Eille Norwood interviewed 1924

A very enjoyable interview with Eille Norwood (1861-1948) in the Derby Daily Telegraph in 1924. At the time this interview was conducted, Norwood had finished the last of his forty seven Sherlock silent films (1923), and had performed in the play 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes' from October 1923 to February 1924 in London before touring it in Great Britain.

Whether or not Norwood knew it or not, his active career as Sherlock Holmes was coming to an end - the last performances of the play appear to be in the very month this interview was conducted (November 1924). Norwood was to perform his play at the Grand Theatre in Derby, and the last references I can find to the play were just a few weeks later (December 1924).

Derby Daily Telegraph - Saturday 15 November 1924

Derby Daily Telegraph - Wednesday 19 November 1924

THEATRICAL TOPICS.
MR. EILLE NORWOOD'S LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS. 

SHERLOCK HOLMES INTERVIEWED. 

With feelings very much akin to those experienced by the harassed visitors to the immortal sanctum in Baker-street, I entered the dressing-room of Mr. Eille Norwood at the Grand Theatre this week (writes "Stagestruck"). Sherlock Holmes pulled his dressing gown around him, and sat down opposite to me. He scrutinised me keenly before speaking. 

But a disappointment was in store for me. I had anticipated a full and minute story past career, garnished with details of my professional habits. I fully expected to hear that mother had dropped me on my head in youth, that I had omitted to shave that morning, and that I had weakness for boiled eggs. In response to my startled glance the Great Detective would then smile enigmatically and chuckle to himself "Elementary, my dear Stagestruck! Quite a simple problem in the art of deduction!" 

But no such thrill awaited me! Sherlock merely glanced at his watch and said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting. What shall we talk about!" I put my foot in it straight away by calling him "Eely." "For heaven's sake, don't, pronounce it that way!" he said wearily, "I've had scores of letters asking me how I pronounce my Christian name. Eille is pronounced so as to rhyme with Filey!"

Mr. Norwood a playwright of mean order, at least two of his playlets having achieved great success, "Chalk and Cheese" and "Hook and Eye." As a matter of fact, Ethel Irving made her first appearance on any stage in Mr. Norwood's production of "Chalk and Cheese." Another of his hobbies is musical composition, as a glance at the programme of selections played the Grand Theatre orchestra this week will show. One of his pieces has been recorded, and is played by the Coldstream Guards. 

Mr. Norwood is particularly interested in this district, for he has relatives at Ashbourne, while his own family lived for close on 300 years at Burton Joyce in Notts. Eille's father removed to York, however, where the interpreter of "Sherlock" was born. Like so many other famous actors, he has built hie experience on the solid foundation of repertory. Commencing his career with Benson, he played in repertory for fifteen years without a break, doing in the main Shakespeare and old English comedy. During that time he was also with Edward Compton, and for five years was Sir Charles Wyndham's leading man in London. He created the part of Joe Garson in "Within the Law" at the Haymarket, and also played the leading part in that terribly gripping spy story which achieved success during the war, "Inside the Lines." 

A Tremendous Audience.

"It was rather strange that Sherlock should be my first big film part," he continued, "for I had been playing "Raffles," and had to switch straight over from committing crimes to detecting them. It has been estimated that no less than fifty million people in all parts of the world have seen the films I made, for I have appeared in every Sherlock Holmes story that has been written, with only four exceptions." When "The Hound of the Baskervilles" was shown at the Capitol Theatre in New York it played to 30,000 dollars in a single week. Among the advertising attractions was an actual photograph of Mr. Norwood outside the theatre, eight feet in height. 

"It is largely a matter of accident," said Eille, "that many of Sherlock Holmes' characteristics should happen to be mine also. So much so that, before I was really conversant with the character many people approached me and suggested that I should play the part. I commenced to read ;'Sherlock," and found him so interesting that I made a complete study of the character, and the greatest joy of my interpretation is that I have satisfied his creator."

As matter fact, I believe that when Sir Conan and Lady Doyle went to see 'The Return' at the Prince's Theatre they placed 'Norwood' incomparably first, 'Gillette  second, and the rest nowhere! A wonderful compliment, but one that was well earned, for no actor has ever studied his subject more closely. When you go to the Grand Theatre this week notice Sherlock's collar and tie, his hair, and the details of dress usually scamped by the insincere actor. Norwood has studied the original illustrations of Sydney Paget's till he has absorbed every detail of the detective's outward appearance. Paget, who did more to popularise "Sherlock" than many people would admit, used his brother as his model for the detective in his pictures. Where so many actors have failed has been trying to adapt Sherlock to themselves instead of themselves absorbing the spirit of the character. 

"I had an offer from an American impresario quite recently," Mr. Norwood told me. "Said he, ' I guess I can take you Over There, but before I put the play on in America you will have to alter it and make Sherlock Holmes marry Lady Carfax.' "Will you Americans never grow up?" was the reply. "Must you always have this craving for a happy ending?" 

Norwood will soon have played the part of "Holmes" the 500th time, for he has not had an evening off since October, 1923. He has been on tour since the London run was cut short at its most successful point by the expiration of his tenure of the Princes Theatre, which was wanted by D'Oyly Carte for the Gilbert and Sullivan season. Mrs. Norwood, the actor's wife, is Ruth Mackay, whose name has figured in many big London successes including "The Luck of the Navy" and "The Man who Stayed at Home." 

Incidentally, he finds that constantly assuming a detective's air he is coming to notice many of the detective's faculties. Quite recently he startled his friend in the street by telling him that the man walking in front of them was bound for the bank. He explained his deduction by pointing to the bloodless tips of his fingers caused by the heaviness of the bag he was carrying. Such a weight in such a bag could only mean one thing —money. And where should one take money but a bank? Similarly, he refuted the idea that another stranger's bad cough was due to excessive cigarette smoking. In support of this he indicated to his friend that one of the man's teeth had been driven into the jaw by constant gripping of pipe. 

Quite elementary, my dear Watson, I assure you. Kindly pass the cocaine.