Sherlock Holmes: The Complete BBC Collection

60 Full-Cast Dramatisations

By: Arthur Conan Doyle, Bert Coules

Narrated by: Clive Merrison, Michael Williams, Brian Blessed, Judi Dench, Andrew Sachs, Robert Glenister, Harriet Walters, full cast

Length: 48 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Fully dramatised adaptations of all 60 Sherlock Holmes stories, brought to life with a full cast of actors, sound effects and music

Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective Sherlock Holmes and his dear friend Dr Watson are among the most enduringly popular fictional characters ever created. Their adventures have been dramatised countless times on radio, TV and film, but until BBC Radio 4 took on the challenge in 1989, no one had ever attempted to adapt all sixty stories.

Beginning with A Study in Scarlet and concluding with The Hound of the Baskervilles, their epic project took over 8 years to complete - and this landmark collection contains the extraordinary result of their labours. Here is the world's first ever fully dramatised Sherlock Holmes canon: 56 short stories and 4 novels, all made by the same team of directors, producers, dramatists and leading actors, and packed with the high production qualities of a film or TV drama that set it apart.

Starring one of radio's great double acts, Clive Merrison and Michael Williams, as Holmes and Watson, and with guest stars including Brian Blessed, Judi Dench, Maurice Denham, Andrew Sachs, Peter Davison, Robert Glenister and Harriet Walter, this definitive collection contains over 48 hours of enthralling listening.

Also included is a bonus interview with Adrian Conan Doyle about his father, Sir Arthur, and some fascinating behind-the-scenes revelations from the series' head writer, Bert Coules, about the making of the radio adaptations.

Cast

Sherlock Holmes - Clive Merrison

Dr John Watson - Michael Williams

Mrs Hudson - Anna Cropper/Mary Allen/Joan Matheson/Judi Dench

Inspector Gregson - John Moffatt

Inspector Lestrade - Donald Gee/Stephen Thorne

Mary Morstan/Mary Watson - Moir Leslie/Elizabeth Mansfield/Hannah Gordon

Irene Adler - Sarah Badel

Inspector Jones - Nigel Carrington

Colonel Moran - Fraser Kerr/Frederick Treves

Mycroft Holmes - John Hartley

Professor Moriarty - Michael Pennington

Production credits

Written by Arthur Conan Doyle

Dramatised by Bert Coules with David Ashton, Michael Bakewell, Roger Danes, Robert Forrest, Denys Hawthorne, Gerry Jones, Peter Ling, Vincent McInerney and Peter Mackie

Produced and directed by Ian Cotterell, David Johnston, Patrick Rayner and Enyd Williams

Musicians: Alexander Balanescu, Leonard Friedman, Richard Friedman, Michael Haslam, Ian Humphries and Abigail Young

Contents

A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Valley of Fear, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, A Scandal in Bohemia , The Red-Headed League, A Case of Identity, The Boscombe Valley Mystery, The Five Orange Pips, The Man with the Twisted Lip, The Blue Carbuncle, The Speckled Band, The Engineer's Thumb, The Noble Bachelor, The Beryl Coronet, The Copper Beeches, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes,Silver Blaze, The Yellow Face, The Stockbroker's Clerk,The Gloria Scott, The Musgrave Ritual, The Reigate Squires, The Crooked Man, The Resident Patient, The Greek Interpreter, The Naval Treaty, The Final Problem, The Return of Sherlock Holmes,The Empty House, The Norwood Builder, The Dancing Men, The Solitary Cyclist, The Priory School, Black Peter, Charles Augustus Milverton, The Six Napoleons, The Three Students, The Golden Pince-Nez, The Missing Three-Quarter, The Abbey Grange, The Second Stain, His Last Bow,Wisteria Lodge, The Cardboard Box, The Red Circle, The Bruce-Partington Plans, The Dying Detective, The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax,The Devil's Foot, His Last Bow, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes,The Illustrious Client, The Blanched Soldier, The Mazarin Stone, The Three Gables, The Sussex Vampire, The Three Garridebs, The Problem of Thor Bridge, The Creeping Man, The Lion's Mane, The Veiled Lodger, Shoscombe Old Place, The Retired Colourman

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between November 1989 and March 1995

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Excellent

The best adaptations I've ever heard. Nice background fillers to start the stories and great writing without embellishments. True to ACDs stories and yet eliminates or explains away some of the inconsistencies.

A nice collection

I love Sherlock Holmes. This collection of dramatizations did not disappoint. I highly recommend to anyone who is a Holmes fan.

Having the same Sherlock and Watson! Brilliant.

This was absolutely amazing! I’m a huge Sherlock Holmes fan! And this was perfect! All of the short stories together, with the same Watson and Holmes. Couldn’t ask for a better 2 days of stories! I’ve already listen twice and now for a third time! Thank you BBC!

Absolutely Fantastic, BUT THE VIOLIN...

Really enjoyed the performance and bundle. Great value for 1 Credit.

HOWEVER, the manic violin interludes (resembling Holmes manic thinking) is very jarring and difficult to listen to - leaving me rushing to the speaker to turn it down and back up again every time.
Otherwise 5 stars from me.

All around great!

48 hours of pure captivating acting and stories with twist and turns. Yet easy to listen to and keep to with while working and multitasking. I would recommend to anyone!

The best audio adaptation I've ever heard

Just as Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes is one of the best classic TV adaptations, Clive Merrison's portrayal in these BBC audio play adaptations is the best you'll ever hear. These full-cast productions of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle classic series are entertaining and engaging, making you feel like you are in this fictionalized version of Victorian-Era London. Well worth the time and money to add to your library.

Treasure

I have avidly been looking forward to this release. You will not regret this purchase. Not only will it be sure to please the Holmes & Watson fan, but it doubtless would serve as an addictive introduction to anyone as of yet unnaquanited with these timeless characters!

Good

The stories are very good and authentic to the source material, and most of the performance is truly great but the laughing is so bizarre: everyone seems to laugh like a moustache twirling villain, a very strange performance choice

Fabulous!!!!

This is the BEST Sherlock Holmes Collection I have ever had! Same actors and all the stories in order. Clive Merrison is so good as Sherlock. I have listened to this over and over again! If you love Sherlock Holmes get this collection even if you have other stories.

Listen to "The Further Adventures..." next!

This entire series is already available on Audible as several different collections. This is a nice update, giving each story its own chapter title (instead of Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc, like the old downloads). However, it does not have any of the stories from the collection called "The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" which are also well worth a listen! They are original stories and maintain the quality of the stories in this collection. Look for the yellow thumbnail and make sure you have the one written by Bert Coules! Download this collection and that one, and you'll have the whole series.