Jeremy Brett

Jeremy Brett
{{{credit}}}
Portrays:	Lt. Nash Xaviar
Date of Birth:	November 3, 1933
Date of Death:	September 12, 1995
Age at Death:	61
Nationality:	UK
Related Media
		@ BW Media
[{{{site}}} Official Site]
IMDb profile

Peter Jeremy William Huggins (3 November 1933 – 12 September 1995), known professionally as Jeremy Brett, was an English actor best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the Granada Television series from 1984 to 1994. His distinguished career spanned stage, television, and film, including classical theatre, Shakespeare, and musical theatre. He appeared with Audrey Hepburn in two major films: as her brother Nikolai Rostov in War and Peace (1956), and as her suitor Freddy Eynsford-Hill in the 1964 Warner Bros. production of My Fair Lady, which also featured Wilfrid Hyde-White. In the Galactica 1980 episode "Spaceball," Brett played the dual role of Lieutenant Nash and Xaviar, replacing Richard Lynch in the latter role.

Early Life and Training

Brett was born Peter Jeremy William Huggins on 3 November 1933 to Lieutenant Colonel Henry William Huggins and Elizabeth Edith Cadbury, of the famous confectionery dynasty. He had three older brothers. Educated at Eton College, Brett's singing voice drew him to the stage. In a 1990 interview with HELLO! Magazine, Brett recalled: "It was really my singing voice. I was always accused of having histrionic tendencies, and when I went to Eton I was given wonderful things to sing. The audiences were wonderful, and my fan mail was immense. I remember one evening one shaft of sunlight was coming through the window of the chapel, and I assumed it was for me, and I stepped into it."

When his voice broke, Brett became "something of a plodder at school," but he never forgot that experience of performance. His father, who thought acting was a dubious profession, forbade him from using the family name on stage. As a result, when entering the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, he took his stage name from the label of his first suit, "Brett & Co." He won three major prizes at the school, including the Elsie Fogerty Prize and the William Ford Memorial Prize.

Career

Stage

Brett made his professional stage debut in 1954 at the Library Theatre in Manchester. He made his London stage debut with the Old Vic company in Troilus and Cressida in 1956, and later that year appeared on Broadway.

Brett became a noteworthy classical actor with regular appearances on stage, including productions with the National Theatre. When asked about his favorite role before Holmes, Brett stated: "Well, I was asked to play Hamlet when I was 27 by Frank Hauser. It was intended just to tour the country, but there had been a quite bad one at Stratford that year, so when we came into London, I cleaned up. The poster of me as Hamlet is pretty well the only piece of theatre memorabilia I keep around my home. It is behind glass, and it is going a bit beige now."

In 1980, Brett pioneered playing Dr. Watson on stage opposite Charlton Heston as Holmes in Paul Giovanni's The Crucifer of Blood in Los Angeles, making him one of only four actors to play both Holmes and Watson professionally. When asked about his approach to Watson, Brett explained: "Well, I was fortunate being the son of a soldier. I have some military blood in my veins, I suppose. I played him with enormous enthusiasm and devotion to Holmes. With enormous respect although I got quite angry and upset--very upset--when Holmes abused himself. I would kill for him. That's how I played Watson."

Between 1988 and 1989, Brett starred alongside Edward Hardwicke in The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, a theatrical adaptation by playwright Jeremy Paul that Brett commissioned in 1987. The production ran at Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End through September, then toured, with plans to bring it to Birmingham, Manchester, and the United States in 1994. In a 1988 interview at Wyndham's Theatre, Brett explained that the play explored the relationship between Holmes and Watson, with Jeremy Paul providing "a coup de theatre" in the second half revealing "a part of Holmes' life which has not been revealed."

Film and Television

Brett's film career included roles with Audrey Hepburn in War and Peace (1956) and My Fair Lady (1964). In a 1991 NPR interview, Brett reflected on the challenges of his career, noting that as an actor he was rarely cast in modern roles: "It's very rare I've been able to get into the 20th century. When I turn from 1899 to 1900 I jump for joy." He continued: "I did in Rebecca (1979), I got into the '30's then. I have done some modern stuff but I'm so thrilled I over-act like crazy. I've got pockets! I'm so used to wearing tights all the time that when I put my hands in my pockets I nearly fall over."

Brett appeared in various British television series and appeared in The Incredible Hulk episode "Of Guilt, Models and Murder" (1977). He starred as Maxim de Winter in the 1979 BBC adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca opposite Joanna David.

His final film appearances were in Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1995) and an uncredited bit part in Moll Flanders (1996), released nearly a year after his death.

Galactica 1980

In 1980, Brett appeared in the Galactica 1980 episode "Spaceball," playing the dual role of Lieutenant Nash and the villainous Commander Xaviar. The character of Xaviar had been introduced in earlier episodes and was originally portrayed by Richard Lynch. Brett's version of the character depicted Xaviar using his shapeshifting abilities to impersonate Lieutenant Nash, a Colonial Warrior, in order to kidnap the Galactican children and use them as hostages. Brett brought a cold, calculating villainous quality to the role, performing with a Germanic accent and delivering what has been described as a comedy villain performance.

The episode, which aired on 30 March 1980, was poorly received by critics and audiences alike. Brett's character never appeared again in the series, which was cancelled after ten episodes.

Sherlock Holmes

Although Brett appeared in many different roles during his career, he is best remembered for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in Granada Television's adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, which ran from 1984 to 1994. The series consisted of 41 episodes and featured David Burke as Dr. Watson until 1985, with Edward Hardwicke taking over the role from 1986 onward.

In a 1991 NPR interview, Brett described his initial reluctance to take the role: "I remember I drove away from the dinner... when I was asked, and I... I went with my son, David. And he said, 'Dad, you don't want to do it, do you?' and I said 'No, I don't, I really don't want to do it. I think it's been done. I think it's been done so many times I just think it's an old chestnut.'" What changed his mind was rereading the entire canon of Sherlock Holmes stories. Brett explained: "And I discovered all sorts of things that I could do if I had had the opportunity to do it. So I said 'yes!', with enormous temerity, and a certain amount of fear, and an element of excitement."

Brett fought passionately for fidelity to Doyle's original stories. In the NPR interview, he recounted: "We approached the scripts. I said, 'But you've asked me to do Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes... these aren't Sherlock Holmes – Doyle's stories'... I mean, the adapters had gone so far away. And the script editor said, 'Jeremy, you're here to act; just get on with it'. And I tipped the table over and my Dover sole landed in his lap."

In his 1988 interview at Wyndham's Theatre, Brett described his approach to playing Holmes: "When I have been playing Holmes... and what I prefer to do is sink myself into the character and leave myself behind. I always take the image of a sponge – which is me. And I squeeze out the liquid of myself out and draw in the liquid of the character I am playing." He invented an extensive backstory for Holmes to fill what he saw as gaps in the character: "To bring it off the printed page for myself, I invented little stories about him. About the loneliness of his university days, of his brilliance at sports, and his total removal from any kind of social activity..."

In an interview published in The Armchair Detective (Fall 1985), Brett and David Burke discussed their approach to the Holmes-Watson relationship. Brett explained: "We asked ourselves, 'Who'd stay with Holmes? Well, Watson does. But therefore why does he stay?' All right, he's fascinated with deduction – he still has never recovered [from the surprise at] Holmes's knowing he had just come back from Afghanistan – but there's more than that. [Holmes is] an impossible person to share rooms with! I think that what I found in what I call the under-bedding of the part is that somehow Watson sees this man's need."

Brett believed the Holmes-Watson dynamic was crucial. In his 1988 interview, he stated: "Watson and Holmes are two halves of the same person. They are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's a brilliant creation their friendship, and it needs both, you can't have the one without the other, it's impossible."

When David Burke left the series to spend time with his young son, Brett was devastated. In his 1991 NPR interview, he recounted: "My darling David Burke came to me and said, 'I – please, I must go home, my son, Tom, is two and I must be with him growing up.' And I said, 'Of course! I absolutely understand.' And... I stood and waved goodbye at the station in Manchester, which is where the studios are located in England, and thought, 'Now what do I do? I've lost a Watson. My bestest friend.'" It was Burke's wife Anna who suggested Edward Hardwicke as a replacement.

In his 1991 interview with Jim Knusch, Brett discussed his favorite episode: "I think the beginning of The Dancing Men, when I asked my director if I could actually lift it from the printed page. We realized we actually could do Doyle, undiluted. In that case, even unadapted. And that was exciting. Dangerous, but exciting."

Brett famously referred to Holmes as "You Know Who" or "HIM" because the character had such a powerful effect on him. In the NPR interview, he explained: "Watson describes You-Know-Who as a mind without a heart; that's hard to play - hard to become. So what I did was to invent an inner life. I mean, I know what his nanny looked like, for example; she was covered in starch. She probably scrubbed him, but never kissed him. I don't think he probably saw his mother until he was about eight. Maybe caught a touch of the fragrance of her scent and the rustle of her dress."

Brett acknowledged that Basil Rathbone was his favorite Holmes: "Well, Basil Rathbone, first and foremost, is my Sherlock Holmes... Because he was the person I first saw, and I can't see me of course, so he is my Sherlock Holmes." However, Brett received twelve plaques from Sherlockian societies honoring him as the best Holmes, and Dame Jean Conan Doyle, Arthur Conan Doyle's daughter, told him: "You are the Holmes of my childhood."

In his 1988 interview, Brett discussed a hairstyle change he made during the series. Originally planned to avoid the discomfort of daily gel application, Brett admitted: "It is true that little remarks can get under your skin. I mean little things like that... and that's why I changed my hairstyle..." referring to a critic's comment comparing him to Noel Coward. He eventually returned to the traditional swept-back look.

By 1991, Brett committed to completing the entire Sherlock Holmes canon. In his interview with Jim Knusch, he stated: "Oh I rang up about March and said I was prepared to finish the Canon as long as they gave me gaps and took care of me." When asked if Granada agreed, Brett replied: "Last March I girded my loins and asked Granada what they'd say if I was willing to do it. They said you are our most successful series, you have our blessing. So I rang a very important person named Edward Hardwicke--we're joined at the hip--and asked if he'd come with me and the answer was yes. So we decided to go for the gold."

The final season, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994), completed Brett's work on the series. His final episode featuring Brett and Edward Hardwicke was "The Cardboard Box."

Personal Life

On 24 May 1958, Brett married actress Anna Massey, daughter of actor Raymond Massey. Their son, David Huggins, was born in 1959. Brett and Massey divorced on 22 November 1962. In his 1990 HELLO! Magazine interview, Brett noted: "I have three [children]. David, who is my son by Annie (Anna Massey, his first wife) and two step-children by Joan. They are Caleb and Rebecka,- or Beckie as she loved to be called. They all mean a tremendous amount to me, and I feel very spoiled and lucky to have them."

In 1976, Brett married Joan Sullivan Wilson, who worked for WGBH and created the PBS series Mystery!. In his NPR interview, Brett recounted: "I knew at the end of The Final Problem in '84 that she had cancer, and the lights really went out in my life. And... I didn't want to do it anymore. I didn't see any point..." Joan died on 4 July 1985, and Brett was devastated. He told the NPR interviewer: "I lost her on July the 4th 1985. And I went back to England when the play finished, it didn't finish until the 23rd, I don't know how I did those performances... You never get over a loss like that. You get used to it but you never get over it."

In his 1990 HELLO! Magazine interview, Brett reflected on his wife's death: "I have got used to people saying I will get over it. You never do get over it. You just get used to it. But I am not very good at losing people I love. I lost my mother, she was killed in a car accident, and it threw me for a loop."

After Joan's death, Brett was advised to return to work immediately. He later acknowledged this was a mistake: "I was worn out, but I went into a kind of overdrive. It wasn't manic depression: more of a manic high. Then when I had finished filming, I was so thrilled to be free and resting, but I couldn't sleep. And then it began to go wrong." In his NPR interview, Brett explained: "I had... an almighty breakdown. And when I came through that, thanks entirely to my darling son, David, who was a valiant friend to me through that... I got back on the bike again!"

Brett's battle with bipolar disorder affected his work and personal life significantly. In a 1988 interview, he acknowledged the strain of playing Holmes: "When I first started I was incredibly nervous about getting it wrong and I've relaxed a little bit... When I came in, it depressed me to look at myself in the mirror. I couldn't wait to wash that stuff out of my hair and put on colour. He is such a black and white character. I started drinking champagne as a kind of celebration to lift my spirits. It started with just a glass in my bath, and grew until I needed a whole bottle to put me to sleep at nights. Well, that was getting entirely out of hand, and it had to stop."

Despite these struggles, Brett found solace in his work. By 1991, he told NPR: "I don't mind, now... Uh, there was a time when people would say, 'How do you enjoy playing Holmes?' and I would say, 'I wouldn't cross the street to meet him'. I then discovered that, of course, I meant that he wouldn't cross the street to meet me. Then when I was doing the play... I realized how many children were seeing him and how - what a hero he was, to them. I thought, 'Oh, my, didn't know that', so I thought, 'My goodness, I have that joy'... of doing it for children."

Jeremy Brett died of heart failure on 12 September 1995 at the age of 61. His death prompted an outpouring of grief from Sherlock Holmes fans worldwide.

Legacy

Brett's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes continues to be celebrated decades after his death. In 2020, the 25th anniversary of his passing was marked with special commemorations and podcast episodes examining his life and career. In May 2024, BrettCon, a convention celebrating his work, brought together cast and crew members from the Granada series to share their memories of working with Brett. In 2025, it was announced that the Granada Sherlock Holmes series starring Brett would be remastered in 4K, allowing new generations to experience his portrayal of the detective.

Many critics and fans consider Brett's performance to be one of the most influential interpretations of Sherlock Holmes in the character's screen history. His dedication to the Doyle canon, his psychological depth, and his ability to capture both the detective's brilliance and his vulnerabilities have cemented his legacy as one of the definitive portrayals of the great detective.

References

External Links

• Jeremy Brett at the Internet Movie Database

• Jeremy Brett at The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
• Jeremy Brett at The Sherlock Holmes Society of London