2009 ) A Game of Shadows ( 2011 ) Other films The Speckled Band ( 1931 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1932 ) A Study in Scarlet ( 1933 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1937 ) A Study in Terror ( 1965 ) The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes ( 1970 ) The Seven - Per - Cent Solution ( 1976 ) The Case of Marcel Duchamp ( 1984 ) Young Sherlock Holmes ( 1985 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 2010 ) Holmes & Watson. Madrid Days ( 2012 ) Mr. Holmes ( 2015 ) Television films Ian Richardson The Sign of Four ( 1983 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1983 ) Maslennikov series Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson ( 1979 ) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson ( 1980 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1981 ) The Treasures of Agra ( 1983 ) The Twentieth Century Approaches ( 1986 ) Matt Frewer The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 2000 ) The Sign of Four ( 2001 ) The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire ( 2002 ) The Royal Scandal ( 2003 ) Ian Hart ( as Watson ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 2002 ) The Case of the Silk Stocking ( 2004 ) Other films The Three Garridebs ( 1937 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1972 ) The Longing of Sherlock Holmes ( 1972 ) Sherlock Holmes in New York ( 1976 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1982 ) Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse ( 1983 ) The Return of Sherlock Holmes ( 1987 ) Hands of a Murderer ( 1990 ) The Crucifer of Blood ( 1991 ) 1994 Baker Street : Sherlock Holmes Returns ( 1993 ) The Hound of London ( 1993 ) Sherlock : Case of Evil ( 2002 ) Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars ( 2007 ) Comedies, pastiches, and parodies The Mystery of the Leaping Fish ( 1916 ) The Limejuice Mystery or Who Spat in Grandfather 's Porridge ? ( 1930 ) Lelíček ve službách Sherlocka Holmese ( 1932 ) The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes ( 1937 ) Deduce, You Say ! ( 1956 ) They Might Be Giants ( 1971 ) The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes ' Smarter Brother ( 1975 ) The Return of the World 's Greatest Detective ( 1976 ) Sherlock Pink ( 1976 ) The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It ( 1977 ) The Hound of the Baskervilles ( 1978 ) The Great Mouse Detective ( 1986 ) Without a Clue ( 1988 ) The Adventures of Shirley Holmes ( 1997 ) Zero Effect ( 1998 ) A Samba for Sherlock ( 2001 ) Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler ( 2006 ) Aria the Scarlet Ammo ( 2008 ) Tantei Opera Milky Holmes ( 2009 ) Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes ( 2010 ) The Empire of Corpses ( 2015 ) Sherlock Gnomes ( 2018 ) Holmes and Watson ( 2018 ) Television series Sherlock Holmes ( 1951 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1954 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1965 -- 68 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1967 -- 68 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1968 ) Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson ( 1979 -- 80 ) Young Sherlock : The Mystery of the Manor House ( 1982 ) The Baker Street Boys ( 1983 ) Sherlock Hound ( 1984 -- 85 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 1984 -- 94 ) episodes Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century ( 1999 -- 2001 ) Sherlock ( 2010 -- present ) Elementary ( 2012 -- present ) Sherlock Holmes ( 2013 ) Sherlock Holmes ( 2014 -- 15 ) other articles List of actors who have played Sherlock Holmes List of actors who have played Dr. Watson List of actors who have played Inspector Lestrade List of actors who have played Mycroft Holmes List of actors who have played Professor Moriarty Minor Sherlock Holmes characters Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_actors_who_have_played_Sherlock_Holmes&oldid=848441397 '' Categories : Sherlock Holmes lists Lists of actors by role Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from August 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bosanski Română Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 1 July 2018, at 22 : 31 ( UTC ). 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Question: who was the first actor to play sherlock holmes
Answer: C.H.E. Brookfield