What do you think?
Rate this book
Jeremy Brett - Linda Pritchard Story
Synopsis : Life with Jeremy Brett during the last seven years of his life, and his role as Sherlock Holmes. First meeting during the run of stage-play, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes; she asked for the star's assistance in raising money for cancer reaseach. Jeremy helped her set up and support "The Keep Hope Alive" marathon, raising over £50,000 for cancer research, and their contact continued on. Linda became his close friend, his "pixie", caring for him devotedly during his deteriorating health at the last years of his life. The irony that their great friendship started on 12 September 1988, and ended on 12 September 1995...
146 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1998
26 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 30, 2017
This is one book that I struggled with indecision as to whether I should include it or not. As I've mentioned before, I take the GoodReads name literally ... showcasing books that I found to be worthwhile. It gives you a peek at my bookshelves and tells you more about me as you see what I recommend. I found this to be a very poorly written book, gushing with phrases that would be more at home in a romance novel written by an amateur. It IS worthwhile in the factual information that it includes, though, so I am listing it here.
Portrayers of Sherlock Holmes sometimes reach legendary status. I have read how William Gillette riveted theater audiences with his portrayal of the famous detective. To many, it seemed as if Holmes had actually stepped from the pages of the books. He did portray Holmes in a silent film that I have in my collection. However, without sound and with an acting style better suited to the stage, I cannot appreciate his original impact.
Although I had seen quite a few fine Sherlock Holmes actors such as Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Robert Stephens, the performer who became "my" Sherlock Holmes was Basil Rathbone. I did not see the films when they were originally released, but they were played over and over again on television. I adored his partnering with Nigel Bruce (although Sherlockians rightfully point out that Bruce's portrayal of Dr. Watson made him silly, and that certainly was not the Watson of the stories).
Then Jeremy Brett took the role. If you have not seen him as Holmes, please seek out some episodes. He was a revelation. Through him, we not only saw the brilliance and occasionally sarcastic humor of Conan-Doyle's character, but also a layer of darkness that didn't often boil to the surface. (When it did, watch out!) This was a Holmes who fit what I had read in the stories. It was obvious why he had so few acquaintances and only one friend (after Victor Trevor from his school days).
In the final season, it became obvious that something was very, very wrong. Holmes looked genuinely ill, gained so much weight that he didn't at all resemble the figure we'd come to know, was completely missing from one story (forcing his brother, Mycroft, to team with Watson), and then finished the series more with a whimper than a roar. Rumors abounded that the role caused a severe mental breakdown in Brett that damaged him physically. We didn't see much of Brett after the series ended, and he died soon afterward.
This book is co-written by his companion of several years, Linda Pritchard. The style of writing is very disconcerting, with Linda herself being referred to in the third person until the Epilogue.
From this book, I learned that Jeremy Brett suffered not only from a serious heart condition probably brought on by a youthful bout with rheumatic fever, but also with a long time struggle with manic depression. Frankly, I had no idea of how manic depression could manifest itself. This book made me aware. It is not a case of "feeling down for a long period of time." This was an actual personality change that I will admit was frightening to read about. There is also some evidence that he was occasionally in the throes of this when some of the Sherlock Holmes episodes were filmed, and the weight gain was due to medication that caused his body to retain water.
Linda Pritchard does not want the Reader to see this story as a tragedy. Highly spiritual (a belief she says was shared by Jeremy Brett), she finds a reason for the suffering and believes that two souls can be reunited in the afterlife. She would rather have the Reader focus on Brett's remarkable generosity and caring for others ... and there are many examples of this in the short book.
Two especially wistful moments for me:
A retired Jeremy Brett laments to his doctor that he can never give just one more performance to share with the fans who loved him. The doctor reminds him that the entire Sherlock Holmes series is available on videocassette and that his fans can watch him again and again. This revelation made Brett very happy. He had never thought of this because he did not own a videocassette player.
In the pictures section, there is a photograph of him in costume for a stage role of DRACULA in 1978. Oh, I wish that there was a recording of that performance. He looks amazing as the Count!
This is not one I'll ever read again. I am pleased with that I read it, though, because there were excellent insights about an actor I admired.
Portrayers of Sherlock Holmes sometimes reach legendary status. I have read how William Gillette riveted theater audiences with his portrayal of the famous detective. To many, it seemed as if Holmes had actually stepped from the pages of the books. He did portray Holmes in a silent film that I have in my collection. However, without sound and with an acting style better suited to the stage, I cannot appreciate his original impact.
Although I had seen quite a few fine Sherlock Holmes actors such as Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Robert Stephens, the performer who became "my" Sherlock Holmes was Basil Rathbone. I did not see the films when they were originally released, but they were played over and over again on television. I adored his partnering with Nigel Bruce (although Sherlockians rightfully point out that Bruce's portrayal of Dr. Watson made him silly, and that certainly was not the Watson of the stories).
Then Jeremy Brett took the role. If you have not seen him as Holmes, please seek out some episodes. He was a revelation. Through him, we not only saw the brilliance and occasionally sarcastic humor of Conan-Doyle's character, but also a layer of darkness that didn't often boil to the surface. (When it did, watch out!) This was a Holmes who fit what I had read in the stories. It was obvious why he had so few acquaintances and only one friend (after Victor Trevor from his school days).
In the final season, it became obvious that something was very, very wrong. Holmes looked genuinely ill, gained so much weight that he didn't at all resemble the figure we'd come to know, was completely missing from one story (forcing his brother, Mycroft, to team with Watson), and then finished the series more with a whimper than a roar. Rumors abounded that the role caused a severe mental breakdown in Brett that damaged him physically. We didn't see much of Brett after the series ended, and he died soon afterward.
This book is co-written by his companion of several years, Linda Pritchard. The style of writing is very disconcerting, with Linda herself being referred to in the third person until the Epilogue.
From this book, I learned that Jeremy Brett suffered not only from a serious heart condition probably brought on by a youthful bout with rheumatic fever, but also with a long time struggle with manic depression. Frankly, I had no idea of how manic depression could manifest itself. This book made me aware. It is not a case of "feeling down for a long period of time." This was an actual personality change that I will admit was frightening to read about. There is also some evidence that he was occasionally in the throes of this when some of the Sherlock Holmes episodes were filmed, and the weight gain was due to medication that caused his body to retain water.
Linda Pritchard does not want the Reader to see this story as a tragedy. Highly spiritual (a belief she says was shared by Jeremy Brett), she finds a reason for the suffering and believes that two souls can be reunited in the afterlife. She would rather have the Reader focus on Brett's remarkable generosity and caring for others ... and there are many examples of this in the short book.
Two especially wistful moments for me:
A retired Jeremy Brett laments to his doctor that he can never give just one more performance to share with the fans who loved him. The doctor reminds him that the entire Sherlock Holmes series is available on videocassette and that his fans can watch him again and again. This revelation made Brett very happy. He had never thought of this because he did not own a videocassette player.
In the pictures section, there is a photograph of him in costume for a stage role of DRACULA in 1978. Oh, I wish that there was a recording of that performance. He looks amazing as the Count!
This is not one I'll ever read again. I am pleased with that I read it, though, because there were excellent insights about an actor I admired.
Read
February 14, 2016For only the second time in my life I have read a book that made me break down in tears. The Jeremy Brett Linda Pritchard Story: On The Wings of Paradise is a moving, heartfelt story of courage, devotion, sacrifice, love and self discovery. It embodies the human spirit of survival against all odds. Both Jeremy Brett and Linda Pritchard had this in limitless quantity. Jeremy Brett's humanity and love of life shone through this book despite having to overcome enormous difficulties with his health. He was not only a great and wonderful actor, but what I have long suspected an Old Soul, and this wonderful book has confirmed that. Linda Pritchard was Jeremy Brett's Dr Watson, loyal, loving and a shining example of what a true friendship is all about. Such a friendship is almost unheard of these days. Jeremy Brett was of course best known to many as Sherlock Holmes. But if you want to learn more about the man and not the character he played then I would heartily recommend reading this fantastic book. There are moments that will make you laugh and smile and cry. But this book will stay with you long after you have read it. This is a story you will want to read again and again. Take a ride on the wings of paradise. You will not be left disappointed
August 11, 2011
Absolutely wonderful book about a wonderful man. Not just great for his unparalleled performance as Holmes but a great human being."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews